AFC Wimbledon in action (DaveEtheridge-Barnes/Allsport)

Something like that, anyway. You could hear the same word all around the infant club's new home ground. It was the sound of a party going rather flat, and it was all the fault of Chipstead Town.

Some visitors these days have simply no manners. Quite obviously Chipstead's allotted role in the on-going fable of AFC's heroic birth was to lose. Sandhurst Town got the hang of it last Saturday during Wimbledon's debut match in the mighty Combined Counties League Premier Division.

Now it was time for the new Dons' first home game. AFC were playing somebody or other, and it didn't much matter who. This was the host's big night.

Alas, Chipstead Town were not to be trifled with. But then, the glare of the spotlight is by no means new to them. Not only has an advertisement for Tango been filmed at their High Road ground, but shooting for the second series of Footballers' Wives began there this week. Oh yes. They are nothing if not urban sophisticates in Chipstead.

Hence Mike Berry had the audacity to put the visitors ahead on 13 minutes, and then refused to settle for a draw after the half-hour equaliser from Kevin Cooper.

Instead it was Berry again who slotted home the winner five minutes before the final whistle, and Nathan MacDonnell would have embarrassingly made it three had his effort not been ruled out after a foul on AFC goalkeeper Andy Bell.

This wasn't what the delirious capacity crowd of 4,215 had come to see. Indeed, such were the queues that kick-off was delayed by half an hour. So many were turned away at the turnstiles that Wimbledon chairman Kris Stewart was obliged to go outside into Portsmouth Road to apologise.

Moreover all kinds of old friends of the club - the true club, you understand, not the dastardly franchised version - turned up in support.

Fortunately seats were found for former Dons' manager Terry Burton, and old hands Marcus Gayle and Neil Ardley, who brought their mate Jason Euell with them.

'Of course I wanted to be here on the first night,' said Burton. 'It's the creation of something important by a lot of people I've known for many years. It was remarkable coming up the main road to see thousands queueing to get into a Wimbledon match. The atmosphere inside the ground is first class.

'None of us - players, supporters, staff - ever felt Selhurst Park was our home. AFC gives the fans the opportunity to show their support and they're doing just that.'

Gayle knew exactly what Burton meant. 'I had to be here, too,' he agreed. 'This is the real local team, after all. I want to support them. I'll look out for them. Wimbledon is in my heart. The crowd are amazing. They are the spirit of the real Dons. The old Crazy Gang spirit is here. I can hear it.'

	The full AFC Wimbledon squad (PhilCole/Allsport)

We could all hear it. No doubt the fans' singing was audible as far away as - to choose a town at complete random - Milton Keynes. Unfortunately, no doubt, the Northamptonshire folk could also catch Eames' post-match dressing room analysis, such was the volume with which he delivered it.

Indeed, he was so keen to go over their feeble second half performance that he was unable to tear himself away to address the waiting media. Nor would he permit his erring players to speak. Others stepped into the breach.

'Clearly the Combined Counties League is not going to be a piece of cake,' sighed Kris Stewart, still smiling. 'We're not going to walk all over everyone. But the crowd was fantastic, although it was sad we had to shut people out when they had made the effort to come.

'It was just a shame we couldn't give the fans three points. Or any points, actually. But I can't see this support fizzling out. All right, we're not going to get this many every week. People on the fringes might drift away if times get bad. But we need this club. We love this club. That's not something that disappears.

'It was only a little over two years ago that these people were watching Premiership football, seeing Manchester United and Arsenal. Now they've come down to a CCL game and had a great time.

'Two years ago they would have thought that was impossible, that it was park football watched by one man and his dog. Maybe the people at Selhurst Park can learn something from this. But I never got the impression they were interested in learning.'

So onward to the weekend, and the next paragraph in AFC's unfolding history. Interestingly, Saturday will bring the first clash of home matches for the Wimbledons ancient and modern. The old guard face Brighton, while AFC play host to Cove. A case of Brighton and Cove, you might say.