AFC Wimbledon boss Downes explains why he never thought about a weakened side against Millwall
BY MAX HALL
The thought of weakening his team for the FA Cup fifth-round tie against Millwall never crossed Wimbledon manager Wally Downes’ mind.
When asked about his attitude to the world’s oldest cup competition in a season when his side are mired deep in relegation trouble in League One, the Dons boss gave an unequivocal response.
“We had some great times here when I was playing for Wimbledon,” said Downes after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Millwall. “We played Nottingham Forest two years on the trot and they’d just won the European Cup a couple of years beforehand.
“Now I remember those games, and I’m sure the fans here remember those games, but if you were to put a gun to my head I couldn’t tell you what division we were in.
Photograph by Keith Gillard
“It’s nights and days like this that fans remember. If you’re supporting a club for 30 years, when you look back – unless you’ve been in the top flight for all of that time – there’s going to be promotions and relegations, and they sort of dim. But days like today, if we’d have got the result and gone through – or the day we beat West Ham – those are the days that fans remember all their lives and they pass down in folklore.
“If teams don’t want to give their fans that sort of a rush that’s, ultimately, up to them but I think I know football fans and they want those sort of legendary nights because there’s a drudgery of relegation and there’s a glory of promotion but a lot of time you’re just ploughing on and then you’re going to away games and you’re getting a 0-0 and you do that so you can get those glory nights.
“Anyone who doesn’t put their best sides out and try to win a cup for their fans I don’t think is doing the club justice, whichever club they’re at.”
Photograph by Keith Gillard
Everyone at the South London Press thanks you for your continued support.
Former Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has encouraged everyone in the country who can afford to do so to buy a newspaper, and told the Downing Street press briefing:
“A FREE COUNTRY NEEDS A FREE PRESS, AND THE NEWSPAPERS OF OUR COUNTRY ARE UNDER SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PRESSURE”
If you can afford to do so, we would be so grateful if you can make a donation which will allow us to continue to bring stories to you, both in print and online. Or please make cheques payable to “MSI Media Limited” and send by post to South London Press, Unit 112, 160 Bromley Road, Catford, London SE6 2NZ
