Plough Lane: AFC Wimbledon
From AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon is a club with a more interesting history than most, having been formed by supporters of the old Wimbledon FC in 2002 after their club was relocated 60 miles north to Milton Keynes, becoming MK Dons. The new Plough Lane is the most recent instalment of that story.
Only opening in November 2020, it is one of the newest stadiums in the country, however, it is considered the true spiritual home of the club by fans, since Wimbledon F.C played their games at the original Plough Lane stadium back in 1912 right up until 1991. The team were technically homeless for a while after that, although the original Plough Lane was still used by the reserve team, but was finally demolished in 2002.
Construction of the new Plough Lane broke ground in 2018, located just a few hundred yards from the original site and taking around 3 years to complete; and although it retains the Plough Lane name, the stadium is sponsored by Cherry Red Records who have bought the naming rights. This is a long term deal between Cherry Red and the club that has existed for over 20 years.
And so AFC Wimbledon have in many ways come home to the borough of Merton, to almost exactly the same spot as those who went before them.
Stats
| Plough Lane Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Opened | 2020 |
| Capacity | 9215 |
| Average Attendance | 7893 |
| Record Attendance | 9215 (AFC Wimbledon 3-3 Bolton Wanderers (14/8/21)) |
| Pitch Size | 105 x 68 (7140) |
| Owner | AFC Wimbledon |
| Sponsor | Cherry Red Records |
| Clubs Hosted | AFC Wimbledon |
| First Fixture | AFC Wimbledon 2-2 Doncaster Rovers (03/11/20) |
| AFC Wimbledon Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2002 |
| Nickname | The Dons, The Wombles |
| Club Mascot | Haydon the Womble |
| Rivals | MK Dons, Crawley Town, Carshalton Athletic, Tooting & Mitcham United, Hampton & Richmond |
| Previous Stadiums | Kingsmeadow |
| Kit | Blue (Home) / White (Away) / Dark Blue (Third) |
| Training Ground | King's College Sports Ground |
| Shirt Sponsor | WARchild |
| Team Owner | The Dons Trust |
| Record Goalscorer | Kevin Cooper (104) |
| Record Appearances | Sam Hatton (241) |
Plough Lane Photos
From AFC Wimbledon
From AFC Wimbledon
From AFC Wimbledon
Plough Lane Seating Plan and Where to Sit
Being a brand new stadium, the design allows for seating right the way around the stadium in the more modern bowl style, with a total capacity of 9,215. Seating is all single story so there is the potential to build upwards in the future if the club do well.
The four stands all have sponsorship, with the Ry Stand towards the East holding 2,391 fans, situated opposite the Cappagh stand which is considered the main stand, with 4,267 seats and housing the club offices and hospitality areas. The North stand is known as The Cherry Red Records end and has a capacity of 1,465, while the South stand has the smallest capacity at 1,092 and includes a safe standing terrace.
AFC Wimbledon Ticket Prices
There are no difficult systems to figure out when buying tickets to watch games at Plough Lane. The only thing that will affect the price you pay for your ticket is where you want to sit and your age. That said, you will pay £2 more if you try and buy on the day, so book in advance.
We have below the cheapest and most expensive tickets for adults an concessions when bought ahead of time:
- Adults: £23.00 – £35.00
- Concessions: £16.00 – £25.00
How To Get AFC Wimbledon Tickets
AFC Wimbledon fans can get tickets online, by post, or in person from the ticket office. They are not usually available over the phone, and you will need to register to buy online.
Where to Buy
Getting To Plough Lane
South West London isn’t exactly difficult to get to, so the options in terms of transport are many.
Car – This is London, so driving isn’t advised unless you want your stress levels to go through the roof. If you are determined to drive then the A24 is your best bet from the South, those coming from North of London can make their own best judgements on the day.
Train – Haydon’s Road is the closest train station, but there will be more frequent options to nearby Wimbledon which is just a 30 walk from the stadium.
Taxi – A black cab won’t be cheap wherever you get it from, and although cheaper options are available via phone apps a train, tram, bus, or tube will be cheaper.
Tube – Wimbledon (District Line) or Tooting Bec (Northern Line) are your best bets here, being equidistant from the stadium. However, the Northern line is probably faster and more reliable.
Bus – The 493, 44, 77, and 270 all stop very close to the station, so start your research with them.
Parking Near Plough Lane
There is no parking on site unless you have specific access requirements in which case you should contact the club. There are no car parks especially close to the ground either, and while you could take your chances on residential streets, it really would be easier to use public transport.
Useful Resources
- Parking - Just Park
Plough Lane Hotels
You’re not going to struggle for somewhere to stay in London, although you may struggle with some of the prices! There are a few of our favourite options for those on different budgets below:
Pelican London Hotel and Residence - £64+
The Rose and Crown - £135+
The Antoinette Hotel Wimbledon - £119+
Pubs and Bars Near Plough Lane
Wimbledon was the favourite watering hole of Oliver Reed, so it’s safe to say there are some very well used drinking establishments in the area. We would go to one of these three:
Leather Bottle
The Woodman
The Pig and Whistle
Facilities
Plough Lane might host a club playing in the lower professional leagues, but their facilities are premier. You can get food and drink from a variety of vendors, the rest rooms are brand new, and the seating is all covered to protect from all but the wildest of weather.
Prices
- Programme: £3
- Pie: £4
- Cup of tea: £2
- Beer: £4.5
Hospitality
Hospitality packages are aimed at businesses rather than individuals at Plough Lane, so most options require long term commitments, but there are a few tickets held back of anyone wanting to treat themselves to a one off special matchday occasion.
There are four chic lounges at the stadium as well as corporate boxes. You can expect VIP treatment including a champagne reception, complimentary half time refreshments, premium seats with improved comfort, a two, four or five course meal, fork buffet and match day programme, depending on which package you go for. You also get access to the Networking Bar where all hospitality customers can grab a drink in a relaxed atmosphere and do some mingling.
Private Hire
Being a brand new venue, Plough Lane is set up perfectly to host a multitude of corporate or private events and can cater to between 10 and 400 guests thanks to its range of suites and boxes.
The facilities are state of the art and Elior UK provide the catering so it will be hard to find better.
Stadium Tours & Museum
Tours of Plough Lane cost £15 for adults, £12 for concessions, and £5 for under 18s. The tours take in the whole stadium, even private areas, and end with their ‘Greatest Journey’ exhibition. The ex-CEO has even been a tour guide in the past, and the story of the club is genuinely more interesting than most even if you are not a supporter.
About AFC Wimbledon
The club is one of the new generation of football clubs, like FC United of Manchester, formed in reaction to the goings on at bigger and more famous clubs. In this particular instance AFC Wimbledon was formed by a Wimbledon supporter disgusted by the decision of an FA panel to allow the club to relocate to Milton Keynes. Though AFC Wimbledon has no official connection to the Wimbledon of Vinnie Jones and Lawrie Sanchez, the supporters consider it to be a spiritual successor to the Dons of old.
They did eventually see their club playing back where they felt it belonged, with the new Plough Lane opening in 2020 just 200 yards from the site of the original stadium.
The Wombles, as they are sometimes known, currently hold the record for the longest unbeaten run of games in senior football in England. They went 78 league games without losing between February of 2003 and December of 2004. They are also the first club that was formed in the 21st century to become a Football League club. Not bad considering the club didn’t even exist at the turn of the millennium!
Plough Lane History
The history of Plough Lane can be told in two parts, because there have actually been two different stadiums with the same name and almost on the exact same site too.
The original stadium was used by Wimbledon FC from 1912 until 1991, when the Taylor Report forced the club to look for a new ground. They played at Selhurst park in the interim, but the search took so long that in the end the club moved all the way to Milton Keynes, infuriating fans who left the club in droves and eventually set up their own side, AFC Wimbledon. Plough Lane had been used by Wimbledon and Crystal Palace reserves until 1998, but after that the ground was sold for development to Safeway.
Planning for the proposed supermarket was rejected however, and so the ground lay abandoned for a number of years before the stadium was eventually demolished in 2002 and private housing was built in its’ place. The ghost of Wimbledon FC is still present there though, as the development is known as Reynolds Gate – named after Reynolds, one of Wimbledon’s greatest ever players.
Fast forward 20 years and AFC Wimbledon are now an established team in their own right. They played at Kingsmeadow initially, but then managed to rebuild their stadium on the site of Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium, very close to their original home. Meanwhile, Wimbledon FC have been renamed the MK Dons, to represent their new location.
AFC’s new stadium was designed by KSS and built by the Buckingham Group between 2019 and 2020, with planning granted by Merton council back in 2015. The location is just 200 yards east of the original stadium, delighting fans who had waited 30 years for their club to come home. An agreement for rugby league side the London Broncos to share the ground was declared in 2021.
The first football game took place at the new ground in November 2020, with AFC Wimbledon drawing 2-2 with Doncaster Rovers, although Wimbledon managed to score the first goal in their new home. It took them almost a year to sell the ground out, with a 100% capacity crowd watching a 3-3 draw with Bolton Wanderers in August 2021.
Future Developments
Given that Plough Lane only saw its first competitive football match in November 2020 it is unlikely to be getting developed in the immediate future. If and when AFC Wimbledon establish themselves in the upper leagues plans will no doubt be proposed for expansion, but that is a long way off.