Town will be looking to build on the performances that ended Accrington Stanley’s and Mansfield’s impressive runs, as they look to do the same against AFC Wimbledon this afternoon.
AFC Wimbledon have had a steady start to league action, with a seven wins and sevens draws in 19 games keeping them in a respectably in the mid table region.
More recently, their league form has been mixed with a recent loss to Gillingham but before that winning against Notts County and Doncaster.
The Dons finds themselves tenth in the League Two table, with Swindon looking to use their improved result and confidence from their 4-3 away victory against Accrington Stanley the other week to push themselves up the table this afternoon.
A lowdown on the visitors:
In 2002, the Wimbledon football club was formed.
Snatched away from fans and community, the club was allowed by an FA commission to be airlifted to another town 70 miles away, where it carried on under a different owner and different supporters.
AFC Wimbledon were consigned to the Combined Counties League – five divisions below the professional Football League – and they started all over again.
Only there was a fundamental and profound difference, this time AFC Wimbledon were owned by our own supporters in the shape of The Dons Trust with an executive board elected by the fans.
AFC Wimbledon first moved to their home of Plough Lane, in 1912 where they won the coveted FA Amateur Cup in 1963 and were eventually elected into the Football League in 1977 after winning a hat-trick of Southern League titles.
AFC Wimbledon’s most historic moment happened when they won the FA Cup in 1988 with a famous 1-0 triumph over Liverpool at Wembley.
Wimbledon were one of the founding members of the Premier League in 1992, where they stayed for eight consecutive seasons and produced some of the most-famous players of that era.
But behind the triumphs were the disasters, Wimbledon lost their original Plough Lane stadium, as it was sold for redevelopment by their former owner.
Forced to groundshare at Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park (where they spent all our Premier League years) the cruellest moment of all was to follow when we they sold and moved away, seemingly erased from the Wimbledon landscape.
But the heart and soul that existed in the old club was alive and kicking in the new one.
Promotion followed promotion as we rose up the football pyramid and within nine years, they were back in the Football League after dramatically beating favourites Luton Town on penalties in the 2011 play-off final.
Five years later came another promotion when they beat Plymouth at Wembley in the Division Two play-off final and have stayed in League One ever since until this season.
On its own, all the above was miracle enough. But there was a greater force at work even beyond climbing back into the Football League.
That burning desire to get back to Wimbledon never diminished. In fact, it grew stronger and stronger until, led by former chief executive Erik Samuelson, an impossible dream began to take shape.
Erik was backed by an army of loyal volunteers and devoted staff. Together, they navigated Wimbledon through a labyrinth of planning regulations and meetings, until permission was granted for AFC Wimbledon to build a new ground on the site of the town’s famous but then dilapidated greyhound stadium.
It wasn’t how it should have been, and it wasn’t until August 14, 2021, that AFC Wimbledon fans were allowed into Plough Lane for the first time to see a competitive League One game in the stadium they had helped build.
Head-to-head:
2016/17: Swindon Town 2-0 AFC Wimbledon
2020/21: Swindon Town 0-1 AFC Wimbledon
2020/21: AFC Wimbledon 4-1 Swindon Town
202/23: Swindon Town 0-0 AFC Wimbledon
2022/23: AFC Wimbledon 1-5 Swindon Town
Manager: Johnnie Jackson
Johnnie Jackson is known for his presence as a player in the English leagues playing for the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Watford, Notts County and also Swindon Town.
It would be Charlton that he would make over 20 appearances for and really make a name for himself.
On 15 March 2021, Bowyer resigned as Charlton Athletic manager and Jackson was put in caretaker charge of the club and would be his first taste of first team management before returning to his previous role.
Jackson was named caretaker manager of Charlton Athletic for a second time on 21 October 2021 following the departure of former manager Nigel Adkins. After achieving nine wins in 13 matches during his caretaker spell, Jackson was named permanent manager on 17 December 2021 before eventually being dismissed.
On 16 May 2022, Jackson was appointed as manager of League Two club AFC Wimbledon on a two-year deal, replacing the club's short-term interim-manager Mark Bowen following their relegation from League One.
One to watch: Ali Al-Hamadi
Ali was born in Maysan, Iraq before he moved to Toxteth in Liverpool following the breakout of the Iraq War.
It was in England that his family settled, and his football career began as he took in academy spells with both Tranmere Rovers and Swansea City.
His form for the latter earned him a first professional contract before he was eventually snapped-up by Wycombe following a successful trial period in November 2020.
He was then loaned out to Bromley during the 2021/22 campaign, for whom he notched three goals and two assists in nine games from a wide position.
After returning to the Buckinghamshire club, he netted his first goal, scoring a header against Bristol City in the Carabao Cup back in August.
Ali has also been capped five times by the Iraq national team and was part of their squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
He now bolsters the Don's attacking options as he bids to enhance his development further with AFC Wimbledon in Sky Bet League Two.
