Latest news with #JohnnieJackson
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hornets add Dons friendly to Championship preparations
Watford have added a third pre-season friendly as part of their preparations for the new Championship season. The Hornets will face League One newcomers AFC Wimbledon at Wealdstone's Grosvenor Vale ground on Saturday, July 12, kick-off 3pm. Advertisement AFC Wimbledon celebrate their play-off triumph at Wembley (Image: PA) Having finished fifth in the League Two table, former Vicarage Road loanee Johnnie Jackson's side clinched their return to the third tier by beating Walsall 1-0 in the Play-Off Final at Wembley. The match will take place four days after Paulo Pezzolano's men face Boreham Wood in their first scheduled pre-season friendly at Meadow Park on Tuesday, July 8 (kick-off 7.30pm). Watford are also due to face another League One side, Leyton Orient, at Brisbane Road on Saturday, July 26 (kick-off 3pm). The Hornets have stated 'several' behind closed doors friendlies will also take place at London Colney ahead of the start of the new campaign on the weekend of Saturday, August 9.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Wimbledon defender Johnson signs new contract
AFC Wimbledon centre-back Ryan Johnson has signed a new two-year 28-year-old has made 87 appearances since joining from Stockport County in the summer of was a key figure in the Dons' defence in 2024-25 as they earned promotion to League One, helping his side keep 25 clean sheets."I am absolutely delighted that Johno has committed his future to the club," AFC Wimbledon manager Johnnie Jackson told the club website., external"He is our vice-captain, a leader within the group and has been an integral part of our defensive unit which helped us to success this season."Keeping that unit together will give us the best chance of having further success in the upcoming League One campaign."
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Like nothing I've felt' - Jackson's defining moment
Johnnie Jackson's biggest regret was never stepping out on the Wembley turf as a player. But he has now sealed his place as an AFC Wimbledon legend by leading his team to a play-off victory under the arch. The Wombles beat Walsall in the League Two play-off final after Myles Hippolyte's first-half strike secured a 1-0 victory. Former Charlton defender Jackson called lifting the trophy "the most special moment" of his career. "The privilege of leading the team out here for starters but to get the opportunity to walk up the stairs with them and lift the trophy is like nothing I've ever felt," he told BBC Radio London. Jackson moved to the Cherry Red Records Stadium on the back of the Dons' relegation to League Two in 2022. Progress has been steady - a 10th-placed finish in his second season was a marked improvement on 21st in his first. This season they secured a fifth-placed finish and a play-off spot, before twice beating Notts County 1-0 and defeating the Saddlers by the same scoreline. "A load of hard work, perseverance, support from those above and obviously the fans [has led to this]," the 42-year-old said. "But it's just been a long three-year journey for me because obviously I came to the club on the back of relegation, there was lots to sort out. "Loads behind the scenes and that's probably why I was afforded time in that first season, which wasn't great. "It's never going to be plain sailing through a League Two campaign. But what we have done, when it's mattered, is we've gone and won four games in a row now 1-0 without conceding a goal. "The way that the boys have handled being under such massive pressure over the last month, I just can't credit them enough." Match-winner Hippolyte has had an injury-hit season, playing a total of 28 games. The 30-year-old popped up with the crucial goal two minutes into first-half added time to sink the Saddlers at Wembley and credited his team-mates for their success this campaign. "The feeling's unreal. It's just the stuff of dreams, I used to dream of playing here. I got the opportunity two years ago, unfortunately lost and this time started and got the goal needed to get us promoted," he said. "As soon as it left my foot I knew it was going in the goal. It was a good clean connection and then after that it was just straight to the corner to go and celebrate. "I've been out quite a while with injuries and watching them has given me the platform to come back in and try and create things. "This opportunity is for them, massively. I'm enjoying the rewards for it at the end but the boys have been there for the majority of the season. I'm delighted for them." Club captain Jake Reeves spoke in the week building up to the game of wanting to emulate his former team-mate Barry Fuller in lifting the League Two play-off final trophy at Wembley with the Dons. And at the end he and Jackson both got to walk up the steps and hold aloft the trophy, just as Fuller and former boss Neal Ardley before them in 2016. "It felt good. It was more relief. Relief, elation, everything you could possibly think of," Reeves said. "And just to be able to look out and see how many fans we had today, it means so much to people with the history of this club and what they've been through."
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
AFC Wimbledon seal promotion to League One with play-off final victory over Walsall
Myles Hippolyte scored the match-winning goal as AFC Wimbledon secured promotion to League One with a 1-0 win against Walsall in the League Two play-off final. The Dons went ahead on the stroke of half-time thanks to a thunderous strike from Hippolyte. Johnnie Jackson's side had to ride their luck during a thrilling second half, with Riley Harbottle clearing Jamille Matt's effort off the line. However, Wimbledon held on to write another chapter in the club's remarkable story. Hippolyte drove into the opposition box during the early stages of the match, only for Birmingham loanee Alfie Chang to react well and force the ball behind for a goal kick. Hippolyte turned provider in the 14th minute, dinking a delightful delivery into the path of Dons top scorer Matty Stevens. However, the striker could not react quickly enough to prod the cross past Tommy Simkin. Hippolyte continued his lively start to the match with a shot from the edge of the penalty area, but his attempt drifted wide of the right post. Marcus Browne was the next Dons player to take aim from distance. His strike looked destined to nestle in the bottom-right corner, but Simkin was there to make a crucial save. Stevens put Alistair Smith through on goal in the 38th minute but, to Walsall's relief, the Dons midfielder took too long to get his shot away, allowing Taylor Allen to get back and make a brilliant challenge. Hippolyte was rewarded for a sensational first-half performance in the second minute of added time. The ball fell to him on the edge of the box following a Dons corner, and he blasted it into the back of the net with a left-footed half-volley. Walsall came out of the blocks firing after half-time, and the pressure almost told in the 49th minute when Matt turned Nathan Asiimwe's cross towards goal. However, Harbottle was able to clear the ball off the line and keep his side in the lead. As the heavens opened above Wembley, Allen drove a delivery across the face of goal, but nobody got a touch on it and Wimbledon survived the storm. Levi Amantchi came off the bench in the 63rd minute, and he had an excellent chance to equalise with his second touch of the game after bursting past Joe Lewis. The Dons fans breathed a sigh of relief, though, when the forward directed his shot straight down the throat of League Two golden glove winner Owen Goodman. Josh Neufville then went one-on-one with the keeper, but his shot from a tight angle produced another excellent save from Simkin. David Okagbue sent a wild effort over the crossbar with four minutes remaining after the ball fell to him inside the box. Walsall, who at one point in the season held a 12-point lead at the top of the table, failed to carve out any more clear-cut chances as the Dons held on to secure promotion back to League One.
BBC News
26-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Like nothing I've felt' - Jackson's defining moment
Johnnie Jackson's biggest regret was never stepping out on the Wembley turf as a player. But he has now sealed his place as an AFC Wimbledon legend by leading his team to a play-off victory under the Wombles beat Walsall in the League Two play-off final after Myles Hippolyte's first-half strike secured a 1-0 Charlton defender Jackson called lifting the trophy "the most special moment" of his career."The privilege of leading the team out here for starters but to get the opportunity to walk up the stairs with them and lift the trophy is like nothing I've ever felt," he told BBC Radio moved to the Cherry Red Records Stadium on the back of the Dons' relegation to League Two in has been steady - a 10th-placed finish in his second season was a marked improvement on 21st in his first. This season they secured a fifth-placed finish and a play-off spot, before twice beating Notts County 1-0 and defeating the Saddlers by the same scoreline."A load of hard work, perseverance, support from those above and obviously the fans [has led to this]," the 42-year-old said. "But it's just been a long three-year journey for me because obviously I came to the club on the back of relegation, there was lots to sort out."Loads behind the scenes and that's probably why I was afforded time in that first season, which wasn't great."It's never going to be plain sailing through a League Two campaign. But what we have done, when it's mattered, is we've gone and won four games in a row now 1-0 without conceding a goal."The way that the boys have handled being under such massive pressure over the last month, I just can't credit them enough." 'I knew it was in' Match-winner Hippolyte has had an injury-hit season, playing a total of 28 30-year-old popped up with the crucial goal two minutes into first-half added time to sink the Saddlers at Wembley and credited his team-mates for their success this campaign."The feeling's unreal. It's just the stuff of dreams, I used to dream of playing here. I got the opportunity two years ago, unfortunately lost and this time started and got the goal needed to get us promoted," he said."As soon as it left my foot I knew it was going in the goal. It was a good clean connection and then after that it was just straight to the corner to go and celebrate."I've been out quite a while with injuries and watching them has given me the platform to come back in and try and create things."This opportunity is for them, massively. I'm enjoying the rewards for it at the end but the boys have been there for the majority of the season. I'm delighted for them." Club captain Jake Reeves spoke in the week building up to the game of wanting to emulate his former team-mate Barry Fuller in lifting the League Two play-off final trophy at Wembley with the at the end he and Jackson both got to walk up the steps and hold aloft the trophy, just as Fuller and former boss Neal Ardley before them in 2016."It felt good. It was more relief. Relief, elation, everything you could possibly think of," Reeves said."And just to be able to look out and see how many fans we had today, it means so much to people with the history of this club and what they've been through."
