An Ode to Four Four Two by John McNicoll

Author:John McNicoll
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pitch Publishing
Published: 2021-06-15T00:00:00+00:00

7

Wimbledon

The Crazy Gang

Crazy

adjective: mad, especially as manifested in

wild or aggressive behaviour

‘WE WERE the Cinderellas of the FA Cup,’ recalls Bobby Gould, the manager who led Wimbledon to their crowning glory. Saturday, 14 May 1988, was to be the absolute pinnacle in the club’s history. Not only did they manage to win the FA Cup, which in itself is no mean feat, but in doing so they defeated Liverpool, derailing the Reds’ efforts to record a league and cup double. The trophy win was the peak of an 11-year rise from the depths of the Southern League to the twin towers at Wembley. If you believe that miracles could only happen in the movies, then look no further than down at SW19 for some reality.

The side-note to this upwardly moving fairytale is that in reaching their Everest, Wimbledon played what purists would call ‘anti football’. The long-ball label was attached to the Dons during their march through the lower leagues towards the summit, but there seems to be a huge difference between a long aimless ball up the field and a well-worked long-range pass. Wally Downes, a former player and later manager of AFC Wimbledon, said, ‘There’s a massive snobbery if you play the ball long, opposition fans start booing and you get pigeon-holed as “they’re just a boot it team”. It’s a load of nonsense.’

Gould had inherited a squad with a strong work ethic and a camaraderie that not many teams seem to be able to recreate in today’s current football climate. Much of the groundwork had been laid for Gould by his predecessor, Dave Bassett. The man known as ‘Harry’ had steered the club from the old Fourth Division to the First Division with three promotions coming in a whirlwind four-season period. Bassett had installed a ‘Crazy Gang’ mentality among his players. Unlike any other team written about in this book, Wimbledon had their own style to accompany their 4-4-2 system. Many didn’t like it, but for those who were among it, let’s just say that practice makes perfect.

The beginning of the golden age for Wimbledon began in the mid-1970s. While still operating in the non-league pyramid, a heroic FA Cup run in 1974/75 captured the imagination of the country as the Dons became the first team outside of the Football League to eliminate a team from the top division. Burnley were the unlucky recipients that day. But Wimbledon’s headline-grabbing didn’t stop there as reigning champions Leeds United were waiting in the next round. A heroic display at Elland Road ensured that the match ended in a 0-0 draw and a sell-out crowd crammed in at Selhurst Park to witness the non-league side depart after a narrow 1-0 defeat in the replay.

With new-found belief around the club and a collection of street-smart amateur footballers, Wimbledon won the Southern League for three consecutive seasons from 1974/75 to 1976/77, before inevitably they were elected into the Fourth Division. Chairman Ron Noades had begun a campaign for the club to be given the chance to participate at Fourth Division level.

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