{ the news }
 
An independent supporters' website dedicated to Mansfield Town FC
Archived News from February 2007

STAGSNET`S STATISTICAL PREVIEW
18th February 2007 22:51


Under the name of Milton Keynes Dons, that club made 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, 1980 was 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 (which were the last side Wimbledon ever met in the basement in 1982-83) while the Stags drew 2-2 at Shrewsbury.

And MK Dons' first-ever visit to Field Mill under that name ended in their first-ever League Two defeat. Despite taking the lead through Wilbraham after just ten minutes, the Stags turned the game before the break through goals from Barker and Michael Boulding in front of 4033. But since then, Milton Keynes have won nine games on the road, the most along with fellow promotion contenders Lincoln and Hartlepool, yet having lost four games on their National Hockey Stadium pitch, a new one for the Stags. If previous Stags league results against the top sides so far this term are something to go by, the Stags should get at least one point at MK and avenge the poor home display against Grimsby last Saturday. And apart from losing against Swindon, MK Dons' other home reverses have been against mid-table sides such as Chester, Peterborough and Hereford. But MK Dons haven't played a home league fixture for a month as their latest home tie against Macclesfield on February 10 was frozen off.

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.

Previous league games as Wimbledon:

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

As Milton Keynes Dons:

Home: P 1, W 1, D 0, L 0, GF 2, GA 1
Away: No games so far

2006-07 2-1 2006-08-08 (at Field Mill) League Two

Svante Bernhard aka Sweden Stag (pictured, above right)

 

Latest | February 2007