Having worked tirelessly covering the Dons return to Plough Lane last week, Wimbledon Guardian reporter Craig Richard took in Saturday's game at Kingsmeadow, sitting with his colleagues in the press box.

He was expected a joyous occasion after the momentous decision.

However, may be it was the result, may be fans were emotionally drained or may be it was something else, but it did not quite live up to expectations...

 

This past week I’ve been speaking to die-hard AFC Wimbledon fans, commentators and former players about the return of the Dons to Plough Lane and to Merton.

What came out of speaking to them was their love and loyalty for the club, and a warm “weird affection” for a “decrepit and wooden” old stadium.

And with Merton Council planning committee’s decision on Thursday, December 10 to approve permission for the club to build a multi-million pound stadium in Plough Lane, you would have expected a buoyant atmosphere at Kingsmeadow on Saturday.

On the train from Wimbledon to Norbiton there were excited conversations and shouts of “football’s coming home”, and on the walk from the station there was a general, happy buzz ahead of kick-off.

Cheers and hugging as AFC Wimbledon have Plough Lane stadium plans unanimously approved by Merton Council

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The mood continued for a short while – the Womble, donning a red Father Christmas hat, lapped the ground, leading chants by beating on a bin.

But it was not long before the Stevenage reporters either side of me started whispering back and forth: “It’s so quiet” and “This doesn’t seem like the place where away sides are intimidated."

During the week, Dons legend Wally Downes told me that when the team returns to Plough Lane, fans need to “make it their own little cathedral of noise”.

Maybe returning home to the borough will help fans to create an intimidating footballing cathedral for AFC Wimbledon to call home.