Nigel Winterburn has outlined why AFC Wimbledon’s 2020 return to Plough Lane still carries weight, as they look to establish themselves in League One.
The move back to Plough Lane was never just about bricks, seats and floodlights. It was the restoration of something supporters had spent almost 30 years trying to recover, a home close to the site where the old Wimbledon had built so much of their identity.
The Dons returned in November 2020, ending a journey that had begun with the loss of the original Plough Lane in 1991, followed by the club’s league position being stolen by Milton Keynes, the formation of AFC Wimbledon in 2002 and a remarkable climb from the Combined Counties League. That rise brought them back into the Football League in 2011, into League One in 2016, and now, after promotion through the 2025 League Two play-offs, back into the third tier again.
Winterburn On Wimbledon’s Return Home
Winterburn was part of the old Wimbledon Crazy Gang before becoming a key figure at Arsenal, and he understands exactly what Plough Lane meant. It was never a comfortable place for opponents, and that edge has always been part of the club’s identity.
“It was massive for the club, so important for the tradition and heritage as well,” he told Football Lowdown.
“Plough Lane was a tough place to go for teams, we knew we had the edge over teams if they weren’t ready for a battle. But now, coming back to the new Plough Lane, the team know they are back home, the fans are super happy and embracing this and as a club from top to bottom.
“Wimbledon are back where they belong and it’s important they maintain this status and look to grow if they can.
“Being back in a competitive position, back at Plough Lane, it seemed a distant memory some years ago, and now it’s reality you have to enjoy.”
That is the key point. AFC Wimbledon are not simply trading on sentiment. They are trying to make Plough Lane the base for a sustainable League One club, and after everything that has happened since 2002, even consolidation at this level feels significant.
Building A League One Future
2024/25 was about getting back. The Dons beat Notts County in the play-off semi-final before edging past Walsall at Wembley, securing promotion and returning to League One with momentum behind them. This season was about something less romantic but just as important: staying there.
They are now trying to establish themselves in a division where budgets can quickly expose any weakness. That means recruitment has to be sharp, the home form has to matter, and Plough Lane has to become the advantage Winterburn remembers from the old days.
The pitch collapse and flooding in September 2024 showed the sort of setbacks the club can still face. More than 100,000 litres of water had to be pumped from the stadium, fixtures were postponed, and the ground that had taken so much effort to build suddenly needed another show of resilience.
That, though, has been the story of AFC Wimbledon from the start. Knocked back, rebuilt, pushed forward. Now back at Plough Lane and back in League One, the next step is making sure this return becomes more than a moment. It has to become the foundation.
Nigel Winterburn was speaking to us ahead of the Champions League final, and here’s where you can find Arsenal vs PSG kick-off time and odds.
