Wimbledon fundraiser hits £100,000 after pitch sinkhole

The fundraiser to help AFC Wimbledon after sinkholes appeared at their stadium following flooding breached the £100,000 barrier yesterday.

A £15,000 donation from Newcastle United, who Wimbledon were set to host at the Cherry Red Records Stadium on Wednesday in the Carabao Cup, led the generosity while other donations, including a child’s pocket money, helped raise the fund above £100,000.

“It’s absolutely amazing and unprecedented I think,” organiser Graham Stacey said. “We’ve had small donations of pocket money pledged and we’ve also had donations of £5,000 from individuals.”

“I had to refresh the page a few times and check it was actually from [Newcastle].

“I cannot praise Newcastle and their fans highly enough. Their fans were the ones who started donating and putting things on social media to see what they could do [to help].

“People have a pop at the Premier League but this shows there’s a heart there, at the end of the day.”

The fixture was postponed and will now be played on 1 October at Newcastle United’s St James’ Park.

Wimbledon beat Bromley away and then toppled Premier League club Ipswich Town on penalties to reach the third round while United, who entered the draw in the second round, beat Nottingham Forest on spot-kicks to reach this week’s round. 

“I’m raising money to help AFC Wimbledon get games on following damage to the stadium and pitch due to the extensive flooding over the course of 22-23rd September, which left the club having to call off games,” Stacey said when he set up the fundraiser.

“AFC Wimbledon is more than a lower league football club – it is admired for its work in the local community through the AFC Wimbledon Foundation charity, while Dons Local Action Group have distributed food for more than six million meals to those in need since 2020.”