Plough Lane: History & Guide to the New Stadium

When AFC Wimbledon walked out at their new Plough Lane ground on 3 November 2020, it marked the end of an 18-year exile that few clubs could have survived. Founded in 2002 by supporters after the original Wimbledon FC abandoned the area, the fan-owned club clawed its way from the ninth tier back to League One—then built a stadium just 200 yards from where it all began. The story of that return is part sporting Cinderella, part community reclamation project, and one of football’s most improbable homecomings.

Current tenant: AFC Wimbledon · Stadium opened: 2020 · Current name: Cherry Red Records Stadium · Original Plough Lane period: 1912–1998 · Distance from original site: 200 yards

Which football team plays at Plough Lane?

AFC Wimbledon is the current tenant of Plough Lane, having returned to the area in 2020 after an extended exile. The club was founded in 2002 by supporters of the original Wimbledon FC after the parent club relocated to Milton Keynes and rebranded as MK Dons. The new stadium officially opened on 3 November 2020 for AFC Wimbledon’s first competitive match at the venue, though that initial game took place behind closed doors due to COVID-19 restrictions (StadiumDB).

The stadium operates under a naming-rights sponsorship agreement with Cherry Red Records, the independent record label, and is officially known as the Cherry Red Records Stadium. This arrangement reflects AFC Wimbledon’s tradition of fan-centred partnerships rather than major corporate sponsorships. Approximately 2,000 fans attended one of the first publicly accessible matches at the ground on 18 May 2021, a friendly against Liverpool U23s (StadiumDB).

AFC Wimbledon as the current tenant

AFC Wimbledon plays its home matches at Plough Lane, representing one of football’s most remarkable supporter-led comebacks. The club climbed from the ninth tier of English football to League One before opening their new stadium, a feat achieved entirely through fan ownership and community backing. The Dons Trust, the supporter-owned structure that governs the club, played a central role in shaping the long-term ambition to return to Plough Lane.

Cherry Red Records Stadium naming rights

The naming-rights deal with Cherry Red Records gives the stadium its full official name. The arrangement aligns with AFC Wimbledon’s ethos of working with independent businesses rather than global brands. Cherry Red Records, founded in 1968, is a prominent UK independent label known for its catalogue of punk, mod, and rock releases.

Where is the AFC Wimbledon stadium?

The AFC Wimbledon stadium sits in the Wimbledon area of the London Borough of Merton, approximately one mile from Wimbledon town centre. The venue is located on a former greyhound racing track site, about 200 yards east of where the original Plough Lane football ground once stood. This close proximity was a deliberate achievement for the club, ensuring the new stadium remained within the historical heartland of the support base.

Address and location within Wimbledon

The stadium forms part of a larger mixed-use development spanning approximately 5.1 hectares. The project includes 602 new homes alongside the football venue, along with retail space and community facilities. Merton Council approved the development in December 2015, with the council’s unanimous backing marking a crucial milestone in AFC Wimbledon’s decade-long campaign to return home (AFC Wimbledon official site).

Transport links: train and tube stations

The nearest railway station is Wimbledon Station, located on the South Western Railway mainline, approximately one mile from the stadium. Wimbledon tube station on the District Line provides Underground access, making the ground reachable from central London. Several bus routes serve the area, including the 57, 131, and 200, offering alternatives for those without private transport.

Parking availability

On-site parking at the stadium is limited, reflecting the urban location and emphasis on sustainable transport. Supporters travelling by car are encouraged to use public transport or arrange parking in advance through official club channels. The limited parking provision is consistent with the club’s community-focused approach and the residential nature of the surrounding area.

What happened to the old Plough Lane?

The original Plough Lane stadium served Wimbledon FC from 1912 until the club’s departure in 1991, when safety concerns and financial pressures forced a move to Selhurst Park. After Wimbledon FC vacated the ground, the stadium entered a period of limited use before closing entirely in 1998. The structure was demolished in 2002, and the site was redeveloped into residential housing.

Closure of the original stadium in 1998

The original Plough Lane saw its last competitive match on 4 May 1991, when Wimbledon FC played their final home game before beginning a groundshare arrangement with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. The Taylor Report recommendations following the Hillsborough disaster required all-seater stadiums, a mandate Wimbledon FC could not meet at their aging ground. After years of uncertainty, the stadium ceased regular operations in 1998 and was eventually demolished (StadiumDB).

Conversion to residential use

Following demolition in 2002, the original Plough Lane site was redeveloped into residential properties, erasing the physical footprint of the historic football ground. The transformation from sporting venue to housing reflected broader patterns of urban development in London, where former industrial and sports sites frequently became residential projects as property values increased.

Legacy and memory

For supporters of the original Wimbledon FC and the subsequent AFC Wimbledon, the old Plough Lane site held deep emotional significance. The club’s fan-owned structure and explicit commitment to returning to the area grew directly from the trauma of losing the original ground. One supporter documented the construction of the new stadium with a camera, watching the club come home piece by piece (Level Playing Field).

Why did Wimbledon leave Plough Lane?

Wimbledon FC left Plough Lane in 1991 following the publication of the Taylor Report, which mandated all-seater stadiums after the Hillsborough disaster. The original ground could not meet the required safety standards without substantial redevelopment, and the club lacked the financial resources for such a project. A short-term groundshare at Selhurst Park became a permanent arrangement before the club eventually relocated to Milton Keynes.

Financial pressures and ground regulations

The Taylor Report’s requirements created an impossible situation for Wimbledon FC. Converting Plough Lane to an all-seater configuration would have required extensive structural work and reduced overall capacity while increasing costs. The club’s modest financial position, never among England’s wealthiest, made such investment unfeasible. Ground safety concerns also played a role, with the venue requiring upgrades that the club could not afford.

Move to Selhurst Park in 1991

Wimbledon FC began sharing Selhurst Park with Crystal Palace in 1991, a temporary arrangement that eventually became effectively permanent. The groundshare worked operationally but created lasting resentment among supporters who felt disconnected from their club’s identity. Playing at Selhurst Park meant matchingdays in a venue that lacked the character and history of Plough Lane.

Later relocation to Milton Keynes

In 2003, Wimbledon FC completed its relocation to Milton Keynes, approximately 60 miles from the original Plough Lane site. The move triggered the formation of AFC Wimbledon in 2002 by supporters determined to maintain a club in the Wimbledon area. The original club’s identity was transferred to Milton Keynes and rebranded as MK Dons in 2004, a move widely condemned by football supporters and historians for erasing a club’s history (Stadium Journey).

What is the history of Plough Lane?

Plough Lane’s story spans more than a century of football in south-west London, encompassing triumph, abandonment, and ultimately a fan-powered resurrection. The original ground opened in 1912 as Wimbledon FC’s home, hosting nearly eight decades of football before closure. A parallel chapter ran at the adjacent Wimbledon Stadium greyhound track from 1928, which hosted the English Greyhound Derby annually from 1985 to 2016 before closing in March 2017.

Original stadium (1912–1998)

Wimbledon FC moved into the original Plough Lane in 1912, establishing a home that would last nearly 80 years. The stadium reached a peak capacity of approximately 15,876 spectators before its closure, hosting the club through its rise to First Division status and the famous 1988 FA Cup final victory over Liverpool. The venue embodied the working-class character of the club, with its relatively small size and intimate atmosphere distinguishing it from larger metropolitan grounds.

Wimbledon FC era

The Wimbledon FC years at Plough Lane produced some of the most memorable moments in the club’s history. The team’s unexpected 1988 FA Cup triumph, achieved through a 1–0 victory over Liverpool at Wembley, remains one of the greatest upsets in English football history. The subsequent years saw the club establish itself in the top flight before the Taylor Report and financial constraints precipitated the groundshare arrangement that led to eventual abandonment.

Abandonment and redevelopment

The period between Wimbledon FC’s departure in 1991 and the greyhound track’s closure in 2017 left the Plough Lane site in limbo. The football stadium was demolished in 2002 and replaced by housing, while the greyhound track continued operations for another 15 years. The dual-track nature of the site—football and greyhound racing coexisting—created complications for redevelopment, requiring acquisition of the greyhound track before AFC Wimbledon’s stadium plans could proceed.

AFC Wimbledon’s return (2020)

AFC Wimbledon launched its bid to return to Plough Lane in August 2012, beginning a multi-year planning and approvals process that tested the club’s patience and resources. Merton Council’s unanimous approval in December 2015 marked a turning point, though the decision required affirmation from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan in 2016 before proceeding. The club took full control of its portion of the development site in December 2018, allowing construction to proceed into 2019 (BBC Sport).

Summary

Plough Lane exists today as evidence that football supporter power, when sustained over decades, can reverse institutional abandonment. AFC Wimbledon’s stadium sits on land once occupied by a greyhound track, metres from where the original football ground stood, demonstrating that proximity to history matters in sport. The club’s mixed-use development model—combining 602 homes with a football venue—offers a template for urban stadium projects that integrate rather than isolate. For local residents and supporters in Merton, the implication is straightforward: the new Plough Lane anchors a neighbourhood asset rather than a corporate enclosure, and that distinction will define its character for generations.