Crozier is 'appalled' by Wimbledon move

By Paul Holmes
August 22 2002

FA chief executive Adam Crozier has revealed that he is appalled by Wimbledon's move to Milton Keynes.

The club are due to move away from London and to Milton Keynes. A move that has forced fans to form their own club, AFC Wimbledon, and form picket lines outside Selhurst Park when Wimbledon play there. The gates for Wimbledon have been hit with less than 1,000 turning up to support them on the opening day against Gillingham.

Speaking on www.thefa.com Crozier made it clear that The FA did not approve the move. "We need to make this clear.

"The FA hasn't given its seal of approval to this decision at all - quite the opposite.

"The FA is very much against it and personally I feel it's an appalling decision to allow the club to move to Milton Keynes.

"People need to understand the background to how this has come about.

"There was a dispute between Wimbledon and the Football League.

"And they entered into a legal arbitration process in which both parties agreed to be bound by the decision of the arbitrators, whatever that decision turned out to be.

"In the event, that independent commission found that Wimbledon should be allowed to move.

"So, although we wholeheartedly disagree with the decision, we find ourselves in difficult, not to mention highly frustrating, circumstances.

"Clearly we are looking into it because we don't believe it's a good thing for the game."