This Spirit of Wimbledon

A history of football's perennial underdogs, Wimbledon. Written and researched by Niall Couper, AFC Wimbledon's matchday programme editor, 'Spirit…' covers the Dons from their humble beginnings in 1922 right up to their present day incarnation as AFC Wimbledon. In 1977 Wimbledon Football Club were still a non-league club plying their trade in the Southern League… just over a decade later the club was in England's top division and had won the world's most famous knockout competition, the FA Cup, beating Liverpool in one of the greatest upsets Wembley had ever seen. Three years later the Dons were founder members of the Premier League. Thriving on their underdog status, they continued to defy the odds until 2000 when they were relegated. Then in 2002 an FA Commission granted Wimbledon permission to re-locate to Milton Keynes. It was an unprecedented move. The supporters were incensed and set up their own non-league club, AFC Wimbledon. Now, backed by the famous passion of the Dons, AFC Wimbledon are out to repeat history. This book tells the tale of the spirit that inspired it all from 1922 to 2003 through the eyes of the players, managers and supporters who were there. With over 100 exclusive interviews from the likes of Vinny Jones, John Fashanu, Robbie Earle, Dave Beasant, Dave Bassett, Bobby Gould, Dickie Guy, Kris Stewart, Wally Downes and Alan Cork; all the famous images, and some never before-seen pictures, The Spirit of Wimbledon is the definitive inside guide to the Dons.