Football Season Review

It was another season where AFC Wimbledon fought a successful battle against relegation from League 1. It felt like a rerun of last season had it not been for the long-awaited return to Plough Lane. Thirty years after leaving their former home, it was a bittersweet moment for the club, with no crowds allowed in the midst of the global Covid-19 pandemic. Glyn Hodges was in charge in November when the Dons moved to their new ground and things weren’t going well on the pitch. They were languishing in the bottom four despite the best efforts of striker and leading goalscorer Joe Pigott. Hodges reign came to an end in January and the club made the brave decision to promote Mark Robinson to head coach. It certainly paid off as a superb run of form in April saw the Dons climb out of the bottom four and make themselves safe. One of the catalysts was Robinson’s decision to throw in youngster Ayoub Assal into the fray and he showed his precocious talent, forming a potent front four with Pigott, winger Jack Rudoni and striker Ollie Palmer. Robinson claimed his ambitions are much greater than simply surviving in the division and he can take plenty of encouragement in the way his side finished the campaign. Keeping hold of their best players will be the next challenge however, with Pigott out of contract and likely to move on in the summer.

Player of the Season: Joe Pigott