Pictures of Dons supporters at Kit Sponsors Dinner
It was an event that summed up what AFC Wimbledon is all about as supporters met first-team players and posed for pictures with them at last night’s annual Kit Sponsors Dinner.
The first-team squad, Neal Ardley, Neil Cox and Simon Bassey were all present to chat with fans as a reward for supporters generously sponsoring AFC Wimbledon kit during 2013/14.
Neal Ardley said: “I’d like to thank everybody here for their continued support. Ivor Heller said that a lot of fans here have been sponsoring kit for years and that’s what makes this club special. It’s great for us all to be here tonight to chat to those fans.”
Graham Williams (pictured above centre with Alan Bennett and Will Antwi) provides a fine example of what Neal is talking about as he has been sponsoring kit at Wimbledon since the days when Alan Kimble was shutting-out Premier League strikers.
“I sponsor two players every year and this season it’s Alan and Will,” said Graham. “These are great nights and meeting the players who you sponsor makes it special. I sponsored Alan Kimble many years ago and that’s when it all started for me.”
More photographs from last night can be viewed in our gallery with supporters receiving signed shirts as part of their sponsorships.
Julian Popple, Andy Brassell and Pete O’Brien jointly sponsor Young Player of the Year George Francomb and they are pictured in our gallery from last night.
Julian said: “We’re hoping to break a bad run as the previous two players we’ve sponsored have left! I’ve been supporting Wimbledon since 1983 and the club runs in the family as my great uncle played for the club in the 1930s. I loved going to Plough Lane because we always felt that we could upset the big teams when they came to our place.”
Anuk Teasdale (pictured with Luke Moore and her daughters Millie and Leela in our gallery) has been sponsoring kit for many years since her brother Moorad Choudhry started sponsoring the matchday programme seven seasons ago. Anuk also got a signed Danny Hylton shirt on the evening and she said: “We had such a fabulous evening. It was so nice to meet fans and players. Very proud of my Danny Hylton shirt.”
A raffle on the night raised money for the We Are Wimbledon Fund with the first prize of an AFC Wimbledon matchball sponsorship for next season.
AFC Wimbledon wishes to thank all supporters who generously sponsored kit during 2013/14.