Archived News from August 2006
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STAGSNET`S STATISTICAL PREVIEW
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Under the name of Milton Keynes Dons, that club will make their first-ever visit to Field Mill for the Stags' first League home fixture in 2006-07. But under their former name, Wimbledon, the Dons made three League visits to the Mill in the early eighties as well as a 4th round FA Cup encounter on January 30, 1988. In the FA Cup encounter, Wimbledon, the eventual 1987-88 winners, were lucky to go through to a 2-1 scoreline as a Stags penalty was saved in front of 10462 at the Mill, an attendance not bettered since then. But the Stags played Wimbledon as an amateur outfit in the first round of the FA Cup in the 1948-49 season. On November 27, 1948, Cooling scored the only goal of the game at Plough Lane in front of over 13000 spectators to send the Stags through.
In the League, the Stags played Wimbledon three times in four seasons in the space of just three years in the early eighties. In the 1979-80 season, Wimbledon played in the third tier for the first time, and Wimbledon as well as the Stags fought unsuccessfully against relegation. The first-ever league game between the sides was played at Field Mill on January 26, 1980, when Kevin Bird hit a late equalizer for the Stags. And the return fixture at Plough Lane on May 3, 1980was to be the Stags' last one in the old third division for six seasons. Already relegated Wimbledon took the Stags with them to the basement by winning 3-2 in front of just 1759. The following season, the sides played each other early on. Each home game ended in an odd-goal home win and both clashes were played before the end of September 1980. That season, both sides challenged strongly for promotion and an immediate return to the old Third. While the Stags faltered badly at the end of the 1980-81 season, Wimbledon finished very strongly with several wins, finally clinching the last promotion spot. But Wimbledon were relegated the following season and faced the Stags once again in 1982-83. Despite being runaway winners on the way from the basement to the top flight in just four seasons, Wimbledon failed to beat the Stags as both games were drawn. On December 27, 1982, the sides drew 1-1 at Wimbledon, Stags scorer Nicholson. And on April 3, 1983, the sides clashed at Field Mill. 3530, the Stags' second highest home gate all 1982-83 season, witnessed the sides share four goals. This was one of thirteen consecutive Stags league games with at last one goal scored during the run-in, Dungworth (profilic scorer at i.e. Shrewsbury and Aldershot) scored twice for the Stags, one from the spot. Milton Keynes Dons (formerly Wimbledon) are the only side that have played in Premer League and all other divisions in the League during this century and started the 2006-07 campaign with a home win against Bury while the Stags drew 2-2 at Shrewsbury. Played for both sides: Richard Pacquette (as MK Dons). Keith Curle (as Wimbledon). Before the election to the FL in 1977, Brian Hall and Noel O'Brien wore the Wimbledon shirt as well as having played for the Stags in the League. The late Ray Harford was Wimbledon manager at one time during their top-flight league career. Home: P 3, W 1, D 2, L 0, GF 4, GA 3 Away: P 3, W 0, D 1, L 2, GF 4, GA 6 Season Home Date Away Date 1979-80 1-1 1980-01-26 2-3 1980-05-03 Div 3 (old) 1980-81 1-0 1980-09-15 1-2 1980-09-30 Div 4 (old) 1982-83 2-2 1983-04-03 1-1 1982-12-27 Div 4 (old FA Cup: 1948-49 1-0 1948-11-27 round 1 at Plough Lane, Wimbledon 1987-88 1-2 1988-01-30 round 4 at Field Mill Svante Bernhard aka Sweden Stag (pictured, above right) |
Latest | August 2006