Dublin Dons? The failed attempt to bring a Premier League club to Ireland

Just how close did an Irish consortium come to buying a Premier League team and moving them to Dublin?

In the early 1990s, Wimbledon chairman Sam Hammam faced challenges in securing a permanent home for his Premier League club. Ground-sharing with Crystal Palace since 1991, the club's landlord-tenant relationship was strained. Club legend Kenny Cunningham recalled the tension between Wimbledon and Palace fans, with the latter often referring to the former as "squatters." Despite the issues, Wimbledon remained a successful side, finishing sixth in the 1993-94 season under former Republic of Ireland international Joe Kinnear.

It was during this time that Ticketmaster Ireland's Tommy Higgins had an idea. He learned that property developer Owen O'Callaghan had obtained planning permission to build a 40,000-seater stadium on the outskirts of Dublin. Higgins believed that a stadium could serve as an anchor tenant for a Premier League club, and vice versa.

Following a meeting with Hammam's brother and a chance encounter with Irish radio host Eamon Dunphy and Irish rock band U2 manager Paul McGuinness, a plan was hatched to bring a Premier League club to Dublin.

In August 1996, the Premier League season commenced with foreign stars such as Gianfranco Zola and Fabrizio Ravanelli making their debuts. However, the spotlight was stolen by the Irish consortium, led by David Beckham, who attempted to purchase 74% of the hypothetical club for £6 million. While the idea was deemed "crazy" by some, Hammam and his colleagues were determined to make it happen.

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