1899
1899-1900

So Wimbledon prepared to move into a new century. The annual income topped £40 and the club was able to spend a considerable sum on ground improvements. The long serving Anstee, with the club since day one, stepped down as captain, Hawton taking over, and still the Old Centrals dominated the local scene, this time progressing to the London Junior Cup Final of 1900.

Horace Anstee led the chase for Cup honours, scoring five in a third round 6-2 win over Peckham Albion. It was marksman Anstee whose goal won a closely contested semi-final with Croydon Wanderers, and although he struck again in the final, Dulwich Hamlet proved too strong, with a 3-1 win.

Again, that campaign was not without controversy. The Old Centrals had put out West Norwood Albion in a bitterly contested fourth round tie that saw two Albion players sent off. A war of words followed between the club's respective secretaries, with West Norwood's Mr. Constable reportedly sending Wimbledon counterpart, Mr. F. Headicar, an 'offensive' letter.

Headicar complained to the London FA and Constable was duly suspended for 28 days and ordered to apologise in writing. Wimbledon leaked Constable's reply to The Independent. "Dear Headicar," Constable wrote. "Your friends on the London FA Council must think all persons connected with football are puppets, to imagine that I should apologise to you."

Constable was obviously seething, and his closing line barely concealed his contempt. "I may have the pleasure of seeing you on the Common before the season ends," he threatened. Juicy material for the soccer writers of the day, no doubt.