Kris Stewart, founding chairman of AFC Wimbledon is supporting our Drop the Dons campaign.

He said: “What happened happened and there is no pretending otherwise or anything that will wipe that out.

“Yes, time moves on and people try to get on with their lives, but when football commentators and journalists refer to them as the Dons it is a horrible reminder of that hurt that was done to us.

“If Milton Keynes drop the Dons from their name, it would take away that constant reminder of the past.

"It wouldn’t wipe out what happened but it would get rid of that last vestige of them trying to hang on to someone else’s football club.”

AFC Wimbledon president and former Wimbledon FC player Dickie Guy – who made more than 400 appearances for the club between 1967 and 1978 – said the Buckinghamshire team’s use of the title was an “embarrassment”.

He said: “It’s ludicrous they have got Dons at the end of their name. They stole our club but they can’t steal our name.

“I really can’t see why they would want to keep it.”

Mr Guy played in goal for Wimbledon for more than a decade after signing from Tooting and Mitcham FC, saving a penalty taken by Leeds United’s Peter Lorimer in a famous FA Cup draw.

He was made president of AFC Wimbledon in 2004. He said if Milton Keynes was awarded city status later this year, the town’s team would have a great opportunity to drop the Dons from their name.