25% Done, 100% Belief: AFC Wimbledon’s Remarkable Start
Remember that feeling in July? The one where you’re scrolling through pre-season predictions. Articles and pundits predicting “AFC Wimbledon will be in a relegation fight?” I do. I wrote about it [here].
Well, about that.
We’re now 11 games into the season. A quarter of the way through, and AFC Wimbledon sit in 5th place with 21 points. Fifth. Yes, that’s right, fifth. A play-off position. I’ll wait while you check the EFL League One table yourself because I still don’t quite believe it either. Actually, let me put it here…..
Today’s 2–0 win away to Blackpool, with Danilo Orsi grabbing both goals, wasn’t just another win. It was a statement. This isn’t a fluke. This isn’t luck. We’re not just surviving, we’re thriving.
The Stats……And We Don’t Do Draws
Seven wins from eleven matches. A 63.6% win rate. The kind of numbers that make you think: “Right, which billionaire has bought the club?” or “Has a nation state taken us over?” or “Is this a FIFA career mode save?” But no. It’s just us. Doing it the Wimbledon way.
Here’s another crazy thing about our season so far. Zero draws. Not a single draw. We literally don’t know how to draw a match.
We’re scoring 1.45 goals per game while conceding just 1.09. We’re sitting with the same points as 4th-placed Lincoln City. We’re three points — one good win — away from an automatic promotion spot. Read that sentence again. Now tell me you’re not getting goosebumps.
The Magic Ingredients
Matty Stevens wasn’t even in today’s squad due to an injury. Yet, he’s still our top scorer with five goals and two assists from ten appearances. He’s two goals behind the League One top scorer. That’s the level he’s operating at.
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Then there’s Johnnie Jackson. The 5–3–2 system looks sharper. Our play has purpose (as shown with an xG of 2.27 today away to Blackpool). And most importantly, you can see the belief amongst the players.
Four league wins from five at Plough Lane. Our only home defeat came against Cardiff. This shows we’ve turned our ground into a place teams fear visiting.
Jackson has built something here. You can feel it.
The Dangerous Part
Here’s where I need to rein in my enthusiasm. I can hear it now. “Whoa there, easy now.” Thirty-five matches remain. League One is tough. The season is a marathon. Three losses in a row, and suddenly we’re mid-table and wondering what happened.
But sod it. Why shouldn’t we dream?
This club has earned the right to hope. We’ve been through a lot. More than any fan base should endure. If we can’t get excited about sitting 5th and being three points off automatic promotion to the Championship, then what’s the point of any of this?
Could we actually do it? Could we reach the Championship? It sounds absurd typing it out, but here we are, living it. We have the manager, we have the striker, we have the momentum, and crucially, we have the belief.
Thirty-five games is a long time. Anything can happen. Teams will figure us out, injuries will hit (and let’s hope Matty’s injury is not too bad), and form will dip. But right now, at this exact moment, AFC Wimbledon are defying every expectation.
So let’s enjoy it. Let’s savour every minute of this ride. Whether we sustain this or not, we’re living through something that could turn out to be very special.
COYD. Let’s see where this season takes us.
Where do you realistically feel we’ll end up? Let me know in the comments.
