Wimbledon legend John Fashanu has vowed to return to the Cherry Red Records stadium to help cheer the Dons up the table.

The 51-year-old, who made 276 appearances for the Dons in a career that spanned eight years, has many strings to his modern bow, including presenting Nigeria’s version if Deal or No Deal, and running the Templegate Training and John Fashanu Foundation Sports Academy.

His academy work takes him all over the world, specifically to Sweden and Nigeria where it has fledgling links, and Fashanu was sporting the blue and yellow of a Sweden tracksuit when he turned up at the CRRS for the League Two match against Stevenage Borough last month.

The 1988 FA Cup winner said: “I thought I would come down and see the boys and I’ve been quite impressed with what I’ve seen.

Surrey Comet:

Celebrity status: Fashanu has become a familiar face on televisions screens since his retirement from professional football               Picture: Dave McKnight

“I’d like to see a little bit more of the old Wimbledon spirit, but it’s OK.”

He added: “This is the first time I’ve been to the ground here, and I am impressed by it. It’s a small, tidy ground, very much like the old Plough Lane, but a little bit more friendly.

“I understand there are plans in place to get the club back to Wimbledon, and I wish them all the best.

“For the time being, they will see me here again.”

Fashanu joined the Dons from Millwall in 1986 and went on to hit 107 goals as the Crazy Gang climbed to the top flight of English football.

His career would end after he picked up a knee injury playing for Aston Villa in 1995, but celebrity status beckoned and Fashanu presented Gladiators on Saturday night prime-time television with Ulrika Jonsson, and in 2003 he finished second in I’m a Celebrity... Get me out of here! losing out to Phil Tufnell.

He said: “I enjoyed my time with Villa, where I was playing with some fantastic players, such as Andy Townsend and Dwight Yorke.

“Do I wish I was still playing? No, not really, my time has gone, I am happy having a bit of a rest.

“Every match I played in was a World Cup to me, it was a battle – but the body gets tired and now I am happy.”

Heads up: John Fashanu on target for Wimbledon in a 1-0 win over Manchester City in 1989

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