WSC Article about sharing with rugby team

[Jerry St Clair]

I've always thought that the real "villains" of the piece were/are Merton council. They were the ones who wouldn't allow a ground back in Wimbledon.

Completely untrue. Merton have always claimed they have supported a stadium in the borough. Regardless, Winkelman had no intention of staying. He hired a PR company to lobby the council and to whip up local opposition to a stadium in Merton.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

I've always thought that the real "villains" of the piece were/are Merton council. They were the ones who wouldn't allow a ground back in Wimbledon.

Didn't Sam Hammam sell Plough Lane and pocket the money himself?

[Svlad Cjelli]

I've always thought that the real "villains" of the piece were/are Merton council. They were the ones who wouldn't allow a ground back in Wimbledon.

Completely untrue. Merton have always claimed they have supported a stadium in the borough. Regardless, Winkelman had no intention of staying. He hired a PR company to lobby the council and to whip up local opposition to a stadium in Merton.

It was Koppell, who sold to Winkelman, who did that, but the basic facts are correct. No application was ever made, and WFC's owners spent the club's money advising local residents how to find grounds against any applicaton.

WISA members also had drawn up plans for a smaller stsdium at Plough Lanem with associated travel startegy etc, that probebly would have met Merton's conditions.

[rabidbee]

Fair enough, then, I'm happy to exonerate Merton.