AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson has admitted he “can’t wait” for the club to be back home when they take on Carlisle United this weekend.
Saturday’s clash at the Cherry Red Records Stadium will be a big occasion for the home club as they play their first home game for more than a month.
It follows the flooding of September 22 which caused damage to the pitch and affected other parts of the ground.
Remedial work on the surface has since been completed, allowing Wimbledon to get Saturday’s game on.
The south London club are expecting a bumper home crowd as they celebrate their recovery from the events of last month, which forced the Dons to miss two home league games and also switch their Carabao Cup home clash with Newcastle United to St James’ Park.
Jackson concedes Mike Williamson’s Carlisle will pose a tough test but he says the prospect of Wimbledon returning home is an inviting one.
“I can’t wait,” he said, speaking in a club interview.
“[The flood] was a freak [event]…and the response from the club was unbelievable.
“It was disappointing we missed out on the opportunity of two home games – the Accy [Accrington Stanley] game, the Crewe game, where we were going into it with real momentum and we felt like they were two good games to attack and hopefully come out with some points that would have really put us right up there.
“To get back there…I can’t wait. It’s a tough test coming up.
“But I can’t wait to be back at Plough Lane in front of our supporters.”
Wimbledon are 13th in the table but have only played seven games - three fewer than most - as a consequence of the flooding.
They made a strong start to the League Two campaign, with four wins, a draw and two defeats.
Their most recent home game also came against Williamson, when the new Blues boss suffered a 3-0 defeat with his former club MK Dons on September 14.
They have won all three of their home league games and also defeated Premier League club Ipswich Town on penalties in the League Cup on home soil.
The Dons, whose latest game was a 4-3 win at Crawley Town in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy on Tuesday, are set to be without injured defender Joe Lewis this weekend, while John-Joe O’Toole and Ryan Johnson are also working their way back from the sidelines.
Carlisle's only previous visit to the Cherry Red Records Stadium was a 0-0 draw in February 2023.
Their two previous away games against AFC Wimbledon came at their previous home of Kingsmeadow - a 3-1 win in January 2015 and a 1-0 defeat in February 2016.
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