On This Day – 26th January
Watching your team play on a cold Tuesday night in January to watch your team really tests the mettle of even the most ardent football fan.
An unwanted record that is likely never to be beaten happened on this day in 1993 as a meagre crowd of 3,039 turned up to watch Wimbledon host Everton in the Premier League.
Wimbledon were in 20th, taking up the third and final relegation spot at the time, with visitors Everton in 13th, just below mid-table. It as hardly an inspiring fixture. The Dons were used to small crowds at Selhurst Park, their supposedly temporary home after leaving Plough Lane two seasons prior.
The Holmesdale Road End terrace wasn’t even opened for the match. This was the large terrace behind the goal that was normally used by the home fans. The deserted steep terracing mixed with thousands of empty seats made for a sorry sight.
Everton won the match 3-1, thanks to two goals from Tony Cottee and a third from Ian Snodin. Wimbledon grabbed a consolation goal from John Fashanu.
Wimbledon had some very sorry looking attendances during this first Premier League season. Only four of their 21 home games had crowds made up of five figures, one of them being a capacity crowd for the visit of Manchester United who had just won the league title.
Other than the 3,039 fans who went to the Everton games, 3386 watched a 5-2 win over Oldham Athletic, 3,759 saw a 2-1 defeat to Coventry City and 3,979 were there for a 2-0 win against Sheffield United.
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