Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00
Cherry Red Records Stadium Plough Ln, London SW17 0NR
Year Opened: 2020 Capacity: 9.215
The Wombles Love Wimbledon
The story of AFC Wimbledon and its home, Plough Lane, known as Cherry Red Records Stadium for sponsorship reasons, is one of the greatest stories in English Football. The club was formed in 2002 by supporters of Wimbledon FC after it relocated 60 miles north to Milton Keynes. The move and changing of its identity to MK Dons in 2004 ended a history that began in 1891.
The club had been looking for its own home since vacating the deteriorating Plough Lane in 1991. It shared Selhurst Park, home of Crystal Palace, for 12 seasons before the move north of London. However, a lack of suitable ground did not prevent supporters from creating a new football team to carry on the tradition of the Wombles.
The club would begin play in the Combined Counties League, the ninth tier in English Football, before making a meteoric rise to League One 14 years after its formation. The Dons would be promoted six times, becoming the first club formed in the 21st century to achieve Football League status.
Another objective was to return to its “spiritual home” of Merton, where the original Plough Lane once stood. The dream became a reality on November 3, 2020, when the Dons opened their new stadium less than 200 yards from the former stadium. KSS Design Group designed the £34 million multi-purpose stadium surrounded by 600 residential properties and a range of community facilities.
Since that day, the club has averaged over 7,700 fans per game, including a sell-out for the match we visited against Carlisle United. The spirit of Wimbledon's past is present in many areas, from the concourse murals to the various banners hanging from the stands.
Food & Beverage 5
The main stand has several areas for food and drinks, including traditional favorites, beers, ciders, and candies. However, there are even more options downstairs behind the South Stand, which is home to The Speedway, which is home to food trucks, and The Phoenix Pub.
The Cappagh Stand has several concession Don's Bar & Kitchen stands offering hot dogs, chili dogs, sausage rolls, candies, and hot and cold drinks. The pies include steak, ale and mushroom, chicken, leek and gammon, Bombay potato, and vegan rainbow roll. A small kiosk offers lamb, chicken, and vegetarian samosas.
The beer selection includes Stella Artois, Magners, Camden Pale Ale, and Stout. The wine selection includes rose, red, and white. The stadiums provide plenty of drinks that include Coca-Cola products. There is also tea, coffee, and hot chocolate to warm you up. All beer is served in reusable plastic cups that are placed in a separate bin for use again in the future.
Downstairs at The Speedway Bar, fans can enjoy a few more varieties of drinks, including Camden Hells Lager, Reveller Cider, Lucky Saint Lager, and Crazy Gang Pale Ale. Next door is The Phoenix, which serves up draughts from By the Horns Brewing Company.
The pub is open during the match and nonmatch games. The bar offers indoor and outdoor seating and eight beers on draft, including West End Pils, Foundry Stout, Cosmic Warrior IPA, and 2 Social Pale.
The rest of the area features local food trucks lined up, offering more options. Fans can enjoy a choripan sandwich from the Argentinian Food Truck, a Ruben from Brick Lane Bagel Company, a gyro from Come & Go, a large order of fries from Naked Chips, and Australian-style meat pies with peas and gravy from My Pie.
Atmosphere 4
It is one of the newer facilities in English football and provides a proper atmosphere for fans. The Cappagh (West) Stand is the main stand and seats 4,267 people; it offers the best views of the game. The main stand decor consists of murals, bits of history, and plenty of photographs of The Dons history. The open seating also allows fans to view the pitch while they wait in line or if they need to run to the restroom during the game.
There are plenty of pieces of history in this stand, including the Womble Till I Die gate that was moved from the original Plough Lane and now adorns the wall. There is The Greatest Team painting honoring the 1988 FA Cup Championship team that beat Liverpool. More pieces of information feature a timeline of Wimbledon football and an oversized illustration of the club’s history.
The Ry (East) Stand offers seating for 2,391 people, offering the least expensive tickets. The Reston Waste (South) Stand seats 1,092 spectators and is home to Wimbledon supporters, who expect to hear cheering, singing, and banging on the side of the stadium. The Paul Strank (North) Stand seats 1,465 people and houses the away supporters, separated from The Ry and Reston Stands and The Speedway Bar area.
Neighborhood 2
Plough Lane is in the borough of Merton and across the street from a Shell gas station, a Wicke’s home improvement store, and a Lidl Supermarket. The grounds are surrounded by multiple lofts and small businesses.
However, several pubs are nearby for a drink before the game. The Corner Pin is accessible with a home-supporter ticket and features an outdoor patio. Against the Grain Taproom + Cidery is another pub to try at the game. Dawat Tooting serves Pakistani cuisine.
The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club is the home venue of the Wimbledon Championships. It is about 2 miles from the stadium and worth a visit for its museum and tours of the facility. Ticket prices for adults range from £15 to £30 for one tour or a combination package.
Fans 5
Any group of supporters who form a new club after its old team moves away deserves as many points as it can muster. However, just listening to the fans at the game, you hear why having The Dons back at Wimbledon is important. The supporter sections have chants and celebrations that add another layer to the fandom at the stadium.
Access 4
The stadium is well served by public transport links, with Earlsfield Station (trains to Waterloo and the South West), Haydons Road (Thameslink and Southern trains to the South Coast, Central London and Hertfordshire) and Tooting Broadway (Tube Northern Line) all within walking distance.
A number of bus services run along Garratt Lane between Earlsfield and Tooting Broadway, while the 493 bus runs from Wimbledon Station (Tube District Line, Tram, South Western Railway and Thameslink) directly outside Plough Lane Stadium.
There is no parking on site and it is advisable to access the stadium via public transport.
Return on Investment 4
The cheapest ticket prices start at £23 in the Ry Group Family stand and increase to £37 in the Cappagh West stand. Ticket prices for U18 fans are as low as £5 in the Ry Group Family Stand and £18 in the Cappagh West Stand. However, depending on the matchup, tickets should be purchased in advance of game day.
Concession prices are reasonable, and there is quite a selection of food. The food trucks in The Speedway are abundant compared to other stadiums in League One. The official team shop has a wide selection of merchandise from multiple styles of kits, scarves, caps, jackets, books, and posters. The shop was packed with shoppers picking up a memento to take home.
Extras 4
Plough Lane earns extra points for honoring the history of football in Wimbledon. The murals, photos, and timelines are proudly displayed in the Cappagh West Stand. The highlight is the WTID gate transferred from The Dons former stadium 200 yards away.
The Speedway Bar area is another highlight of Plough Lane. Fans enjoy food trucks, pints, and conversation before, at half, and after the match. The open area is a great way to chat with fellow Wombles fans.
Plough Lane has multiple banners hanging from the walls of the South, North, and East stands. They represent supporter groups from around the world and other advocate members of the club.
The final point is The Phoenix Bar, which is open to the public on non-match games. The craft beer is from By the Horns Brewing Company and is a fun way to enjoy a pint before or after the match.
Final Thoughts
Attending an AFC Wimbledon game was quite the experience since a little over two weeks earlier; the pitch had been damaged by heavy flooding. A sold-out crowd welcomed The Dons back after more than a month. It was a proper English football game, and the experience was as advertised. An afternoon at Plough Lane is well spent with a few thousand Womble fans.
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Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel. Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com
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