274:, who intended to redevelop the site as a supermarket. Whilst site redevelopment plans were negotiated, the stadium remained derelict for several years until it was finally demolished in 2002. When permission for a supermarket was ultimately refused by the local authority, Safeway sold the site and it was eventually developed as a private housing development known as Reynolds Gate, named after former Wimbledon F.C. striker
387:, the price paid by Black for the stadium would have been equal to £143,097 in 2009 — this became significant as one of the conditions of the sale of the ground was the insertion of a pre-emption clause stating that if the site was ever to be used for any purpose other than sport, the council would have the right to buy the ground back for the same price it had been paid, regardless of inflation. As the
36:
524:
on the site for four years but, after local residents' opposition and local authority objections to their plans, gave up in 2002. They demolished the stadium during the summer of that year and subsequently sold the vacant site to David Wilson Homes in
November 2002. Planning permission was granted to
475:
Plans to build a new 20,000-seat stadium in the London
Borough of Merton had been approved by the local council in 1988, but the club did not follow this up and the stadium was never built. A public park was later established on its planned site. Over the next decade, numerous options for a new
471:
season. This arrangement was only expected to last for a few seasons, but it would ultimately last for 12 years and would end in a very different fashion to what might have been expected at the outset. Wimbledon's final first team match at Plough Lane came on 4 May 1991, coincidentally against
454:
by August 1994, the board of the club decided that Plough Lane could not be economically redeveloped to meet the new standards. The work required to modernise Plough Lane would have been difficult and expensive, but not impossible as the board claimed. A supposedly temporary
369:
saw the capacity back around the 25,000 mark. Glass panels were fitted at each end of both stands two years later, at the cost of £90, 8s — a sum equivalent to £1,882 in 2009. Floodlights were purchased in July 1954, and the North Stand was completely rebuilt before the
438:
in 1977 and subsequent success, the club was still plagued by financial trouble. To try and ease the strain on the club, in April 1983 Wimbledon bought out the preemption clause inserted back in 1959 for £100,000. A year later, they sold the ground to club chairman
525:
the developer in
October 2005 to build 570 flats, and the development was completed in 2008. Following lobbying by Wimbledon supporters, the development agreed to adopt a Wimbledon Football Club theme, with the entire site named "Reynolds Gate" after former player
515:
Even after the departure of the
Wimbledon first team, Plough Lane continued to be used by both Wimbledon and Crystal Palace as the home ground for their reserve teams' home matches. This was the case until 1998, when Sam Hammam sold the ground to supermarket chain
382:
by chairman Sydney Black for £8,250 in
November 1959, and then donated to the club. Black announced at the same time that the floodlights purchased five years earlier would be erected on eight pylons the next year at the cost of £4,000. Due to
314:
in 1912. The pitch was consequently fenced in and the playing surface improved, while a dressing room was built. A stand holding 500 spectators was erected, and
Wimbledon played their first match at the ground on 7 September 1912, a
1073:
546:
358:
meant that extensive redevelopment was necessary after the club returned in 1944 — the South Stand had been bombed, and the incomplete fencing meant the club could not charge for admission.
1099:
71:
1443:
1418:
289:, situated approximately 200 yards (183 metres) from the original Plough Lane stadium, were approved by Merton Council in December 2015. Construction on the '
1159:
550:
450:
in 1990, which introduced new safety measures for football stadia including the regulation that the stadia of teams at the highest level be made
1408:
1210:
1129:
1288:
472:
Crystal Palace. 10,002 spectators saw
Crystal Palace beat Wimbledon 3–0, before swarming onto the pitch to bid farewell to the ground.
1448:
1107:
1403:
1027:
569:
1428:
476:
stadium to be built in either the London
Borough of Merton or elsewhere were explored, including a controversial plan to relocate to
334:
During the 1920s, crowds were regularly taken at between five and eight thousand. The South Stand was added in 1923, purchased from
1423:
1253:
1438:
1433:
1382:
1319:
258:
Plough Lane was
Wimbledon F.C.'s ground from September 1912 until May 1991, when the club moved their first team home matches to
889:
347:
1185:
529:. The six individual blocks that comprise the development were also named after former players, managers and a chairman:
491:
some 70 miles away in 2003, in a controversial move which had been approved the previous year and sparked the creation of
678:
624:
597:
434:'s market— the court reckoned the distance to be five and a half miles, so no market was built. Despite election to
346:
the ground's capacity stood at 30,000. The ground was even used as the site of an amateur international match, when
468:
411:
371:
366:
339:
975:
922:
856:
790:
752:
705:
651:
1278:
270:. Both clubs' reserve teams then used Plough Lane as their home ground until 1998, when the site was sold to
1246:
64:
1214:
1163:
1137:
1054:
395:, but also meant that the stadium's value could never grow above the £8,250 that Black had paid in 1959.
391:'s value decreased over the years, this clause became a double-edged sword — it protected the club from
406:. Arsenal beat Wimbledon 4–1. The ground remained largely unchanged until the club's election to
500:
379:
320:
106:
1413:
1377:
1239:
504:
496:
1340:
375:
1283:
419:
1031:
890:"Report of the Independent Commission on Wimbledon F.C.'s wish to relocate to Milton Keynes"
431:
427:
237:
8:
481:
460:
435:
407:
267:
224:
137:
310:
on the disused marshland at the corner of Plough Lane and
Haydons Road was purchased by
1356:
819:
451:
399:
335:
331:
A. Gill Knight boasted that the club had "the finest ground in the southern district".
323:
which was drawn 2–2. Improvements continued to be made to the ground during the
1335:
896:
286:
244:
53:
1304:
316:
145:
825:
392:
1262:
1213:. Wimbledon Independent Supporters Association. 1 December 2008. Archived from
1162:. Wimbledon Independent Supporters Association. 28 October 2005. Archived from
830:
826:"The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)"
542:
534:
526:
415:
388:
328:
311:
275:
252:
219:
214:
132:
111:
682:
1397:
1372:
1314:
492:
488:
464:
447:
398:
The first match under the new floodlights took place on 3 October 1960, in a
282:
259:
86:
73:
495:
by the majority of the club's fans. The original Wimbledon club was renamed
1001:
530:
517:
403:
355:
343:
271:
121:
1231:
628:
521:
456:
324:
290:
263:
20:
440:
116:
979:
926:
860:
794:
756:
709:
655:
601:
538:
384:
359:
307:
423:
240:
57:
949:
884:
882:
880:
878:
477:
327:, and Plough Lane soon became the pride of the club — in 1918,
248:
895:. Wimbledon Independent Supporters Association. Archived from
365:
The South Stand was restored to its former glory in 1950, and
338:. The terrace in front of the North Stand was improved during
351:
251:, England. For nearly eighty years it was the home ground of
35:
875:
467:
was announced the same year, to begin from the start of the
1005:
1074:"Phil Shaw on the strange life of reserve team football"
1106:. When Saturday Comes. 26 October 2015. Archived from
354:
on 19 January 1935. However, damage caused during the
1020:
499:
in 2004. The new Wimbledon club started life in the
430:
in 1628 forbidding any market within seven miles of
1100:"Photo of the week ~ Plough Lane's padlocked gates"
362:collections were taken to keep the club operating.
293:' began in 2018, and it opened on 3 November 2020.
570:"Final legal barrier cleared for new stadium move"
301:
1395:
1203:
1152:
814:
812:
1444:Demolished sports venues in the United Kingdom
1122:
731:
729:
727:
1419:Buildings and structures in Wimbledon, London
1247:
1092:
994:
950:"Football Club History Database – Wimbledon"
809:
1261:
1191:. King Sturge Residential. 22 February 2007
724:
19:For the current AFC Wimbledon stadium, see
1254:
1240:
418:on the club's grounds to raise funds. The
822:inflation figures are based on data from
1178:
1065:
969:
967:
850:
848:
670:
784:
782:
780:
778:
776:
774:
591:
589:
587:
510:
1396:
1052:
1409:Sport in the London Borough of Merton
1235:
1030:. Wimbledon F.C. 2003. Archived from
964:
914:
845:
823:
616:
1080:. London: Independent News and Media
1071:
941:
771:
744:
697:
643:
584:
422:ruled that this plan contravened a
13:
1449:Defunct football venues in England
1136:. 22 November 2002. Archived from
973:
947:
920:
854:
788:
750:
703:
676:
649:
622:
595:
14:
1460:
1404:Defunct football venues in London
978:. Historical Dons. Archived from
925:. Historical Dons. Archived from
859:. Historical Dons. Archived from
793:. Historical Dons. Archived from
755:. Historical Dons. Archived from
708:. Historical Dons. Archived from
681:. Historical Dons. Archived from
654:. Historical Dons. Archived from
627:. Historical Dons. Archived from
600:. Historical Dons. Archived from
446:Following the publication of the
281:Plans to build a new stadium for
40:The South Stand, pictured in 2000
1429:Sports venues demolished in 2002
1211:"Naming Ceremony at Plough Lane"
952:. Football Club History Database
572:. AFC Wimbledon. 1 February 2018
487:Finally, Wimbledon relocated to
34:
1424:Sports venues completed in 1912
1046:
414:an attempt was made to start a
302:As Wimbledon F.C.'s home ground
278:, which was completed in 2008.
195:April 1998 (last football game)
1439:1912 establishments in England
1434:English Football League venues
1186:"Plough Lane, Wimbledon, SW19"
1072:Shaw, Phil (26 January 1993).
562:
1:
556:
1053:Warren, Dan (6 April 2004).
520:. Safeway sought to build a
7:
1289:Relocation to Milton Keynes
10:
1465:
342:, and by the start of the
296:
285:on the nearby site of the
227:Reserves (1991–1998)
222:Reserves (1991–1998)
18:
1365:
1349:
1328:
1297:
1271:
1130:"Plough Lane Sale Agreed"
1028:"Financing a New Stadium"
484:, which emerged in 1995.
287:Wimbledon Greyhound track
213:
208:
200:
191:
183:
175:
167:
162:
154:
144:
128:
102:
63:
49:
45:
33:
1002:"A hard lesson to learn"
501:Combined Counties League
1320:National Hockey Stadium
1264:Wimbledon Football Club
824:Clark, Gregory (2017).
679:"1960 to 1969 pictures"
312:Wimbledon Football Club
253:Wimbledon Football Club
16:Former football stadium
1341:1988 FA Charity Shield
740:: 2. 18 December 1948.
380:Merton Borough Council
107:Merton Borough Council
87:51.428472°N 0.189667°W
736:"This is Wimbledon".
625:"Season 1912 to 1913"
443:for £3 million.
374:season. The ground's
1160:"Plough Lane Update"
982:on 30 September 2011
797:on 21 September 2008
759:on 24 September 2008
712:on 21 September 2008
658:on 21 September 2008
511:After Wimbledon F.C.
432:Kingston upon Thames
92:51.428472; -0.189667
1217:on 20 February 2012
1166:on 25 December 2007
1110:on 23 December 2016
1055:"Dons' darkest day"
1034:on 23 February 2008
929:on 19 February 2012
902:on 19 November 2004
604:on 21 November 2008
482:Republic of Ireland
436:the Football League
408:the Football League
378:was purchased from
321:Carshalton Athletic
225:Crystal Palace F.C.
138:Crystal Palace F.C.
83: /
30:
1378:Milton Keynes Dons
1357:South London derby
1140:on 5 February 2012
820:Retail Price Index
497:Milton Keynes Dons
400:London Charity Cup
28:
1391:
1390:
1336:1988 FA Cup final
948:Rundle, Richard.
231:
230:
217:(1912–1991)
140:(1991–1998)
135:(1912–1998)
124:(1998–2002)
119:(1984–1998)
114:(1959–1984)
109:(1912–1959)
54:Wimbledon, London
1456:
1305:Wimbledon Common
1265:
1256:
1249:
1242:
1233:
1232:
1227:
1226:
1224:
1222:
1207:
1201:
1200:
1198:
1196:
1190:
1182:
1176:
1175:
1173:
1171:
1156:
1150:
1149:
1147:
1145:
1126:
1120:
1119:
1117:
1115:
1096:
1090:
1089:
1087:
1085:
1069:
1063:
1062:
1050:
1044:
1043:
1041:
1039:
1024:
1018:
1017:
1015:
1013:
998:
992:
991:
989:
987:
971:
962:
961:
959:
957:
945:
939:
938:
936:
934:
918:
912:
911:
909:
907:
901:
894:
886:
873:
872:
870:
868:
863:on 11 March 2008
852:
843:
842:
840:
838:
816:
807:
806:
804:
802:
786:
769:
768:
766:
764:
748:
742:
741:
733:
722:
721:
719:
717:
701:
695:
694:
692:
690:
674:
668:
667:
665:
663:
647:
641:
640:
638:
636:
631:on 11 March 2008
620:
614:
613:
611:
609:
593:
582:
581:
579:
577:
566:
503:and reached the
410:, though during
356:Second World War
344:Second World War
98:
97:
95:
94:
93:
88:
84:
81:
80:
79:
76:
38:
31:
27:
1464:
1463:
1459:
1458:
1457:
1455:
1454:
1453:
1394:
1393:
1392:
1387:
1361:
1345:
1329:Notable matches
1324:
1293:
1267:
1263:
1260:
1230:
1220:
1218:
1209:
1208:
1204:
1194:
1192:
1188:
1184:
1183:
1179:
1169:
1167:
1158:
1157:
1153:
1143:
1141:
1128:
1127:
1123:
1113:
1111:
1098:
1097:
1093:
1083:
1081:
1078:The Independent
1070:
1066:
1051:
1047:
1037:
1035:
1026:
1025:
1021:
1011:
1009:
1008:. 15 April 1999
1000:
999:
995:
985:
983:
972:
965:
955:
953:
946:
942:
932:
930:
919:
915:
905:
903:
899:
892:
888:
887:
876:
866:
864:
853:
846:
836:
834:
817:
810:
800:
798:
787:
772:
762:
760:
749:
745:
735:
734:
725:
715:
713:
702:
698:
688:
686:
685:on 12 June 2009
675:
671:
661:
659:
648:
644:
634:
632:
621:
617:
607:
605:
594:
585:
575:
573:
568:
567:
563:
559:
513:
505:Football League
393:asset strippers
325:First World War
304:
299:
291:New Plough Lane
266:agreement with
223:
218:
196:
136:
120:
115:
110:
91:
89:
85:
82:
77:
74:
72:
70:
69:
41:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1462:
1452:
1451:
1446:
1441:
1436:
1431:
1426:
1421:
1416:
1414:Wimbledon F.C.
1411:
1406:
1389:
1388:
1386:
1385:
1383:Belfast United
1380:
1375:
1369:
1367:
1363:
1362:
1360:
1359:
1353:
1351:
1347:
1346:
1344:
1343:
1338:
1332:
1330:
1326:
1325:
1323:
1322:
1317:
1312:
1307:
1301:
1299:
1295:
1294:
1292:
1291:
1286:
1281:
1275:
1273:
1269:
1268:
1259:
1258:
1251:
1244:
1236:
1229:
1228:
1202:
1177:
1151:
1134:Wimbledon News
1121:
1091:
1064:
1045:
1019:
993:
976:"1980 to 1989"
974:Hambly, Dave.
963:
940:
923:"1970 to 1979"
921:Hambly, Dave.
913:
874:
857:"1960 to 1969"
855:Hambly, Dave.
844:
831:MeasuringWorth
808:
791:"1950 to 1959"
789:Hambly, Dave.
770:
753:"1940 to 1949"
751:Hambly, Dave.
743:
723:
706:"1930 to 1939"
704:Hambly, Dave.
696:
677:Hambly, Dave.
669:
652:"1920 to 1929"
650:Hambly, Dave.
642:
623:Hambly, Dave.
615:
598:"1910 to 1919"
596:Hambly, Dave.
583:
560:
558:
555:
551:Stannard House
535:Batsford House
527:Eddie Reynolds
512:
509:
461:Crystal Palace
402:match against
389:pound sterling
336:Clapton Orient
329:Vice-president
319:match against
303:
300:
298:
295:
276:Eddie Reynolds
268:Crystal Palace
229:
228:
220:Wimbledon F.C.
215:Wimbledon F.C.
211:
210:
206:
205:
202:
198:
197:
193:
189:
188:
185:
181:
180:
179:September 1912
177:
173:
172:
169:
165:
164:
160:
159:
156:
152:
151:
148:
142:
141:
133:Wimbledon F.C.
130:
126:
125:
112:Wimbledon F.C.
104:
100:
99:
67:
61:
60:
51:
47:
46:
43:
42:
39:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1461:
1450:
1447:
1445:
1442:
1440:
1437:
1435:
1432:
1430:
1427:
1425:
1422:
1420:
1417:
1415:
1412:
1410:
1407:
1405:
1402:
1401:
1399:
1384:
1381:
1379:
1376:
1374:
1373:AFC Wimbledon
1371:
1370:
1368:
1364:
1358:
1355:
1354:
1352:
1348:
1342:
1339:
1337:
1334:
1333:
1331:
1327:
1321:
1318:
1316:
1315:Selhurst Park
1313:
1311:
1308:
1306:
1303:
1302:
1300:
1296:
1290:
1287:
1285:
1282:
1280:
1277:
1276:
1274:
1270:
1266:
1257:
1252:
1250:
1245:
1243:
1238:
1237:
1234:
1216:
1212:
1206:
1187:
1181:
1165:
1161:
1155:
1139:
1135:
1131:
1125:
1109:
1105:
1101:
1095:
1079:
1075:
1068:
1060:
1056:
1049:
1033:
1029:
1023:
1007:
1003:
997:
981:
977:
970:
968:
951:
944:
928:
924:
917:
898:
891:
885:
883:
881:
879:
862:
858:
851:
849:
833:
832:
827:
821:
815:
813:
796:
792:
785:
783:
781:
779:
777:
775:
758:
754:
747:
739:
738:Amateur Sport
732:
730:
728:
711:
707:
700:
684:
680:
673:
657:
653:
646:
630:
626:
619:
603:
599:
592:
590:
588:
571:
565:
561:
554:
552:
548:
544:
540:
536:
532:
531:Bassett House
528:
523:
519:
508:
506:
502:
498:
494:
493:AFC Wimbledon
490:
489:Milton Keynes
485:
483:
479:
473:
470:
469:1991–92
466:
465:Selhurst Park
462:
458:
453:
449:
448:Taylor Report
444:
442:
437:
433:
429:
425:
421:
417:
413:
412:1971–72
409:
405:
401:
396:
394:
390:
386:
381:
377:
373:
372:1957–58
368:
367:1950–51
363:
361:
357:
353:
349:
345:
341:
340:1932–33
337:
332:
330:
326:
322:
318:
313:
309:
294:
292:
288:
284:
283:AFC Wimbledon
279:
277:
273:
269:
265:
262:as part of a
261:
260:Selhurst Park
256:
254:
250:
247:, south west
246:
242:
239:
235:
226:
221:
216:
212:
207:
203:
199:
194:
190:
186:
182:
178:
174:
170:
166:
161:
157:
153:
149:
147:
143:
139:
134:
131:
127:
123:
118:
113:
108:
105:
101:
96:
68:
66:
62:
59:
55:
52:
48:
44:
37:
32:
26:
22:
1309:
1219:. Retrieved
1215:the original
1205:
1193:. Retrieved
1180:
1168:. Retrieved
1164:the original
1154:
1142:. Retrieved
1138:the original
1133:
1124:
1112:. Retrieved
1108:the original
1103:
1094:
1082:. Retrieved
1077:
1067:
1058:
1048:
1036:. Retrieved
1032:the original
1022:
1010:. Retrieved
996:
984:. Retrieved
980:the original
954:. Retrieved
943:
931:. Retrieved
927:the original
916:
904:. Retrieved
897:the original
865:. Retrieved
861:the original
835:. Retrieved
829:
799:. Retrieved
795:the original
761:. Retrieved
757:the original
746:
737:
714:. Retrieved
710:the original
699:
687:. Retrieved
683:the original
672:
660:. Retrieved
656:the original
645:
633:. Retrieved
629:the original
618:
606:. Retrieved
602:the original
574:. Retrieved
564:
543:Lawrie House
514:
486:
474:
445:
397:
364:
333:
305:
280:
257:
233:
232:
163:Construction
75:51°25′42.5″N
25:
1310:Plough Lane
1114:22 December
522:supermarket
457:groundshare
426:decreed by
264:groundshare
234:Plough Lane
90: /
78:0°11′22.8″W
65:Coordinates
29:Plough Lane
21:Plough Lane
1398:Categories
1284:Crazy Gang
576:3 February
557:References
547:Reed House
539:Cork House
452:all-seater
441:Sam Hammam
420:High Court
201:Demolished
117:Sam Hammam
1350:Rivalries
1104:wsc.co.uk
507:in 2011.
480:, in the
428:Charles I
385:inflation
360:Half-time
308:leasehold
245:Wimbledon
184:Renovated
1059:BBC News
376:freehold
350:took on
317:friendly
238:football
146:Capacity
129:Operator
50:Location
1366:Related
1298:Grounds
1279:Seasons
1272:History
518:Safeway
424:statute
404:Arsenal
348:England
297:History
272:Safeway
241:stadium
209:Tenants
155:Surface
122:Safeway
58:England
1221:5 June
1195:5 June
1170:5 June
1144:5 June
1084:5 June
1038:5 June
1012:4 June
986:5 June
956:6 June
933:5 June
906:5 June
867:5 June
801:5 June
763:5 June
716:5 June
689:5 June
662:5 June
635:5 June
608:5 June
478:Dublin
416:market
249:London
236:was a
192:Closed
176:Opened
150:15,876
1189:(PDF)
900:(PDF)
893:(PDF)
837:7 May
459:with
352:Wales
168:Built
158:Grass
103:Owner
1223:2009
1197:2009
1172:2009
1146:2009
1116:2016
1086:2009
1040:2009
1014:2009
988:2009
958:2009
935:2009
908:2009
869:2009
839:2024
803:2009
765:2009
718:2009
691:2009
664:2009
637:2009
610:2009
578:2018
549:and
306:The
204:2002
187:1957
171:1912
1006:BBC
818:UK
463:at
243:in
1400::
1132:.
1102:.
1076:.
1057:.
1004:.
966:^
877:^
847:^
828:.
811:^
773:^
726:^
586:^
553:.
545:,
541:,
537:,
533:,
255:.
56:,
1255:e
1248:t
1241:v
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