AFC Wimbledon boss Terry Brown says his team's trip to face Exeter City tomorrow will provide a mark of just how far the South London club have come.

While City fans can bask in the glory of a double promotion in recent seasons, their achievement pales into relative insignificance when compared with Wimbledon.

The Dons finished eighth in their debut season in the Blue Square Premier last term — just eight years after forming on Wimbledon Common thanks to the efforts of fans of the original incarnation of the club. With supporters at the very heart of the 'new' Wimbledon throughout, they have earned four promotions since literally starting off as a park team in 2002. It is a remarkable rise, and one not lost on Brown, who has led them to their last two promotions. And he believes City's success under their own Trust-run model, represents the next step — and one which he hopes Wimbledon can aspire to.

"We're delighted with the progress we've made and we see a fixture against Exeter away in a pre-season friendly as very much part of how far the club's come," admitted Brown.

"We're really proud to be where we are — it's been eight years and it's gone from literally playing on Wimbledon Common to where we are now with our own ground and hoping to get back into the Football League.

"Exeter approached us because we're both trust-owned by the fans and Exeter wanted to play in a similar situation. I think it's worked out really well. Hopefully we'll strike up a nice relationship between the two clubs. As a manager I couldn't ask for a stronger, tougher test to go to Exeter the week before the season starts and we're looking at that as as hard a game as we will ever face all year. The players are excited and I must admit so am I."

Wimbledon have enjoyed a decent pre-season so far as Brown continues to develop his squad before next week's Conference curtain-raiser.

Ahead of tonight's game against Tiverton and tomorrow's against the Grecians, they will have played six pre-season games — winning all-but one of them.

Their sole defeat came against Millwall, while the Dons have netted 17 times in their other five games, beating, among others, League One Charlton. And Brown is hoping the Devon tour may give his side a bit of perspective.

"Our pre-season's maybe been going too well and getting spanked at Exeter might get our feet back on the ground a bit," he joked.

"We have to go to places like Luton and Cambridge but they won't be as hard as going to Exeter. I've been down there five times as a manager (with Aldershot) and I don't even remember getting a draw let alone a win so we'll have to be on our toes.

"That said, I think we've got a good team and we'll definitely give them a game. Danny Kedwell and Jon Main are our men to watch."

Echo Comment — Fans should be so proud after pitching in, see page 24