The General Specific (Wednesday 8th July ’09)

Its just a matter of days now until we see our lads step out onto the pitch (for a maximum of 45 minutes each, of course), as Wycombe areset to visit TCRRFSKM come Saturday. The first of four (four?!) home pre-season games kicks off at 3pm, and you can expect full match coverage from myself (well, unless my lack of internet gets in the way…) starting with a match preview on Friday (or perhaps tomorrow???).

I think we will see a fair attendance of around 1200 as inquisitive Dons fans gather for a first glimpse of our new heroes. On paper the gap between ourselves and Wycombe is still the same as it was when we met back in November, however the difference between a BSS club and a League 2 club against the difference between a BSP and a League 1 club is probably a bit smaller, so we should be seeing a decent game… Awww, who am I trying to kid? It’ll be played at half pace, our players will be able to pass the ball around a bit, we may even score. But anything else that happens is irrelevant… unless one of our lads suffers from a case of the Lewis Taylor’s…

In other news Terry Brown seems to be acting as Brett Johnson’s agent, so keen is he to let everyone know that while Johnson is training with us, he is yet to sign a contract. Brett is currently the property of the PFA (as it is they who are paying his July wages), and will only sign a contract with us in August. If of course no potential suitor notices the press he has been receiving and decides to step in with a better offer. To be honest, Johnson is unlikely to sign for a BSP rival unless one of ‘your Lutons or your Oxfords’ weigh in with a bid. Everyone else would probably have to offer serious cash to part him from Terry Brown once more.

The SLP came up with the non-story of the week advising we will not be signing Brighton striker Jonny Dixon. It was all a bit tame really, Brown spoke to him but we already have ‘that type of striker’. The SLP could have sexed it up a little more if they had thought of it, for example ‘DONS SNUB LEAGUE ONE HITMAN’ would have been closer to the mark – essentially that’s what happened. Brown spoke to him, he didn’t want to sign him, therefore he snubbed him. That’s how football works kids… at least as far as tabloid journalism is concerned.

Finally, our beloved gaffer has revealed to the press that ‘Luton… are red-hot title favourites’, something most of us believe anyway (although I will consistently argue the opposite, if only to play devils advocate… don’t get me wrong they’ll be up there, I just think its going to be a lot harder than they think…). If this was an effort to drum up interest in our opening day fixture I don’t think its required. Remember less than 5000 can fit in the ground, it would have sold out whoever we played and with it being Luton… I think we need to tone down the hyperbole and perhaps start concentrating our efforts on encouraging those who are unlucky enough not to get tickets for the Luton game to turn up for our midweek clash on the 18th August. After all our three home games after this are going to be pretty big draws too, especially if we have anything like a good start.

Ill start to ball rolling…. I think, despite their problems last season, Salisbury are going to crap all over this division… it’s going to be a real clash of the titans on the 18th August, so make sure you get yourself down there… Actually I’m probably approaching it from the wrong angle. How about… Look, our first five home games are going to be really hard, best to turn up on the 18th August as its probably our best chance of a home win…

Finally, breaking news has reached me that our beloved mascot Haydon (the Trumpton Batterer) has been selected to stand on the Trafalgar Square plinth on Friday from 6pm. Lets all go down there and give him a cheer… well not me, obviously I’ll be in the pubstill sorting out my new flat. This is seriously good publicity for us, unless Haydon disgraces us by becoming the first plinther to fall off…

The General Specific (Thursday 4th June ’09)

The good news is that Jamie Pullen has signed a new contract. As a Jamie fan I was getting a little worried about that situation, what with rumours about ‘other keepers’ doing the rounds. Jamie is an excellent goalkeeper (apart from his kicking) and I’m hoping Terry has him in his plans as number one next season. I think we all forget how many times he has prevented certain goals due to his excellent shot-stopping ability, possibly down to his ape like appearance. Its the extra few inches on the arms that does it.

I doubt Terry is after an experienced Conference keeper at all now, having got young Jack Turner tied down to a contract. Jack will do for sitting on the bench and only being called upon for emergency situations or minor cup games, but should anything happen to Jamie I would imagine Terry would sign a slightly more experienced guy from a League club (there’s enough of them floating around – League clubs just seem to hoard them). However regular reserve football is essential for Jack to progress, perhaps we will see someone brought in on a short term deal, or on loan, to provide some competition and act as backup until Andy Little returns.

There still remains a question mark over Andy’s future too, but I have faith he will be as capable goalkeeper as he has always been when he regains fitness – the question is whether Terry is prepared to wait. I don’t know the situation regarding his contract for next year but presumed he has already signed up for 09/10? I said at the end of the season I didn’t expect to see Andy in a Dons shirt again, and I stand by that largely because if it happened it would mean it didn’t work out with Jamie in the Conference.

It has been reported in the SLP today that Terry is closing in on signing a left-sided midfielder. Sorry, a quality left sided midfielder. Well, thanks for that, SLP, that’s told us absolutely nothing. It could be a non-story anyway as the same website told us several other clubs are in talks with the player, and as we know, in this division money rules. Just like Jack Midson and Stacy’s Mum, if he’s any good one of about half a dozen sides with a significantly larger budget than us will snap him up.

The biggest piece of club news over the last couple of days has been the news we have now shifted over 2000 season tickets. I’m now hoping we will be able to lift capacity a little further without having to complete the new turnstiles, as the way we are going we might find there are less than 1000 tickets that go on general sale for any given home game in the league.

The other thing is, as tickets are going to be at a premium, supporters who only came along to a handful of games last year face the dilemma of whether to purchase a season ticket. This includes lads who are still playing on a Saturday, and of course those of us who live far away and can’t make every game. The impact this might have is we would see an increase in crowds for the ‘minor’ cups, as well as unappealing early round fixtures in the FA Trophy.

In fact, we might find our core Cup support is very different to our League fan base. Obviously there are the likes of me (and as you seem to have carried on reading this far in an article that’s both short on news and isn’t that interesting, you as well) that will turn up for an under-fourteens reserve fixture if it was held at Kingsmeadow… or even if it wasn’t – and yes I know the under 14’s don’t have a reserve team…

But more importantly – how much of a boost will our extra season ticket sales be if you consider Setanta are reportedly in financial trouble, meaning the annual £85,000 TV payout to Conference clubs disappears? I’m not sure it will affect the clubs averaging 2000 plus, but the chaos it would cause smaller clubs, who may have budgeted for the money already, could make it an interesting year where the difference between the haves and have-nots increases. It would certainly put to bed any worries some of our more panicky followers may have that we will get relegated next year!

The General Specific (Tuesday 2nd June ’09)

I have a bit of catching up to do on the news front.

Firstly, Ebbsfleet winger Stacy Long has decided against joining the Dons and has signed with perrenial playoff losers Stevenage Borough. I think this is a good thing for us as a club, as much as I admire female football I think they have quite a step to make in terms of fitness and the technical ability to make it even at Conference level in the mans game…. But on a serious note do we really want someone who is willing to turn us down just for the chance of earning a few quid more? I don’t care who he goes to, if he doesn’t want to play for Wimbledon, lets get someone who does.

Paul Lorraine certainly wants to play for Wimbledon. Terry Brown has put him among the favourites to take the armband next season after he spent the week saying all the right things in the newspapers, and I’m looking forward to seeing him in a Wimbledon shirt next month when the friendlies kick off. Speaking of Dons captains, our previous skipper, the legend that was Jason Goodliffe, is on his way to Sutton United next year after deciding brown and amber suited him better than red and white hoops. The K’s boss is apparently devastated to have missed out on him – notice I didn’t name him, as I frequently get the Kingstonian and Sutton managers confused – Dowson, Doswell, whoever they are.

Perhaps more importantly, here is what I wrote about Goodliffe in my end of season Player Evaluation;

JASON GOODLIFFE – Legendary leader. Influential and experienced defender. Never say die attitude. Brave as anyone. But… Liable to be shown up by pacy defenders. Wondering how long he really has left in him.

Apps/Goals – 18(9)/1

Rating – 73%

Next season – Shock departure of the summer. Next seasons Sutton captain.

I don’t think that needs any further comment, do you?

Ben Judge, who you will remember was named The Anonymous Don Player Of The Year, made it a hattrick of awards after being named South London Press Player of the Year. Judge, who also won the AFC Wimbledon Player Of The Year award, beat off a strong challenge from Charltons Zheng Zhi (for whom the majority of votes were revealed to have come from China… I say he should be expelled from the awards!), with Jon Main trailing behind in 4th. Judge also revealed he has turned down a number of offers from other clubs to sign a deal now for next season, in favour of getting himself fit for the Dons next year.

Still no news on friendly matches, except for the two I have mentioned in the Season Diary and of course the mystery match in Ramsey on the 18th July (which I have only been mocking because I can’t afford to go… unless anyone wants to sponsor me?! Actually thats not a bad idea, if anyone wants to sponsor my train fare, ferry ticket and a hotel for the night I’ll happily give their business a great deal of advertising on this weblog, visited by literally many Dons fans a day (no seriously, there are quite a lot). The Anonymous Don isn’t afraid to sell out!).

Perhaps it would be a great idea NOT to announce our first opponents on the 11th July. Just turn up at Kingsmeadow and its lucky dip! It might be Manchester United, it might be Colliers Wood United! We just won’t know!

More news when its announced…