The former Wimbledon player and manager opens up on his time in charge of the 'Crazy Gang'
(Image credit: Getty)
Former Wimbledon player and manager Dave Bassett believes the antics of the famous 'Crazy Gang' during the 1980s would be worthy of a Netflix documentary.
Given their now iconic nickname due to their erratic and often outlandish behaviour on and off the pitch, Wimbledon quickly developed a reputation for mayhem and disorder on the way to their one and only FA Cup victory in 1988.
Tasked with managing an array of characters, including notorious hard men Vinnie Jones and John Fashanu, Bassett gained great admiration from the Wimbledon fans during his six-year spell at the helm.
Wimbledon FC lift the FA Cup at Wembley in 1988 (Image credit: Getty Images)
Speaking to FourFourTwo, he explained how he managed to galvanise such a group to become the unlikely success of the 1980s.
"I was always up for a laugh – work hard, play hard," Bassett said.
"With the Crazy Gang, the players were young and I encouraged them – we enjoyed the banter. I used to make the lads do what we called the A3 run through Richmond, up to Wimbledon Village and back.
"I joined them one time and as I came back into the training area, they grabbed me, slung me in a puddle and roared off! I turned a blind eye to a few things."
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Vinnie Jones argues with the referee. (Image credit: Mike Cooper/ALLSPORT)
"I trusted them," he added.
"I’d say, “I’ll treat you like adults, so behave like adults.” If we were rubbish on the Saturday, I wouldn’t bother to discuss it then – I’d say, “See you tomorrow, 10 o’clock sharp” and they knew they’d be in Sunday morning.
Bassett also found success at Sheffield United following his Wimbledon departure, guiding the Blades to back-to-back promotions into the first division between 1989 and 1991.
When asked about which team he looks back on with fonder memories, he said: "Both. What I did at Wimbledon doesn’t receive anywhere near enough credit.
"People reference Watford, Wigan and other teams coming up, but we did it for next to nothing with much smaller attendances and less money. Wimbledon wasn’t popular with the media and mainstream elite.
"Many people in football have since acknowledged that what we achieved was incredible; if we did that these days, we’d get our own Netflix show. I’m still regarded as the club’s greatest-ever manager, even after AFC formed.
"I was also voted Sheffield United’s greatest. What I did again was quite amazing."
James Ridge is a freelance journalist based in the UK. He recently spent time with The United Stand as an online news editor and has covered the beautiful game from England’s eighth tier all the way to the Premier League.
