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League One lowdown: Your Guide to AFC Wimbledon

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Our League One lowdown continues here as we take a look at Peterborough United’s 2018-19 opposition.

Next up, we put AFC Wimbledon under the microscope…

2017-18: THE STORY

AFC Wimbledon’s rise reached new heights in 2016, as the club played League One football for the first time in their 16-year history. After staying up in 2016-17, the Dons gave another decent account of themselves last season as they secured their third-tier status with one game to spare, and Neal Ardley will be hoping to further consolidate their status in the division during the upcoming campaign.

STADIUM: KINGSMEADOW

With a capacity of 4,850, Kingsmeadow is the smallest stadium the red and white army will visit during the 2018-19 campaign. Named the ‘Cherry Red Records Stadium’ for sponsorship purposes, Kingsmeadow opened in 1989 and was home to Kingstonian until 2017. Wimbledon have played in the stadium since they were founded in 2002, at which time they were playing in the Combined Counties League. Away fans are usually housed in one side of the Rygas Stand, which is located on one side of the pitch. This is a small terrace and can accommodate up to 725 fans, and approximately 94 seats are also made available in the John Green Stand.

MANAGER: NEAL ARDLEY

Neal Ardley rose through the ranks at Wimbledon and went on to play 245 games for the club. He helped the Dons to sixth place in the Premier League during the 1993-94 campaign as they matched their highest finish, but he left to join Watford in 2002, two seasons after the club were relegated from the top tier. Spells with Cardiff City and Millwall followed before he moved into coaching with the former in 2010, with his first job in management coming with Wimbledon when he moved to Kingsmeadow in October 2012. Ardley has remained in charge and guided the club to League One after defeating Plymouth Argyle in the 2016 League Two play-off final.

TOP SCORER: LYLE TAYLOR

Wimbledon have lost their out of contract top scorer Lyle Taylor. Posh were rumoured to be one of those clubs interested in the striker but was constantly denied by Posh Chairman Darragh MacAnthony. The in-demand 27-year-old scored 18 goals during the 2017-18 campaign, including 12 in a 14-game spell! Taylor is the club’s record goalscorer in the Football League having netted 44 times since arriving from Scunthorpe United in 2015. A new contract was offered to Taylor by Wimbledon but in a major blow to the Dons, he has decided to join rival League One London side Charlton Athletic.

LAST MEETING: PETERBOROUGH UNITED 1 – 1 AFC WIMBLEDON

Wimbledon goalkeeper Long makes another excellent save. This time from a Jack Marriott shot.

Posh put in another lethargic display under manager Grant McCann giving the fans the impression they had already dismissed their chances of getting to the play-offs!

Andrew Hughes failed a fitness test so instead of going with a back three, Posh boss Grant McCann made the shock decision to start young Lewis Freestone. Another strange decision by McCann was to start Anthony Grant who had been off the pace for the previous few matches. Thankfully he saw sense when the midfielder was replaced at half-time for flop loanee striker Omar Bogle.

After a goalless first-half, it was the visitors who took the lead in this February 2018 League One clash. Freestone struggled throughout the match as he was dominated by striker Lyle Taylor and it was Taylor who struck the opening goal with just 15 minutes remaining. That shot was one of just two shots on target by the Dons all game!

Posh were lacking an attacking threat down the wing and it cried out for someone like Joe Ward to come on but Junior Morias was the last entrant into the match for Posh, a minute after going behind, but he and the fans didn`t really know where he was supposed to be playing!

Three minutes after the introduction of Morias and it was Posh who found the leveller through midfielder Marcus Maddison and a share of the points.

2018/2019 MATCH DATES

Tue, 27th November, 2018 – 19:45pm – Posh v Wombles

Tue, 12th March, 2019 – 19:45pm – Wombles v Posh

COMINGS AND GOINGS:

IN

Mitch Pinnock (Dover) – Tribunal
James Hanson (Sheffield United) – Undisclosed
Tom King (Millwall) – Loan

OUT

Barry Fuller
Paul Robinson
Callum Kennedy
George Francomb (Crawley Town) – Free
Lloyd Sam
Seth Owens
Jayden Antwi
Richard Pingling
Dean Parrett (Gillingham) – Free
Darius Charles (Wycombe Wanderers) – Free
Lyle Taylor (Charlton Athletic) – Free

HEAD TO HEAD:

Competition 
Posh Wins
Draws 
Wombles Wins
League
0
3
1
League Cup
1
0
0
TOTAL
1
3
1

UP THE POSH

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