1906
1906-07

Wimbledon's FA Cup debut came the next season, at home to West Norwood in a first qualifying round tie on September 22. The Dons went down 2-1, but Amateur Cup week the next Saturday saw them put paid to Norwood Association 2-1 after a replay.

It was a season, though, short on success, with defeats by Caterham Guards Depot, Kingston-on-Thames and Finchley bringing an early end to Amateur, Surrey Senior and London Senior Cup hopes respectively. No joy, either, on the League front, Wimbledon back in the Southern Suburban League and playing at yet another ground, this one just off Pepys Road in Raynes Park.

Their end of season record showed 13 wins and 13 defeats in 31 games. It was the start of the leanest, and lowest, spell in the club's 100 year chequered history. In the coming years they changed leagues, changed grounds and changed committees. They fought the council for better facilities; they used the local newspapers to cry out for support.

Their pleas were to fall on deaf ears. Wimbledon supporters of today are all too familiar with stories of the club's shoes­tring finances, brought about, principally, by poor attendances.

Yet way back in 1907 there was the Wimbledon secretary talking about the likes of Fulham and Chelsea enticing away potential supporters; talking about the need for local sponsors; and talking about the need for greater support from the locality. "It says little for the sporting people of Wimbledon that they do not turn up in greater numbers and support the commit­tee in their endeavour to run a really good team," wrote Luffman.