Football: Dons' boss calls for an end to fans' protests.
STUART Murdoch called for an end to the constant feuding which threatens to destroy Wimbledon after just 668 home fans turned Selhurst Park into a ghost town.Gillingham's Guy Ipoua won the match with the only goal of the game in front of a 1,808 travelling army which drowned out the tiny Dons contingent.
Wimbledon enraged their supporters when they were granted permission to leave south London - the club could be playing at the Milton Keynes Bowl by Christmas.
But several hundred hurled abuse at the players during an angry demonstration outside the ground, and Dons boss Murdoch called on them afterwards to leave the club alone.
He said: ``The divorce has taken place, can the two parties now get on with it and live happily ever after.
``It's a sad situation for everybody, but this has happened and it's been decided.
``In the situation this football club is in there's no way staying here will do any good.
``I hope the Wimbledon fans who are Wimbledon fans return, but to those who no longer are, I wish them well with their new club.
``I have sympathy with them because as a supporter you want to see football in your own area, but don't make our life any more difficult by doing the sort of things that have gone on outside the ground.''
Wimbledon's supporters association organised a boycott of the match and chanted ``scum'' at the players they used to cheer when they arrived.
Newly-formed Combined Counties League side AFC Wimbledon will benefit from their support this season.
But spokesman Kevin Rye insisted Saturday's protest was about more than venting anger at Wimbledon.
He said: ``The purpose is to start a nationwide campaign against the franchising of football in this country.
``This is not a unique solution to a unique problem, it is bigger than Wimbledon.''
CAPTION(S):
EMPTY SEATS Gillingham goalkeeper Jason Brown retrieves the ball from an empty stand at Selhurst Park.
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| Title Annotation: | Sport |
|---|---|
| Publication: | South Wales Echo (Cardiff, Wales) |
| Date: | Aug 12, 2002 |
| Words: | 326 |
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