The fan who brought his football club back to life

In the early 1970s, a young boy from a council estate in South London went to his first football match. Ivor Heller stood wide-eyed on the terraces of Plough Lane, mesmerised by the atmosphere. From that moment on, football was more than just a game, it was the centre of his world.

As his beloved Wimbledon FC shot to national prominence, Ivor was climbing his own ladder, building a thriving business while following every twist and turn of the team’s fortunes. He recalls the thrill of the against-the-odds FA Cup win against Liverpool in 1988, the surreal scenes on the streets of Wimbledon, the pubs overflowing, and fans celebrating until the early dawn.

But in 2002, Wimbledon's world collapsed. The Football Association approved the moneymen’s pitch to relocate the club 70 miles away in Milton Keynes. For fans, it was more than a loss of a team, it was a betrayal. For Ivor, it was a call to action. From his print company office, he gathered friends and began to design the blueprint for a new club. Within ten working days, AFC Wimbledon was born: a fan-owned, volunteer-driven club starting in the ninth tier of English football.

Over the following years, AFC Wimbledon rose through the leagues while keeping one goal in mind: returning to Plough Lane, the spiritual home of Wimbledon football. In 2020, after raising over five million pounds from fans and supporters, they purchased the ground and rebuilt a new stadium. For Ivor, the club is not a new entity - it is the continuation of a legacy, rooted in the same streets and stands that captivated him as a small boy decades ago.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen

Producers: Marcia Veiga and Edgar Maddicott

Get in touch: [email protected] or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707

(Photo: Ivor Heller draped with fist raised raised, draped in yellow and blue beneath and AFC Wimbledon banner. Credit: Shutterstock)