Another special effort from Dons fans
Members of the Blue and Yellow Club are hoping that their contributions can once again push the Dons forward after they handed over a cheque for £22,000 towards Neal Ardley’s transfer budget.
The Blue & Yellow Club was formed last summer by Iain McNay and the late Martin Fielding to provide extra funds for the AFC Wimbledon playing budget. Its members (pictured above with Neal Ardley and Erik Samuelson) gain exclusive behind-the-scenes access at various events in return for an annual fee of £1,000.
These subscriptions provided a vital boost to the playing budget during last season’s relegation battle, enabling Neal Ardley to pay a fee for Harry Pell last January, and the Blue & Yellow Club recently handed over a cheque for £22,000. In total, £56,000 has been raised since the club was set up.
Iain McNay says he’s had good feedback from members this season. The highlights have been a tour of the club’s training facilities, and a dinner with Neal Ardley and Neil Cox at Cannizaro House.
“Members found it very interesting to attend a training session a few months ago and to gain an understanding of what Neal is trying to work towards,” said Iain. “They got to see how Neal makes decisions about tactics and players, and everything that goes into the preparation for games.
“The idea is for members to gain behind-the-scenes access at the club. The management team sat with us for three and a half hours at the dinner at Cannizaro House, and members were able to ask whatever questions they wanted. Both Neal Ardley and Neil Cox have been brilliant with us, and the bond between the management team and members gets stronger.”
The Blue & Yellow Club welcomes new members, and there are two different packages available for supporters.
The Blue membership package (for supporters who attend matches regularly) provides the following:
- A pass to the President’s Lounge for home matches.
- Two tickets for the end-of-season dinner.
- Dinner with the management team and club CEO twice a season (for the cost of the meal).
- Reserved tables in pre-match hospitality before home matches (for the cost of the meal).
- An invitation to the occasional Wimbledon celebrity dinner each season (again for the cost of the meal).
- A subscription to the Wombles Down Under magazine, which is published every six weeks.
The benefits of Yellow membership (for those who don’t attend matches regularly) are as follows:
- VIP treatment for you and a guest at two home games each season. This includes a special welcome from the CEO, the Dons Trust chair and the manager, pre-match hospitality, access to the President’s Lounge and seats in the directors’ box. If you can’t make two home games but can get to one or two away games, we will do our best to arrange a similar package for you there.
- A tour of the training ground and the opportunity to meet the players.
- Dinner with the football management team and club CEO twice a season (for the cost of the meal). If you cannot make these events, we can arrange one scheduled telephone briefing each season with the CEO and manager.
- An invitation to the occasional Wimbledon celebrity dinner each season (again for the cost of the meal).
- A subscription to the Wombles Down Under magazine, which is published every six weeks.
iain@cherryred.co.ukThe aim is to give members unique benefits that have low direct costs to the football club, so that membership fees can go as far as possible towards the playing budget. If you would like to join or want more information, then please contact Iain McNay at