A multinational group led by Robbie Earle has made a bid for a minority stake in AFC Wimbledon, the south London-based club that was born in 2002 after Earle’s former team Wimbledon FC moved to Milton Keynes.
Earle, 61, is now best known for his work with NBC on its coverage of the English Premier League but as a player was a key part of Wimbledon FC’s pre-move history as an attacking midfielder and captain.
Founded by fans who opposed the move, and the club’s subsequent rebranding as MK Dons, AFC Wimbledon have risen from the ninth tier of English football to the third, League One.
As well as rising through the divisions, the supporters’ trust that controls the club has also successfully built a new home on the site of the old Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium, which is only 250 yards from the Plough Lane ground that Wimbledon FC were forced to vacate in 1991 because of crowd-safety concerns.
The new stadium, which opened in 2020, has helped to stabilise the so-called “phoenix” club’s finances but the trust has been looking for additional investment to pay off some of the construction-related debt, develop the surrounding land and push the team forward on the pitch.
In a statement released to The Athletic, the club said: “AFC Wimbledon are in talks with several prospective minority investors who see the opportunity of accelerating the growth of our fan-owned football club, expanding our 9,000 seater stadium and developing our Academy.
“AFC Wimbledon has the newest stadium in the EFL, located in the heart of Wimbledon, and arguably one of the most remarkable backstories in sport. Our men’s team competes in League One, while our women’s team features in the third tier of the pyramid.
“Confidentiality agreements prevent us from commenting on the identities of any potential minority investors or on specific queries regarding individuals or groups who may be part of this process.”
Earle made 350 appearances for Wimbledon FC during his playing career (Chris Lobina /Allsport via Getty Images)
Earle declined to comment but a source close to his group, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the negotiations, said the group contained investors from Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States, and they had experience in player and property development, football operations and sports governance.
It is a complicated deal, however, as the club’s constitution demands that it remains under fan-control. As a result, only about 25 per cent of the club’s shares are on the market. While Earle’s group, and others, are attracted by the AFC Wimbledon’s story, most investors ultimately want to be the key decision-makers. This might be a difficult circle to square.
The former Jamaica international joined the club in 1991 and played 350 games for them over nine top-flight seasons. During that time, the “Crazy Gang” achieved a best finish of sixth in the Premier League in 1994 and made three cup semi-finals. An attacking midfielder, Earle also captained the team for five years and scored 76 goals.
A stomach injury forced him to retire in 1999 and Wimbledon, who had been sharing Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park stadium, were relegated from the Premier League a year later.
In 2001, the club’s ownership announced its intention to move the team 60 miles north to Milton Keynes, one of England’s post-war new towns. That move was controversially approved by the Football Association in 2002.
The club started playing games in its new home in 2003 and then rebranded to MK Dons a year later. That team and AFC Wimbledon remain bitter rivals to this day, although MK Dons are currently in League Two.