AFC Wimbledon: Footballers Mothers, new manager bounce, a game of two halves

They were the good old days apparently, the eighties and early nineties when Jones, Wise, and Fashanu used to put salt in teas, make sure the away team only had cold showers, and generally took the meaning of 'mind games' to another level.

Since then Wimbledon has become MK Dons while AFC Wimbledon has been formed as an entirely new club. Last night was my first experience at the new Plough Lane, which unlike its predecessor is clean, a bit flashy, and very welcoming.

'Take me to Plough Lane', has become the new old mantra after about thirty years of nomadism and is a decent place to watch football. Middle-aged men have returned to their traditional footballing heartland of their great South London suburb. Now returning with idyllic grandchildren and full pensions.

A cousin, a work colleague and myself were watching a feisty affair between AFC and Charlton. Initially, I had been sceptical of going to watch AFC, thought it would just be a bunch of posh men pretending not to be so. It was to be filed under the millionaires Skoda club, a group known to be desperate to appear a whole tad less wealthy than they really are.

However, from the VIP section, I was pleasantly surprised at the appeal of the swanky Plough Lane, even if the halftime pint had been swapped for PJ Tips and spinach and sweet potato pie. The pie was delicious, that definitely helped.

After the first half of ultra-defensive football, new manager Mark Bowen had obviously got stuck into his new team at the break. Suddenly Woodyard, Robinson and Rudoni were spraying, direct, quick passes across the immaculate pitch. AFC Wimbledon was beginning to dominate and then a Charlton player got sent to the stands after a rash decision.

Then somehow Charlton scored and something strange happened from the ivory towers of the VIP leather seats. Mrs Nightingale mother of the no-nonsense defender and Jack's mother Mrs Rudoni introduced themselves. This was perfect for any football addict and we began to go through my AFC Wimbledon Football Manager team.

Mrs Nightingale gave me all the gossip on the sacking of the manager. Proudly Nightingale told me how her son had marked a young Chelsea Mo Salah out of the game during a pre-season friendly. Rudoni's mother, a tough-looking person, gave the lowdown on where to play her prodigal son. Has to be attacking midfield apparently.

Just as all hope was fading on Bowen's first game in charge, The Wombles equalised and before that, the Charlton manager, Jackson was shown a yellow card for venting at a beleaguered fourth official. Proper, proper handbags.

As the game ended after an astonishing 8 mins of injury time, the focus was switched towards Chelsea vs Real Madrid, the Southampton Airport Premier Inn and Alderney. League One football is very different from the big-time leagues but the real point to make here is it is certainly not worse. In fact, in many ways, it is better...But unlike the VIP section at Stamford Bridge, you do have to pay for tea and coffee!