Charting The History Of Football In Milton Keynes
The Buckinghamshire town of Milton Keynes is relatively new, having been established in 1967 under the last phase of the New Towns Act and incorporating the existing Bletchley and Newport Pagnell regions. With this new town should surely come a new football club, and indeed the Milton Keynes City Football Club was born in 1974.
It incorporated the old local Bletchley side and the newer Mercedes-Benz team, and became affectionately known as MK City. The team achieved moderate success in the lower leagues and garnered plenty of local support, but costs hit hard and it eventually folded in 2003 – leaving Milton Keynes with no local club, and creating an opportunity for one of the many London clubs stuck in old, unsuitable grounds. Several teams considered the move, but it was Wimbledon who ultimately grasped the nettle and headed for pastures new.
An Old Club In A New Home: The Birth Of MK Dons
The newest club in the English professional leagues, Milton Keynes Dons Football Club was founded in 2004 from the ashes of Wimbledon FC – a London club with a 115-year history. The former Premier League side fell on hard times around the turn of the Millennium, and ended up in an awkward decade-long groundshare with London rivals Crystal Palace. Following relegation from the top flight and with the need to have their own space, Wimbledon FC moved to Milton Keynes.
This was a hugely controversial period in football history, and the first time a professional club had made such a move. Angered Wimbledon fans began their own local AFC Wimbledon in protest and refused to follow their team to a new home. This caused attendance at the relocated club’s games to plummet, and Wimbledon sank into administration. However, it was rescued with a bailout and a change of name, badge, colours and mascot. MK Dons were born, and their journey to League One began. The relocation is widely thought to have saved the club from an inevitable demise, though Wimbledon fans still feel bitter at the move.
Local Support For The Milton Keynes Side
The highest home attendance was 28,127, for the club’s fourth round FA Cup tie against Premier League giants Chelsea in January of this year. In 2008, 33,000 fans watched the Dons take on Grimsby Town at Wembley, during the Football League Trophy final match. They have attracted a wide local fan base within Buckinghamshire, despite the loss of Wimbledon fans. Several important players have passed through the MK Dons ranks over the years, including England superstar and fan favourite Dele Alli. This year, all eyes will be on key signing Kieran Agard. The youngster’s undisclosed fee has smashed Alli’s previous record transfer, so fans will be expecting big things from their new winger.
Sporting Rivalries: MK Dons’ Key Competitors
Creating a new team in Buckinghamshire set up two brand new rivalries. The Bucks derby is now played against neighbours Wycombe Wanderers, and has created a revived interest in the sport from nearby residents. However, more interesting is the clash between the Dons and Peterborough United – another new town and a close league competitor. The two towns have already established a strong ice hockey rivalry, and the creation of a soccer team at the skill level of Peterborough allowed this to spill over. Of course, that Wimbledon versus Wimbledon tension also remains: and for the 2016/17 season, the two will meet in the league for the first time. Their first match is scheduled for December 10th, 2016.