Johnnie Jackson has waxed lyrical about his squad after AFC Wimbledon secured their League One status for next year with a win over Wigan Athletic.
Antwoine Hackford’s last-minute winner away in Lancashire guaranteed that the Dons will remain in the third tier, with the two-point swing in their favour over Exeter City meaning it is now impossible for the 21st-placed Grecians to overtake them on the final day.
Jackson Raves Over Effort
Despite a few times over the past weeks seeing the Plough Lane side drop down into the bottom four after results elsewhere went against them, Wimbledon have managed to keep themselves above the dotted line heading into their trip against Wigan.
In a match when Gary Caldwell’s side were firmly on top, the visitors managed to keep the scores level, until Hackford managed to find the net from close range delivered the knockout blow with just moments remaining in regular time.
Speaking to the club’s media about the goal and securing safety, Wimbledon manager Johnnie Jackson said:
“Never in doubt, was it? The last few weeks have been tough! No getting away from it. No kidding. But I think it makes it all worthwhile when you get a day like today.
“For me, this feels up there with anything in football that I’ve done that, you know, it feels like it did last year when we won promotion. It’s the same feeling because everyone wrote us off. Everyone wrote us off at the start of the season, (they said) that we’d come up and we wouldn’t be able to stay up.
“And I think, you know, if we hadn’t had certain issues with the lads missing, I think we’d have done it a lot more comfortably than we did. But in the end, it needed a brilliant away performance to get it over the line. And that’s what today was.
“I’m just so proud of the boys, the way they’ve stuck with it, you know, because even when it hasn’t gone great and we haven’t been good, they give absolutely everything.
“It was a great goal. And I could feel us coming into the game during that period. The subs who came on had a real impact. (Zack) Nelson brought some energy. Sas (Aron Sasu) was a handful up front. We know what he can do.
“He’s not had loads of football recently and he’s been frustrated and found it difficult. But you’ve got to be ready. But, yeah, I don’t want to single anyone particular out today because they all deserve all the credit in the world.”
Dons Deliver When It Matters
With multiple losses on the bounce and some signs that the sides below them still have some fight in them to try and escape the relegation zone, it has been a nervous few weeks for AFC Wimbledon.
However, they have got themselves over the line with a crucial win on the road, and Antwoine Hackford’s goal has delivered another 12 months of League One football, as Johnnie Jackson and his side look to emulate the six-year stretch the club previously had.
While they’ll still be outmatched by many clubs in terms of budget heading into next season, there should still be some room for the club to reinvest in the squad and aim to slowly build up the league table.
With bitter rivals Milton Keynes Dons also coming up from League Two, there will be another two standout fixtures for the South London side to get up for and keep their bragging rights.