A 90-year-old D-Day veteran was among the hordes of fans cheering AFC Wimbledon to victory at Wembley.

Alf Hicks joined his son Ian, daughter-in-law Tracey and grandson Adam at Wembley Stadium to watch the Dons beat Plymouth Argyle in the play-off final on Monday, May 30.

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Mr Hicks said: “It was a wonderful day. It really was. It was a wonderful match. They played so well, it was unbelievable.

“Now they just need a new stadium. I’m 91 soon and I want to see them back in Plough Lane, so they had better hurry up!”

Mr Hicks, who lived in Kenley Road, Merton Park, for 50 years before moving to Dorset with his late wife, was awarded a British Empire medal for his service as a camera man to the Royal Air Force during the Normandy landings of 1944.

He added: “The fact they are in the first division now, it’s really wonderful.

“It made my day to see them win. I feel 10 years younger!”

 Ian Hicks, 51, who lives in Ewell Park Way, Ewell, used to coach the AFC Wimbledon youth club and said he was proud his father had been there to watch the historic win.

He said: “It was great that my dad came all the way up, even though he is due to have a knee replacement operation in three weeks’ time.

“We have always been a family club. It’s our team, we own the club, we run the club, and whatever happens to it is down to us. It’s important we keep that family atmosphere. It was great to see other families there too with all the generations.”

The family travelled in style, after hiring an old Routemaster London bus to drive themselves and 70 other supporters from Kingsmeadow to Wembley and back again. 

Wimbledon Times:

The fans tied mascot Haydon the Womble to the bus for their journey

Back in Kingsmeadow, they joined the post-match celebrations with the players, fans and bestselling author John Green, who is working to turn the AFC story into a Hollywood blockbuster.

Ian Hicks said: “I managed to hug John Green. I said I was so happy, and he said he was too. He was great.

“He wasn’t with the corporate lot. Like me, he’d brought his dad along.”