League must reconsider Wimbledon move

Wimbledon have welcomed the decision of the Football Association's arbitration panel to refer their proposed relocation to Milton Keynes back to the Football League for further consideration.

The Dons have been homeless since leaving Plough Lane 11 years ago to ground-share with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, a stadium they struggle to fill.

The Wimbledon chairman Charles Koppel said that the club is losing £20,000 per day and claimed the move is the only way to save it from extinction. He said in a statement: "It wholly bears out our view we were not given a full and fair hearing when this matter was looked at previously. We will now be discussing with the League how to take this matter forward in the most appropriate manner.

"Our only desire is to get a fair and impartial hearing, based on the facts. This is an important, complicated issue – and it is vital the uniqueness of Wimbledon's position is fully understood."

It took eight days for the three-man body to make a ruling to refer whether Wimbledon should be given the chance to plead their case for a move to Milton Keynes to the League again. The club hope to move more than 50 miles from their traditional home in Merton to a new 28,000-seater stadium.

In the wake of the ruling, Merton Council urged Wimbledon to look again at bringing the club back to Plough Lane. The leader of the council, Andrew Judge, said: "When the case is re-heard by the Football League, we are confident it will once again be rejected.

"Merton Council is ready to sit down with WFC at any time to talk about the potential investors for a consortium to develop a stadium at Plough Lane and bring WFC back to Merton."

Now derelict, Plough Lane is currently owned by Safeway, but the supermarket chain has been refused planning permission on the site.