Wimbledon Football Club was an English football club from Wimbledon, south-west London, amateur from 1889 to 1964 and professional thereafter. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, an amateur club playing in local league competitions, the club shortened its name to "Wimbledon" in 1905, entered the FA Amateur Cup for the first time in 1905–06 and joined the Spartan League in 1909. After going out of business a year later, Wimbledon immediately reformed and returned to local leagues in 1912, where the team stayed until the 1919–20 season when the club joined the Athenian League. Moving to the Isthmian League in 1921, Wimbledon won four league championships in six years during the 1930s and reached the FA Amateur Cup Final in 1935 before losing to Bishop Auckland after a replay. The club continued to be successful following the Second World War, again reaching the Amateur Cup Final in 1947 and finishing as runners-up in the Isthmian League in 1950 and 1952. After claiming a fourth Isthmian League crown in 1959, Wimbledon then took three successive championships from 1962 to 1964, as well as the 1963 FA Amateur Cup.
These achievements prompted the switch to professional football, which occurred in 1964, concurrently with the extension of membership from the Southern Football League. Wimbledon finished second twice out of the team's first four outings in this competition, before again winning three consecutive titles from 1975 to 1977. The club won election to The Football League after these successes, and thus entered the Fourth Division for the first time in 1977–78. Wimbledon took only ten seasons as a Football League club to reach England's top flight, winning promotion to the First Division for the 1986–87 season; Wimbledon then beat League champions Liverpool 1–0 in the 1988 FA Cup Final to achieve the feat of having won both the FA Cup and its amateur equivalent (as of 2009, only two other clubs – Old Carthusians and Royal Engineers AFC – had done this). Wimbledon remained in the top division until 2000, when the side was relegated. The club announced an unpopular relocation to Milton Keynes in 2001, which received permission a year later, causing the foundation of AFC Wimbledon by the majority of Wimbledon fans, who called it "the death of [their] club". The club subsequently relocated to Milton Keynes in September 2003, and rebranded itself as Milton Keynes Dons in 2004.
Key
ChampionsRunners-upPromotedRelegated
Top scorer and number of goals scored shown in bold when he was also top scorer for the division Division shown in bold when it changes due to promotion, relegation or reorganisation League results shown in italics for abandoned or wartime competitions
Key to league record
P = Played W = Games won D = Games drawn L = Games lost F = Goals for A = Goals against Pts = Points Pos = Final position
Key to divisions
Prem = FA Premier League Div 1 = Football League First Division Div 2 = Football League Second Division Div 3 = Football League Third Division Div 4 = Football League Fourth Division South P = Southern Football League Premier Division South 1 = Southern Football League First Division Isthmian = Isthmian League Athenian = Athenian League Utd Snr = United Senior League Metro = Metropolitan League Spartan A = Spartan League A Division W Sub'n = Western Suburban League Mid-Surrey = Mid-Surrey League S Sub'n = Southern Suburban League Clapham = Clapham League Herald = Herald League S London = South London League
Key to rounds
Grp = Group stage ExtPre = Extra Preliminary round Pre = Preliminary round QR1 = Qualifying round 1 QR2 = Qualifying round 2 QR3 = Qualifying round 3 QR4 = Qualifying round 4 QR5 = Qualifying round 5 QR6 = Qualifying round 6 R1 = Round 1 R2 = Round 2 R3 = Round 3 R4 = Round 4 R5 = Round 5 R6 = Round 6 QF = Quarter-finals SF = Semi-finals RU = Runners-up W = Winners S = Southern sector
Key to goalscorers
# = Number of goals scored † Players with this background and symbol in the "Name" column scored a record number of goals for the club during the corresponding season. ‡ Players with this background and symbol in the "Name" equalled the record.
Seasons
SeasonLeagueFA CupLeagueCupOther competitionsTop scorerDivisionPWDLFAPts Pos Memories of the Dons, Historical Dons. Retrieved Nov 2012.Name#1889–90None 220031——1890–91None2314635013——1891–92None——1892–93None84131511Herald CupR11893–94None8620204——1894–95S London15744L-n Junior CupR3Friendlies106221895–96Clapham7610S.W. CupR2Herald12921Friendlies95041896–97Clapham——Herald1897–98Clapham——1898–99Clapham——1899–1900Clapham——1900–01Clapham——1901–02Clapham——1902–03S Sub'n——Clapham1903–04S Sub'n——Clapham1904–05S Suburban——Clapham1905–06S Sub'nFA Amateur CupR2Mid-Surrey1906–07S Sub'nFA Amateur CupQR21907–08S Sub'nFA Amateur CupQR11908–09W Sub'nQR1FA Amateur CupQR11909–10Spartan A12327173186thQR1FA Amateur CupR2S Sub'n1910–11None——1911–12None——1912–13S Sub'nQR2——1913–14S Sub'nPreFA Amateur CupR11914–15S Sub'nExtPreFA Amateur CupR1MetroThe Football League, FA Cup and FA Amateur Cup were suspended between 1915 and 1919 due to the First World War.1918–19Utd Snrno information availablen/a——1919–20Athenian228594443217thQR4FA Amateur CupR51920–21Athenian421612146156442ndQR2FA Amateur CupQF1921–22Isthmian26741552561813thQR4FA Amateur CupR11922–23Isthmian261021449502211thQR4FA Amateur CupR5H. Mann†261923–24Isthmian26841443622010thFA Amateur CupR1Stanley Darvill171924–25Isthmian261021450542211thFA Amateur CupR1Doc Dowden161925–26Isthmian26911661771912thQR3FA Amateur CupQR2R. Brown211926–27Isthmian2615387245333rdQR2FA Amateur CupR1Doc Dowden†321927–28Isthmian26123115748276thQR4FA Amateur CupR3Doc Dowden†341928–29Isthmian2691076654284thQR2FA Amateur CupR1Doc Dowden†421929–30Isthmian26112136466246thR1FA Amateur CupSFDoc Dowden†481930–31Isthmian2618626937421stR1FA Amateur CupR3Doc Dowden301931–32Isthmian2617276035361stR1FA Amateur CupQFDoc Dowden111932–33Isthmian26851355672113thQR4FA Amateur CupR2Doc Dowden191933–34Isthmian2613766335333rdQR4FA Amateur CupR31934–35Isthmian2614756330351stR2FA Amateur CupRU1935–36Isthmian2619258229401stQR4FA Amateur CupR11936–37Isthmian2697105253257thQR4FA Amateur CupR11937–38Isthmian26103136249239thQR4FA Amateur CupR11938–39Isthmian2614398856315thQR1FA Amateur CupR11939–40Isthmian1001230–n/a——The Isthmian League and FA Cup were suspended between 1939 and 1945 due to the Second World War.1945–46Isthmian26761352722010thQR1FA Amateur CupR31946–47Isthmian26105116864258thQR2FA Amateur CupRUPat Edelston311947–48Isthmian2613676640325thR1FA Amateur CupR2Ron Head191948–49Isthmian2615476441343rdQR4FA Amateur CupR2Harry Stannard331949–50Isthmian2618267251382ndQR1FA Amateur CupR3Harry Stannard251950–51Isthmian2613585839314thQR1FA Amateur CupQFFreddie GauntlettHarry Stannard291951–52Isthmian2616376544352ndPreFA Amateur CupQFHarry Stannard311952–53Isthmian2814596837334thR1FA Amateur CupR1Harry Stannard311953–54Isthmian28781343592214thQR1FA Amateur CupR2Freddie GauntlettHarry Stannard121954–55Isthmian281021648622212thQR1FA Amateur CupQFJeff Darey181955–56Isthmian281221451622611thQR1FA Amateur CupR2Joe Wallis231956–57Isthmian301051547662513thPreFA Amateur CupR2Joe Wallis261957–58Isthmian30152136466327thPreFA Amateur CupR1Brian Martin191958–59Isthmian3022359138471stPreFA Amateur CupR1Eddie Reynolds371959–60Isthmian3018396636393rdQR2FA Amateur CupR2Eddie Reynolds391960–61Isthmian3018667243423rdQR2FA Amateur CupQFEddie Reynolds471961–62Isthmian3019656824441stQR2FA Amateur CupQFEddie Reynolds†501962–63Isthmian3019838433461stR2FA Amateur CupWEddie Reynolds†531963–64Isthmian3827658744601stR2FA Amateur CupR3Eddie Reynolds351964–65South 1422413510852612ndQR4——Eddie Reynolds‡531965–66South P422010128047505thR2——Ian Cooke291966–67South P421911128860494thR1——Ian Cooke371967–68South P42247118547552ndR2——Ian Cooke321968–69South P42211296648543rdQR4——Eddie Bailham241969–70South P421912116452505thR1FA TrophyR1Ian Cooke291970–71South P42208147254488thR1FA TrophyR3Ian Cooke371971–72South P421971675644510thQR4FA TrophyR1Ian Cooke211972–73South P4214141450504212thQR3FA TrophyR3Ian Cooke201973–74South P4215111650564112thR1FA TrophyR1Ian Cooke241974–75South P42257106333571stR4FA TrophyQFRoger Connell311975–76South P42261067429621stR2FA TrophyR2Roger Connell201976–77South P4228776422631stR3FA TrophyR3Roger ConnellBilly Holmes211977–78Div 44614161666674413thR1R2——Roger Connell151978–79Div 4462511107846613rdR3R2——Alan Cork251979–80Div 34610142252813424thR2R4——John Leslie171980–81Div 446239146446554thR4R2——Alan Cork261981–82Div 34614112161755321stR2R1——Francis Joseph131982–83Div 446291169645981stR1R1——John Leslie251983–84Div 346269119776872ndR2R4Associate Members' CupR1SAlan Cork331984–85Div 24216101671755812thR5R1——Stewart Evans161985–86Div 242211385837763rdR3R3——Alan Cork151986–87Div 142199145750666thQFR2Full Members CupR2John Fashanu141987–88Div 1401415115847577thWR4Full Members CupR3John Fashanu201988–89Div 1381491550465112thQFR4FA Charity ShieldRUJohn Fashanu16Full Members CupQFMercantile Credit Centenary TrophyQF1989–90Div 138131694740558thR3R4Full Members CupR3SJohn Fashanu131990–91Div 1381414105346567thR4R2Full Members CupR2SJohn Fashanu201991–92Div 14213141553535313thR3R2Full Members CupR2SJohn Fashanu201992–93Prem4214121656555412thR5R3——Dean Holdsworth191993–94Prem421811135653656thR5QF——Dean Holdsworth241994–95Prem421511164865569thR5R3——Efan Ekoku91995–96Prem3810111755704114thQFR2UEFA Intertoto CupGrpEfan EkokuDean Holdsworth161996–97Prem381511124964568thSFSF——Marcus Gayle131997–98Prem3810141434464415thR5R3——Jason Euell81998–99Prem3810121640634216thR4SF——Marcus Gayle111999–2000Prem387121946743318thR4QF——Carl Cort152000–01Div 1461718117150698thR5R4——Jason Euell202001–02Div 1461813156357679thR3R1——David Connolly18At the end of the 2001–02 season, the club was granted permission to relocate to Milton Keynes.Soon after, most supporters split from the side to form AFC Wimbledon.For a statistical history of this club, see List of AFC Wimbledon seasons.2002–03Div 14618111776736510thR4R3——David ConnollyNeil Shipperley242003–04Div 146853341892924thR4R1——Patrick Agyemang7Wimbledon Football Club was rebranded as "Milton Keynes Dons" before the start of the 2004–05 season.Milton Keynes Dons renounced its claim to the history of Wimbledon F.C. in 2007.For a statistical history of this club, see List of Milton Keynes Dons F.C. seasons.
Footnotes
A. The club itself was called "Wimbledon Old Central Football Club", while the team was collectively referred to as "Wimbledon Old Centrals". B. The League Cup competition started in the 1960–61 season. Wimbledon could not enter the League Cup until the club was elected to The Football League, something which occurred before the 1977–78 season. C. Includes goals scored in the Spartan League, Athenian League, Isthmian League, Southern League, The Football League, FA Cup, Football League Cup, Full Members Cup, Associate Members' Cup, FA Trophy, FA Amateur Cup and UEFA Intertoto Cup D. Wimbledon Old Central Football Club was founded in 1889. E. Wimbledon Old Centrals competed in the South London League during the 1894–95 season. F. Wimbledon Old Centrals entered the Clapham League for the 1895–96 season, and remained in the competition until 1905. G. Wimbledon Old Centrals entered a team into the Herald League for two seasons, starting in the 1895–96 season. H. Wimbledon Old Centrals moved to the Southern Suburban League before the 1902–03 campaign, while continuing to enter a team into the Clapham League. I. The club shortened its name to "Wimbledon" in 1905. J. The club entered a team into the Mid-Surrey League for one season – 1905–06. K. Wimbledon spent the 1908–09 season competing in the Western Suburban League. L. Wimbledon competed in the Spartan League during the 1909–10 season. M. Wimbledon returned to the Southern Suburban League for the 1909–10 season.