As it turns out, we get up and nothing gets us down…
OK, it’s time to get the Van Halen-related punnery out of the way. The first half made us consider going to Panama, as we looked DOA.
Something made us Jump in the half time interval, as we came out like we were Running With The Devil. When we went ahead, we were all acting like the Cradle Will Rock.
By the end we said to ourselves “Wow, that really got me”, and it proved that it got what it takes…
Hang on, that last one was from the Sammy Hagar era, so it doesn’t count.
Anyway, enough of your editor knowing more Van Halen songs than I should admit (although they were pretty decent). We won, we came from behind, and all is well again.
When was the last time we got three points after trailing? Colchester at PL first game last season, wasn’t it?
While I was again at Brisbane Road (Bolton weren’t nearly as good against Orient as they were against us, the bastards), we etched out a much-needed win.
We’ve won about four times in L1 this season, and already this feels like the most important victory of the lot.
Coming off the back of the gubbing at the Toughshit Community Stadium and fucking it up at Bradford, and not forgetting the cup exploits, we were in real danger of freefalling.
And going behind and playing like piles of toilet just seemed to compound that.
Which is why I think yesterday may be more than just a victory at home. Firstly, we’re without Lewis and Browne, through their own fault.
Bauer needs more minutes, by the sound of it, although we’re thankful that we do have Harbottle and Johnson to guide us.
Could we have made any more of a mess of their goal if we tried? That’s a rhetorical question and not a challenge, by the way.
I note in his post game interview that JJ didn’t state whether he gave the players a rocket up the arse during the interval.
If not, then perhaps the players themselves realised what they’ve been letting slip away recently.
Reeves’ goal and another Matty Stevens strike (and that’s how you take a penalty) made it a great weekend after all.
I’ll leave it to those there to state whether we were under the cosh after we went ahead, the highlights suggested not. And indeed, we could have had a third.
But we need to be successful in these type of fixtures, and we’ve done exactly that.
Our away form is turd this season, and if I’m being honest I think we’re over-relying on games at SW17 to get us through.
As said so many times recently on SW19 though, this has been a decent start for us – far better than many of us imagined.
There’s a six point gap between us and the drop zone, and I’ll more than happily accept that at the end of the season.
Yesterday proved that we can bounce back, that we don’t have have to do the 27-game run without a victory.
Think of our last venture into L1. We would have lost at Bolton the way we did, put on another shit first half performance like we did yesterday, and just not be able to come back.
When people say we’re better equipped with life in the third tier this time round, this is what they mean – so far we’re able to dig ourselves out of bad runs of form.
Granted, we could be fucked if we have a massive injury crisis, but don’t forget we didn’t have two of our very important players yesterday.
In his interview above, JJ said that L1 was tough but it’s brilliant we’re in it. And he’s right.
I’ve said it before, but I like being in League One. It’s harder, of course, but the standard of football is better to watch and it manages to feel more “proper”.
Last weekend was painful, but I’d rather be playing Bolton, Luton and Cardiff than (no disrespect to the first two) Harrogate, Newport or Franchise.
We’re at Doncaster next weekend, which reminds us of what League Two was like, but I think we’re a similar club to what they are.
Although I’ve just seen the league table and we’re 11th but they’re fifth…
There is something else about yesterday that has to be mentioned, and it’s proof that sometimes a turd really is unflushable.
When I heard Sam Hammam was trying to get into the game yesterday, I thought it was somebody taking the piss.
Then I saw photos of him lining up, and I’m not sure whether I admire his balls or just disappointed somebody didn’t properly lamp him.
This gives me a chance not only to show photographic proof but to link to a great Tweet I saw.
Come to think of it, the face of the guy on his right looked like he wasn’t sure what he was seeing. Or smelling.
First things first – I thought he was dead. Second things second – if you’ve read Erik Samuelson’s book, you’ll know he’s done this kind of thing before.
I’ll have to re-read it, but from memory he turned up at the offices at KM and our former CEO basically told him to do one.
That he was able to walk away from SW17 yesterday is a minor miracle, though had he made it into the ground I’m sure some people would be crowdfunding legal representation this morning.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s got some sort of dementia, or other neurological disorder that made him think he could just waltz in as though nothing happened.
I also wouldn’t be surprised if he’s still fully compos mentis and went along because he’s that much of a megalomaniac cunt.
Hammam is why AFC Wimbledon exists in the first place, and that is not a compliment.
Remember, he tried to shunt us off to Dublin, Belfast, Dartford and other places I’ve since long forgotten.
Additionally, and I can well believe this, he apparently was one of the first mover/shakers for the whole MK stuff.
Even before the Nogs came in, I’ve heard (third hand) that at Selhurst he wasn’t interested in any sort of local area promotion unless the local area was Frenzyville.
That’s of course not forgetting the things he did with the Plough Lane (v1) covenant, pocketing the money from the sale of the ground and put us in exile for three decades.
Groundsharing at Selhurst killed Wimbledon FC. How we ever pretended it was “home” will remain beyond me.
Oh, and the merger with Crystal Palace that he was pushing in 1986 just as we were about to play Everton in the FA Cup on the BBC.
It doesn’t happen nearly so much now financial reality is hitting most of the fanbase, but Hammam has been used by a few as the bogeyman, the compelling reason why we shouldn’t even think of revising our ownership model.
In 2025, he’s irrelevant, because our challenges today are much different and ironically could put us in similar shit if we’re refusing to deal with them.
But in a strange way, I’m glad he turned up yesterday – and not because we were able to tell him to fuck off.
He’s got to see what he should have done in 1991, which was achieved without any of his “assistance”, and hopefully that hurts him.
If one is of a certain age, they may remember the Wandle Valley proposal. One day, I may write a big “what if?” alternative history type article on it.
We get to remind ourselves just how he fucked us over, and how we deal with the mistakes we (collectively) made back then should be handled now.
He is why I think we must secure the current Plough Lane as the top priority, because while changing ownership wouldn’t bother me losing another ground in one lifetime certainly would.
Above all else, he reminded me why I put him above even Wankie and Koppout in my Most Hated Ever list. Without him, the latter two wouldn’t even be a footnote in our history.
The only thing I regret about him turning up is that he did it for Rotherham. I really wish he’d turned up for the Cardiff game instead.
If he did, we should have invited him in and get him to do a lap of honour in front of both sets of fans…