Saturday, March 8 was International Women’s Day, and the club always like to mark the occasion in the best way it can. So, with an AFC Wimbledon Women fixture scheduled for the very next day, against promotion-chasing Ipswich Town, the convenience was a blessing.
The tremendous work of Ray Armfield, head of Wimbledon Old Players Association (WOPA), has meant that so many of our former women’s team players have joined up an ever-increasing number of our past that get honoured.
The games Matchday Programme Cover
It was no coincidence that bringing this group of talented women together on this day meant that not only were they remembered for their pioneering exploits, but to also embrace the current set up, as well as looking to the future. The rise in popularity in the women’s game is one well told and witnessed, and over 1,100 came to Plough Lane to attend the game, as well as pay tribute to the past.
Here are some pictures from the day, provided by Ray himself, including some image boards covering just a sample of the players.
Some of you with good vision and inquisitive minds may be wondering why there are bare naked ladies riding bicycles around a dirt track on our fantastic artwork on the site’s homepage. Of course, there will be some of you who may be able to figure out exactly what is going on.
If not, here is the story…
Back in 1978, the rock band Queen, fronted by Freddie Mercury, released a song called Bicycle Race. This was part of a “Double A” side single (the flip song was Fat Bottomed Girls) and reached the heady heights of number 11 in the music charts. The infectious melody includes the sounds of many old-fashioned bicycle bells being rung.
The music video that accompanied the song was banned in several countries for its content. Yes, those bare naked ladies were seen for real as they rode around the then Wimbledon Stadium with its greyhound track. The models improvised their race, and as over 60 of them bare all on rented cycles, the video was seen as too graphic and was censored and banned.
The history of Wimbledon Stadium has had many highlights. This one is one of its most famous that doesn’t include competitive sport being played. Being family friendly, WiSH can show you the censored version of the video. Trust Freddie to make headlines…
You will have read about the great event that happened at the Club on the weekend of February 14/15. This saw over 20 different countries represented through our overseas fanbases at Plough Lane to enjoy our fantastic facilities. Many went on a Tour and were also entertained by former player Hans Segers.
We have a selection of images from that weekend below, and if this has raised interest, we have a dedicated page on this site to our WWW (that’s World Wide Wombles), which can be found here…
A full feature will appear in the club matchday programme against Bromley and will be available here soon after.
The Batsford Boys Anniversary Dinner was a truly tremendous event that brought together the famous team from the now infamous 1975 FA Cup run, as well as other exploits on and off the pitch.
The “Batsford Boys” take part in a 50 year reunion evening at Plough Lane, London on 31st January 2025. (Photo: Micah Crook/KontentHaus)
You can read more about that night in our previous article here
During the evening the players from the past took time to mix with people that attended the evening, and also signed their thoughts down, which you can see in the images below.
Some even took time to send messages of thanks after the event, such was their joy of being reunited with their colleagues from the past, and also the new generation of supporters that have learnt of their achievements.
Images courtesy of Ray Armfield
WiSH would like to go on record by thanking all of those that helped make this event a true success, and of course to the players, and families that attended the night, and gave up so much time to make everyone reminisce on those glory days.
Our WiSH club museum was officially reopened on Friday January 31 by Mo Batsford and club President Dickie Guy, I believe the pictures speak for themselves, an incredible effort from all the WiSH volunteers involved in rescuing items from the flood to building new cabinets and then bringing it back to life.
The “Batsford Boys” take part in a 50 year reunion evening at Plough Lane, London on 31st January 2025. (Photo: Micah Crook/KontentHaus)
The Wimbledon in Sporting History Museum re opens at Plough Lane, London on 31st January 2025. (Photo: Micah Crook/KontentHaus)
The “Batsford Boys” take part in a 50 year reunion evening at Plough Lane, London on 31st January 2025. (Photo: Micah Crook/KontentHaus)
The Wimbledon in Sporting History Museum re opens at Plough Lane, London on 31st January 2025. (Photo: Micah Crook/KontentHaus)
The “Batsford Boys” take part in a 50 year reunion evening at Plough Lane, London on 31st January 2025. (Photo: Micah Crook/KontentHaus)
I’m told it has the WOW factor now and we’re very proud of the end result. I hope you all enjoy seeing our complete 130+ years of history on display, please sign and comment in the visitor’s book and leave a kind donation if you can, the museum remains free at the point of contact for all to view.
Tours are also back in full swing now and some brand new exhibits, just for those that book, to see up on the third floor.
The day finished with a celebration of the famous Batsford Boys 50th Anniversary dinner, once again I’ll leave the pictures to tell the story. The evening was a great success and the first partnership heritage anniversary event between WiSH and the Club, we plan to celebrate an anniversary each season now and are already looking forward to what we can bring you in 2025/26!
After an incredible effort and support from all the WiSH Volunteers, AFC Wimbledon, Sponsors and Partners, we’ve gone from wading through muddy water, carrying all of the artefacts up three flights of stairs to put into storage. Through to presenting a whole new offering and heritage experience.
The WiSH team are proud to present once more the Club Museum and we hope everyone values it as much as we do, better than most premiership offerings, a unique insight & record of “The Greatest Story in Football”
From February 1, the museum will be open when the shop is, so no longer just available on tours, but with free access to all across the week, donations are always welcome though as we develop further initiatives at the stadium and out in the community.
For Wimbledon fans back then and Dons who wish to find out more about a unique time in our history, it’ll be an unforgettable night.
The Batsford Reunion – named after the Wimbledon manager who created a heroic team that defied the odds by holding then league champions Leeds in their own backyard – will bring together almost the entire starting 11 from that memorable day.
There’s sure to be one or two stories that supporters may not have heard before – a Q&A taking place with all of the squad from 1975.
Back then, Wimbledon were in the Southern League, so it created national headlines when the Dons held Leeds, and for the first time since the following players will be all together:
Dickie Guy, Ian Cooke, Jeff Bryant, Bob Stockley, Billy Edwards, Roger Connell, Micky Mahon, Dave Bassett, Selwyn Rice. Other past Dons attending on the night are Glenn Aitken, Paul Priddy and Graham Smith.
Maureen Batsford (on behalf of Allen) and Gloria Donaldson (on behalf of Dave) will also be joining us, plus goalkeeper Mike Kelly from the 1963 FA Amateur Cup winning team.
John Lynch, Managing Director at Wimbledon in Sporting History (WiSH), said: “It was a revolution that Allen Batsford started in the summer of 1974, having just won the FA Amateur Cup with Walton & Hersham.
“The early 70s were very difficult for Wimbledon and at one point the Club was subject to interest from a consortium led by George Best. Before Allen took over the reins we had only seven contracted players, but he changed everything. Bringing in players including Dave Bassett, the whole spirit of the Club was transformed on the way to reaching the Football League for the first time. We’ve got virtually the whole of the starting 11 joining us and they’ve never been all in the same room for half a century, so this will be a one-off event. It’ll be an unmissable night for people from that era, or younger Dons who want to find out more about a club icon who was the catalyst for Wimbledon to transition from non league into the league.”
There’ll also be one or two revealing insights from the squad back then, plus a few funny stories from an era when football was rather different!
“We’ll also hear about the two Wombles turning up unexpectedly on the pitch at Elland Road – to say Allen Batsford was unhappy would be a massive understatement. We’ll also hear more about the presentation of a Haggis to Billy Bremner after the game!”
Funds from a raffle and an auction will be donated to WiSH for stadium and community projects, with proceeds from ticket sales to the Club. Raffle prizes will include new posters of the Batsford Arms – the pub inside the old Plough Lane stadium – replica shirts from that historic season and special merchandise.
WiSH – Rare & special auction items for the Batsford 50th Anniversary Reunion Dinner
WiSH are making available some very special & unique heritage items.
Batsford 50th Shirt Signed by Team
Picture with team mounted & framed by WiSH
Set of 3 Seasons Programmes in Binders 74/77
VIP Tour for 10 (Craig Cope + 1)
All incredibly rare & offered as one offs never to be repeated
Final bidding will be live at the dinner on Friday 31st January, compered by Ivor Heller.
There’ll be some special limited edition items available on the night –
Bukta 74/75 Home Shirts Large Only (x18) £40 (never available before – for signing on the night)
Batsford 50th Ltd Edition Badges £5 (80) (inc £1 to WiSH & £1 to WOPA) Only available on the night
Batsford 50th Ltd Edition Posters £10
There will also be a raffle for exclusive WiSH products to be won
Signed Match Ball from 2024/25 Team
Two Tickets with Hospitality in 1889 Lounge
Limited Edition AFC Wimbledon Tie
Heritage Cartoons x 2
We Are Home Limited Edition Framed prints x 2
TGT Jigsaws x 2
TGT Posters x 2
Meet the legendary team, hear their stories, watch the film footage, get items signed & photograph opportunities, like the auction, this is a one off, and for some the first time they’ve seen each other in half a century.
Come & celebrate with us & the legendary Batsford Team that won 3 back to back league champion trophies & finally got us elected to the Football League after numerous applications had been turned down before by the FA.
Wimbledon In Sporting History has been working alongside the Speedway community, more notably those that still have strong connections to the Wimbledon “Dons” to help preserve and curate their history at Plough Lane.
Having recently completed “Going to the Dogs”, a film about the illustrious Greyhound past at the stadium, it was only fitting that we concentrate our efforts on the other most popular sports at the venue – and so a concerted effort from the racing historians has led to another huge project that will involve a statue and film.
Project supported by David “Diddy” Hamilton
This interest has meant that some have wondered if the Wimbledon racing fraternity will ever return to inner London. Well, wonder no more!
Mirac the Womble is ready…are you?
Wimbledon speedway is back!
It may only be a special one off event for now, but on 4th August the Dons will ride again. A London Tournament has been arranged involving riders representing Kent, Hackney, and White City, will compete against the Dons at Iwade Speedway, Raspberry Hill Lane at 2pm for the prestigious Vic Harding Memorial Trophy.
Admission is £14 Adults, and just £2 for concessions, with kids going free.
You can join be there at a small cost of £10 return on a special bus service, provided by Kingsley Hamilton and DLAG. Email TheDonsDen@hotmail.com for more details and to reserve your place.
WiSH has always been dedicated to preserving the history of sports in the borough, and none could be more significant than the ones that took place at the Wimbledon Stadium before the closure, and subsequent arrival of our beloved football club.
One of the most popular events to take place at the stadium was that of Greyhound racing. With the trusted work of our close friends at Digital-Works we set about the ambitious task of making a film of people’s memories from that era, one that lasted from 1928 to 2017.
With so much history already on site, it was fitting that racegoers, dog owners, and staff at the old stadium were present when the film was premiered at the ground, some of those involved had previously stated they would not come back to the site after the demise of racing.
Such is the appeal of our work, and the trust given to us through many involved, that thankfully some did and were thrilled with the work we have done in making sure that their memories of the days gone by are very much part of the new building and its surroundings. The centrepiece is the Mick the Miller mosaic that has a permanent home outside the main entrance to the club.
The club and WiSH give a big thank you to the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and also the contributions by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, and Gailliard, who worked with English Heritage to ensure the preservation of the mosaic and the large mural on the brick wall at the back of the stadium.
As always there are many people to thank for the work that goes on in making sure these projects come to life. The team at Digital-Works, Sarah Gould at Merton Heritage, and the huge mosaic was taken up by Mark Gadsen and his team. Moving two tonnes of concrete with a listed item on it was a very arduous mission. Our ongoing thanks go to Ben at Bark for the fine storyboard and plaques that accompany our work around the stadium.
The weekend celebration of our unique history was a big hit with supporters – and they even got to see a Wimbledon player making his acting debut!
Our young midfielder Morgan Williams showed his talents off the pitch with a cameo performance on stage for the rewritten play by Matthew Couper (pictured second from left above with Director Mark Stevenson) all about our reformation – A Fans Club, Birth of a Phoenix.
The play was sold out on all three days, featuring as part of the very first Wimbledon in Sporting History (WiSH) weekend.
The whole weekend was well received and included the unveiling of fantastic new artwork – ‘The Greatest Team’ – and the launch of the ‘Womble Till I Die’ book by Niall Couper – chronicling our history from 1889.
On the Saturday afternoon also featured a guest speaker talk by Alan Blower on the history of sports on Wimbledon Common and Mick Taylor on the history of sports along the River Wandle.
Anita Gibbons, Dons Season Ticket holder, said: “It’s great to be back at Plough Lane and to be celebrating with a new book that chronicles the story all the way back here. I started going to Wimbledon games when we were at Selhurst Park and my son was mad on football, so I got a Season Ticket to come along with him. We’ve been a part of the journey ever since and some of our favourite memories are contained in this book.”
