AFC Wimbledon v Millwall - the tie neither side wanted?

The old rivalry re-ignited.

AFC Wimbledon v Millwall.

The tie most Dons fans felt Scott Wagstaff’s heroics didn’t deserve, and the tie that left Millwall fans thinking ‘what might have been.’

Ask any fan, player or staff member at The Den after their 2-1 third-round victory over Hull, who they wanted in the next round, it would’ve been unanimous, instantaneous, and telling.

West Ham United.

READ: Five things we learned from Millwall's FA Cup win

And it surely would’ve been reciprocated by the Irons faithful such is the rivalry between the two.

The fans cried:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It could have been West Ham 😫 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Millwall?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Millwall</a></p>— Jay Taylor (@jay_taylor18) <a href="https://twitter.com/jay_taylor18/status/1089967005501927424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2019</a></blockquote>

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">You realise we could have been playing <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Millwall?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Millwall</a> ! 🤔 <a href="https://t.co/xJYTVdKfdR">pic.twitter.com/xJYTVdKfdR</a></p>— Vic Singh (@vicsinghb) <a href="https://twitter.com/vicsinghb/status/1090168431482228736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2019</a></blockquote>

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It should have been West Ham, What a fixture that would have been... 🙁<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AFCWimbledon?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AFCWimbledon</a> v <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Millwall?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Millwall</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FACup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FACup</a></p>— Peter Pritchard (@CamCar67) <a href="https://twitter.com/CamCar67/status/1089970584744849410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2019</a></blockquote>

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

READ: Murray Wallace on THAT Everton winner

But as the disappointment of being denied their dream draw against West Ham thanks to the sublime effort of The Dons to overcome Manuel Pelligrini’s men in a 4-2 classic subsided, the realisation that standing between them and quarter-final spot are the team sitting at the foot of the third tier of English football.

That’s not to say Wimbledon fans don’t feel aggrieved either as they didn’t draw a ‘big club’ to generate the revenue that would surely have eased the blow a possible relegation to League Two would inflict.

It is though a fixture that will capture the attention of the TV audience, and the healthy prize-pot of around £400,000 for the victors will undoubtedly be welcome by those at the Cherry Red Records Stadium (as well as those at The Den.)

Dust Settles

So as the dust settles on what might have been for both sets of fans, they’ll start to think what a winnable tie it is and being just two wins away from a semi-final at Wembley and the riches that will bring, as well as memories.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">People need to cheer up about the Fa Cup draw. It's a London derby so no long treks up north and it's a great chance to get to the quarters for both teams. <a href="https://twitter.com/JKelly1882?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JKelly1882</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Millwall?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Millwall</a></p>— David Moss (@HistoryBlitz) <a href="https://twitter.com/HistoryBlitz/status/1089978102808227841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2019</a></blockquote>

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Take Wimbledon away ... won’t get a ticket mind but huge chance to make the last 8 again and have a sniff at Wembley ... let’s just hope the boys can perform, it’s definitely a winnable game <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Millwall?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Millwall</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FaCup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FaCup</a></p>— Tom Phillips (@TomPhillips1995) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomPhillips1995/status/1089977361553125376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2019</a></blockquote>

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Could have done with that been at home but massive chance of progress <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Millwall?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Millwall</a></p>— Steve Evans (@EvansMFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/EvansMFC/status/1089967786963677185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2019</a></blockquote>

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">AFC Wimbledon away, very underwhelming for both Wimbledon and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/millwall?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#millwall</a> however it gives both clubs a realistic chance of reaching the <a href="https://twitter.com/EmiratesFACup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EmiratesFACup</a> QF COYL!</p>— Gavin Shaw (@gavin_shaw67) <a href="https://twitter.com/gavin_shaw67/status/1089974004620972032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2019</a></blockquote>

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

As both teams turn their attentions to the league this weekend, Millwall welcoming Rotherham and The Dons travelling to Sunderland, there’ll be something in the back of their mind counting down the three weeks until the Lions and Wombles do battle despite not getting the tie they wanted….and that’s the magic of The FA Cup.

Full FA Cup draw:

Bristol City v Shrewsbury/Wolves

AFC Wimbledon v Millwall

Doncaster Rovers v Crystal Palace

Middlesboro/Newport v Manchester City

Chelsea v Manchester United

Swansea v Barnet/Brentford

Portsmouth/QPR v Watford

Brighton/West Brom v Derby County

Ties to be played across the weekend of Friday 15th-Monday 18th February.