Crystal Palace may have to groundshare with AFC Wimbledon once again.
The older Crystal Palace fans will recall Wimbledon – before they were reformed into AFC Wimbledon – spent over a decade playing at Selhurst Park from 1991 to 2003.
That arrangement, which was only supposed to be temporary, came about due to the publication of the Taylor Report, recommending that every top-flight club needed to have an all-seater stadium, prompting Wimbledon to leave Plough Lane for SE25.
So, why could this arrangement now be resurrected over 20 years later? Let’s take a look…
Why Crystal Palace could host AFC Wimbledon
Unfortunately for The Dons, recent flooding in the area has caused significant damage to Plough Lane.
Tuesday’s Carabao Cup clash between AFC Wimbledon and Newcastle United was forced to be rearranged, after stormy weather turned the Plough Lane turf into something more akin to a golf course than a football pitch.
The damage seems quite severe, with reports also mentioning a sinkhole.
Ivor Heller – Vice President of AFC Wimbledon – has told talkSPORT that repairs could cost up to £1m.
Therefore, we are not expecting a quick fix to the Plough Lane pitch whatsoever, meaning AFC Wimbledon could look to resurrect the initial arrangement from back in 1991 and request a temporary groundshare with Crystal Palace.
Selhurst Park is only a 25 minute drive from Plough Lane, and while there is yet to be any official report suggesting this could happen, it is certainly a possibility given the close proximity.
