The recently declassified files have unveiled a bold plan put forth by former UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair, aimed at relocating AFC Wimbledon from London to Belfast in the late 1990s. This move was considered to be an ‘excellent idea’ as per the documents.
Shortly after taking office, a memo circulated, following informal discussions about the potential relocation of an English Premier League football club to Belfast. The primary objective was to utilize the presence of a Premier League club in Northern Ireland as a means to unite a divided city.
Wimbledon was identified as the club to be relocated from its south London home to the Northern Irish capital. To reinforce this transition, there was even a suggestion to change the club’s name to Belfast United. Furthermore, plans were formulated for the construction of a 40,000-seat stadium, with funding primarily coming from the private sector. Potential locations for the stadium included Queen’s Island in east Belfast or the North Foreshore in the north of the city.
Blair himself expressed support for the ambitious initiative, stating that it would be ‘excellent if Wimbledon were to move to Belfast’. Despite the initial optimism shown by Blair and some others, the proposal faced resistance and criticism within the local community.
Alistair Campbell, who served as Downing Street’s chief press secretary at the time, highlighted that Wimbledon’s owner, Sam Hammam, had previously explored the idea of relocating the club to Dublin, indicating that various possibilities were being explored.
Interestingly, in July 1998, just a few months after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, Blair personally expressed support for the proposed move. However, the Irish football authorities strongly opposed this, signaling significant resistance to the idea.
Despite efforts by TV presenter Eamonn Holmes and three local newspapers to garner public support, little progress was made on the proposal by April 1999. Eventually, the plans were put on hold, and AFC Wimbledon would later relocate to Milton Keynes, rebranding themselves as MK Dons in 2004.
The successor club formed by committed fans, AFC Wimbledon, is currently competing in League Two.
In conclusion, the revelation of this daring initiative by Tony Blair to relocate a Premier League club to Belfast sheds light on an intriguing yet ultimately unsuccessful chapter in the history of English football.