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Wimbledon were saved from liquidation when the club's creditors agreed to a takeover offer from InterMK, led by the music entrepreneur Pete Winkleman. InterMK will take over the club's running costs and plans eventually to leave the National Hockey Stadium for a stadium funded by Asda, part of the Wal-Mart Group. It is likely that the club will re-named the MK Dons. Attendances appear to be building, partly through away fans, but also through residents of Milton Keynes treating them as a second club. It looks as if the first franchising of a football club has succeeded, at least for the time being.
Wimbledon announced that they were going into administration after running out of cash and Norwegian owner Bjorn Gjelsten decided to stop footing the bills. The club's debts amount to £3.5m plus £350,000 for unpaid salaries for May. The then Selhurst Park club had seen its attendances plummet this season after approval was given for it move to Milton Keynes. One of the administrators commented, 'it is becoming increasingly clear a move to Milton Keynes is a key element in ensuring the club has the facilities commensurate with its ambitions.' It was claimed that 60 per cent of the current season ticket capacity has been sold, but this figure has to be placed in the context of the total capacity of the National Hockey Stadium and the need to make provision for away fans and on the day sales.
Fears have been expressed that Wimbledon, FA Cup winners in 1988, could be the first club to be forced out of League football since Aldershot in 1992. Unlike Aldershot, who won promotion to the Conference this season, they could disappear altogether, leaving the Wombles name to be preserved by the new club created by fans, AFC Wimbledon. Wimbledon remains rooted at the bottom of the First Division as it had to get rid of most of its players, was unable to acquire any new ones and has essentially been playing its under 19 side.
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