WHEN the Crazy Gang beat Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup Final, John Motson said it was “a weird and wonderful world if you come from Wimbledon.” But for Wimbledon fans the weirdness became too much when the club decided to leave London and settle in Milton Keynes. So they decided to do something wonderful.

They set up their own, rival, club, housed in Kingston and yesterday, to raise money to pay for their new home, they held a re-enactment of that famous day at Wembley.

Given the animosity that exists between fans of the MK Dons and the AFC Dons, though, it is worth asking which club can actually claim the defeat of Liverpool as their own.

“That’s a good question,” John Scales said. Scales came on as a substitute for Wimbledon in 1988, went on to play for Liverpool, and played for AFC Dons in yesterday’s fundraiser. “I believe in what AFC Wimbledon are doing. But it is a valid point — who owns the intellectual property of the 88 final. The fact is this club is run by the supporters of Wimbledon FC, and I know the passion of those fans and they had ownership of the club, they’ve taken that ownership and adopted it for themselves. They have created a club here that is in the spirit of what Wimbledon FC was about. So my loyalties lie here 100 per cent.”

Lawrie Sanchez scored the only goal in 88, but due to a cruciate ligament injury does not play in charity games. So instead he was honoured out on the pitch before kick off. “He is rock solid behind AFC Wimbledon,” the master of ceremonies said, as Sanchez received a standing ovation. But Sanchez had time for the MK Dons too. “I’m not torn as I know a lot of people at Wimbledon,” he said. A lot of people support one or the other, but I have an affinity for both. I’m impressed by what the fans have done, but I have a fondness for those with the Milton Keynes club.”

For Sanchez, the big wrench came when Wimbledon left Plough Lane. “It might only have been ten miles, but we’d spiritually moved somewhere else,” he said. “It wasn’t quite as big a shock to me as it was to some Wimbledon fans.” And as for who the 88 triumph belonged to, he said: “I didn’t play for AFC Wimbledon at Wembley. These are the fans I played in front of at Wembley, but the actual club with the direct lineage, whether people like it or not, is the one playing at Milton Keynes.”

But Sanchez admires the AFC Wimbledon fans who, rather than moan about Milton Keynes, actually took action. “A lot of fans like to protest, but this is the first group who have gone out and said, ‘We’re going to form our own club,’” he said.

Phil Neal acts as the co-ordinator for former Liverpool players who are asked to play for charity. He led out an instantly recognisable side at Kingsmeadow, including John Aldridge, who missed the penalty in 88. “The political infighting, I’m not going to get involved with,” Neal said. “I grew up at Northampton, a lowly club, so I know what they are trying to do here.”

“There’s been animosity which is sad,” Sanchez said. “But both clubs are separated now and I wish them both the best, and at some stage in the future I can guarantee they will both meet in the Football League.” Now, that would be really weird. And the wonderful part, from this Liverpool fan’s perspective, was that Aldridge scored from the spot this time.