Premier League Nearly Had a Team in Northern Ireland, Tony Blair Keen on Wimbledon Move
Imagine if the Premier League had a team from Northern Ireland. It almost happened, with Tony Blair, the former Prime Minister, backing the move. Wimbledon, an English football club, was on the verge of relocating to Belfast, but it never came to fruition.
Leaked files revealed that in the 1990s, Blair was a strong supporter of the idea, seeing it as a way to build cross-community support and provide a positive unifying force in a divided city. A 40,000-seater stadium was planned, funded primarily by the private sector, and a sporting academy was also envisioned.
The plans gained momentum, with TV presenter Eamonn Holmes backing the proposal and then-Wimbledon owner Sam Hammam exploring the possibility. However, Irish football authorities strongly opposed the idea, and it ultimately fell through.
The irony is that Wimbledon did move, but not to Northern Ireland. The club rebranded as Milton Keynes Dons after entering administration in 2003. A group of disgruntled fans responded by founding ‘AFC Wimbledon,’ and both sides have a bitter rivalry in League Two.
It’s fascinating to think about what could have been if Wimbledon had made the move to Belfast. Would it have brought a new level of excitement and interest to the Premier League? We may never know, but it’s clear that the idea was intriguing enough to garner significant support.
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Image: Getty
Topics: Premier League, Northern Ireland