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Milton Keynes Dons F.C.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the association football club from Milton Keynes, formed under this name in 2004. For its origins, see Wimbledon F.C. and Relocation of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes. For the women's team, see Milton Keynes Dons F.C. Women.

Milton Keynes Dons
MK Dons badge
Full nameMilton Keynes Dons Football Club
Nickname(s)The Dons
Short nameMK Dons
Founded2004[n 1]
GroundStadium MK
Capacity30,500
ChairmanPete Winkelman
Head coachLiam Manning
LeagueEFL League One
2020–21EFL League One, 13th of 24
WebsiteClub website
Away colours
Third colours
Current season

Milton Keynes Dons Football Club (/ˌmɪltən ˈkiːnz ˈdɒnz/), usually abbreviated to MK Dons, is a professional association football club based in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. The team competes in EFL League One, the third tier of the English football league system, after gaining promotion at the end of the 2018–19 season. The club was founded in 2004, following Wimbledon F.C.'s controversial relocation to Milton Keynes from south London, when it adopted its present name, badge and home colours.[n 2]

Initially based at the National Hockey Stadium, the club competed as Milton Keynes Dons from the start of the 2004–05 season. After two seasons in League One, they were relegated to League Two in 2006. The club moved to their current ground, Stadium MK, for the 2007–08 season, in which they won the League Two title and the Football League Trophy under the management of Paul Ince. After seven further seasons in League One, the club won promotion to the Championship in 2015 under the management of Karl Robinson; however, they were relegated back to League One after one season.

Milton Keynes Dons have built a reputation for youth development,[4] run 16 disability teams and their football trust engages around 60,000 people; between 2012 and 2013 the club produced 11 young players who have been called into age group national teams and between 2004 and 2014. The club also gave first-team debuts to 14 local academy graduates, including the England international midfielder Dele Alli.[5][6]

The club also run a women's association football side, Milton Keynes Dons Women.

Origins

Main article: Relocation of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes
Further information: Wimbledon F.C.
Milton Keynes Dons F.C. is located in England
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Plough Lane
Plough Lane
Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park
Locations of Plough Lane, Selhurst Park and Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes, about 45 miles (72 km) north-west of London in Buckinghamshire, was established as a new town in 1967.[7] In the absence of a professional football club representing the town—none of the local non-league teams progressed significantly through the English football league system or "pyramid" over the following decades—it was occasionally suggested that a Football League club might relocate there. There was no precedent in English league football for such a move between conurbations and the football authorities and most fans expressed strong opposition to the idea.[8] Charlton Athletic briefly mooted moving to "a progressive Midlands borough" during a planning dispute with their local council in 1973,[9] and the relocation of nearby Luton Town to Milton Keynes was repeatedly suggested from the 1980s onwards.[10] Another team linked with the new town was Wimbledon Football Club.[11]

Wimbledon, established in south London in 1889 and nicknamed "the Dons", were elected to the Football League in 1977. They thereafter went through a "fairytale" rise from obscurity and by the end of the 1980s were established in the top division of English football.[12] Despite Wimbledon's new prominence, the club's modest home stadium at Plough Lane remained largely unchanged from its non-league days.[12] The club's then-owner Ron Noades identified this as a problem as early as 1979, extending his dissatisfaction to the ground's very location. Interested in the stadium site designated by the Milton Keynes Development Corporation, Noades briefly planned to move Wimbledon there by merging with a non-league club in Milton Keynes, and bought debt-ridden Milton Keynes City. However, Noades then decided that the club would not gain sufficient support in Milton Keynes and abandoned the idea.[11]

In 1991, after the Taylor Report was published recommending the redevelopment of English football grounds, Wimbledon left Plough Lane to groundshare at Crystal Palace's ground, Selhurst Park, about 6 miles (9.7 km) away. Sam Hammam, who then owned Wimbledon, said the club could not afford to redevelop Plough Lane and that the groundshare was a temporary arrangement while a new ground was sourced in south-west London. A new stadium for Wimbledon proved difficult to achieve.[12] Frustrated by what he perceived as a lack of support from Merton Council, Hammam began to look further afield and by 1996 was pursuing a move to Dublin, an idea that most Wimbledon fans strongly opposed.[13] Hammam sold the club to two Norwegian businessmen, Kjell Inge Røkke and Bjørn Rune Gjelsten, in 1997,[14] and a year later sold Plough Lane to Safeway supermarkets.[15] Wimbledon were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 1999–2000 season.[16]

A man in a dark suit with wispy brown hair and a wide smile looks into the camera.
Pete Winkelman, in 2011

Starting in 1997,[17] a consortium led by music promoter Pete Winkelman and supported by Asda (a Walmart subsidiary) and IKEA proposed a large retail development in Milton Keynes including a Football League-standard stadium.[18][19] The consortium originally proposed that the stadium be located at the National Bowl but later altered their proposal to change the site of the proposed stadium to Denbigh North, the same site as the mooted retail development.[20]

The consortium proposed that an established league club move to use this site;[18][19] it approached Luton, Wimbledon, Crystal Palace, Barnet and Queens Park Rangers.[21] In 2001 Røkke and Gjelsten appointed a new chairman, Charles Koppel, who was in favour of this idea, saying it was necessary to stop the club going out of business.[22] To the fury of most Wimbledon fans,[23] Koppel announced on 2 August 2001 that the club intended to relocate to Milton Keynes. After the Football League refused permission, Wimbledon launched an appeal, leading to a Football Association arbitration hearing and subsequently the appointment of a three-man independent commission to make a final and binding verdict. The league and FA stated opposition but the commissioners ruled in favour, two to one, on 28 May 2002.[24]

Having campaigned against the move,[23] a group of disaffected Wimbledon fans reacted to this in June 2002 by forming their own non-league club, AFC Wimbledon, to which most of the original team's support defected.[25] AFC Wimbledon entered a groundshare agreement with Kingstonian in the borough of Kingston upon Thames, adjacent to Merton.[25] The original Wimbledon intended to move to Milton Keynes immediately but were unable to do so until a temporary home in the town meeting Football League criteria could be found.[26] The club remained at Selhurst Park in the meantime and in June 2003 went into administration.[27] With the move threatened and the club facing liquidation,[28] Winkelman decided to buy it himself.[19] He secured funding for the administrators to keep the team operating with the goal of getting it to Milton Keynes as soon as possible.[29] The club arranged the temporary use of the National Hockey Stadium in Milton Keynes and played its first match there in September 2003.[30] Nine months later Winkelman's Inter MK Group bought the club out of administration and announced changes to its name, badge and colours—the team was renamed Milton Keynes Dons Football Club.[31]

History

See also: List of Milton Keynes Dons F.C. seasons

2004–2006: Struggles and relegation

Milton Keynes Dons (white) take on Blackpool (tangerine) at the former England National Hockey Stadium during the 2004–05 season

The first season for the club as Milton Keynes Dons was 2004–05, in Football League One, under Stuart Murdoch, who had managed Wimbledon F.C. since 2002. The team's first game was on 7 August 2004, a 1–1 home draw against Barnsley, with Izale McLeod equalising with their first competitive goal.[32] Murdoch was sacked in November[33] and replaced by Danny Wilson, who kept Milton Keynes Dons in the division on the final day of the season — but only because of Wrexham's 10-point deduction for going into administration. The following season, Milton Keynes Dons struggled all year, and were relegated to League Two; Wilson, as a result, was sacked.[34]

2006–2010: Promotion and first silverware

Wilson's successor for 2006–07 was Martin Allen, who had just taken Brentford to the brink of a place in the Football League Championship. Milton Keynes Dons were in contention for automatic promotion right up to the last game of the season, but eventually finished fourth and had to settle for a play-off place. They then suffered a defeat to Shrewsbury Town in the play-off semi-finals. During the 2007 summer break, Allen left to take over at Leicester City.

For the 2007–08 season, former England captain Paul Ince took over as manager. Milton Keynes Dons reached the final of the Football League Trophy, while topping the table for most of the season. The final was played on 30 March 2008 against Grimsby Town — Milton Keynes Dons won 2–0 at Wembley to bring the first professional trophy to Milton Keynes. The club capped the trophy win with the League Two championship, and the subsequent promotion to League One. Following his successes, Ince left at the end of the season to manage Blackburn Rovers.

Ince's replacement was former Chelsea player Roberto Di Matteo, taking his first role as a manager. In the 2008–09 season, they missed out on an automatic promotion spot by two points, finishing third behind Peterborough United and Leicester City. They were knocked out of the play-offs by Scunthorpe United, who defeated MK Dons by penalty shootout at Stadium MK. Di Matteo left at the season's end for West Bromwich Albion.[35] A year after leaving, Ince returned as manager for the 2009–10 season.[36] He resigned from the club on 16 April 2010, but remained manager until the end of the season.[37]

2010–2016: Karl Robinson era

On 10 May 2010, Karl Robinson was appointed as the club's new manager, with former England coach John Gorman as his assistant. At 29 years of age, Robinson was at the time of his appointment the youngest manager in the Football League.[38] In his first season in the club Milton Keynes Dons finished fifth in 2010–11 League One. They faced Peterborough United in the play-off semifinals. Although they won the first leg 2–1, a 2–0 defeat at London Road meant they missed out on the play-off final, losing the Semi-Final 3–2 on aggregate goals.

The 2011–12 season brought similar results to the previous season with the Dons finishing fifth in 2011–12 League One facing Huddersfield in the play-offs. Losing the first leg 2–0 followed by winning 2–1 at The Galpharm saw Milton Keynes Dons lose 3–2 on aggregate against the eventual play-off winners. The away leg was John Gorman's last match in football after announcing his retirement a few weeks beforehand. Gorman's replacement was announced on 18 May 2012 as being ex-Luton manager Mick Harford along with new part-time coach Ian Wright.

Chart showing the progress of MK Dons' league finishes since the 2004–05 season

Milton Keynes Dons experienced their best ever FA Cup campaign in the 2012–13 season by beating a spirited Cambridge City (0–0 and 6–1), League Two fierce rivals AFC Wimbledon (2–1), Championship Sheffield Wednesday (0–0 and 2–0) and Premier League Queens Park Rangers (4–2) to reach the fifth round of the competition for the first time ever in their history. Their record-breaking run ended in the fifth round at Stadium MK on 16 February 2013, losing 3–1 to Championship side Barnsley. After being in the top five for most of the season, the club finished the 2013–14 League One season in tenth place.

The 2014–15 season began well. The highlight event of the season's first month was being drawn against Manchester United in the League Cup second round, having dispatched AFC Wimbledon in the first. The Dons recorded a shock 4–0 victory over Manchester United in front of a sell out crowd at Stadium MK.[39] A few weeks later, the Dons recorded their record win, a 6–0 thrashing of Colchester United at home.[40] That record did not last long as it was broken once again with a 7–0 demolition of Oldham Athletic on 20 December 2014.[41] Just over a month later, on 31 January 2015, the Dons recorded a joint record 5–0 away win against Crewe Alexandra, earning a short-lived top spot.[42] On 3 May the club secured promotion to the Football League Championship for the first time, beating Yeovil Town 5–1 and leapfrogging Preston North End (who lost 1–0 at Colchester United) on the final day of the season.[43]

The Dons started life in the Championship by beating Rotherham United away 4–1 on the opening day of the season and gaining seven points from a possible 12 in their first four games. They were not able to sustain this form throughout the season – the Dons did not win any of their final 11 games and they returned to League One after finishing 23rd in the Championship.[44]

On 23 October 2016, Karl Robinson left the club by mutual consent, following a 3–0 home to defeat to Southend United the previous day, which had extended the Dons' winless run to four games and left them 19th in the League One table.[45]

2016–2018: Slow decline

Robbie Neilson joined MK Dons as manager from Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian in his native Scotland,[46] with his first official game in charge coincidentally an FA Cup tie against Karl Robinson's new club Charlton Athletic.[47] Neilson's reign started off well, with his second game in charge a win over AFC Wimbledon,[48] and in late January 2017 a local derby win against Northampton Town.[49]

The following season started badly, however on 30 December 2017 the team was noted[50] for a remarkable 1–0 derby win against Peterborough, playing with 9-men for 68 minutes after controversial refereeing decisions[51][52] and 13 minutes of added time.[53] Neilson left by mutual consent on 20 January 2018 after a run of one win in eleven league games with the club 21st in the table;[54] he was sacked the same day as his last game, a disappointing away 2–1 derby defeat against relegation rivals Northampton Town.[55]

Under Neilson's successor Dan Micciche, the club continued to struggle in the relegation places. Following a run of poor results with only three wins in sixteen matches in charge, Micciche left the club on 22 April 2018, with assistant manager Keith Millen taking over as a caretaker.[56] On the penultimate weekend of the season another defeat mathematically relegated them to League Two (leaving them seven points from safety with one game to play).[57]

2018–present: Bounce-back and search for stability

Former Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale was appointed in June 2018 after 12 years at his previous club.[58] After a season where the Dons were tipped to be favourites for promotion, the club spent most of the season around the automatic promotion and play-off places. Going top after a 2–0 win over Macclesfield Town in November,[59] the club sunk to 8th in February[60] before being one win way away from automatic promotion against play-off hopefuls Colchester United in the penultimate game. The Dons lost 2–0[61] which led to a "winner takes all" game against 3rd placed Mansfield Town, who were separated by goal difference, to determine who was promoted.[62] MK Dons won 1–0 in front of nearly 21,000 fans meaning they returned to League One at the first attempt.[63]

Following a poor start to the 2019–20 season in which the Dons achieved only one point from a possible 27, the worst run of results in the club's history, Tisdale's contract with the club was mutually terminated on 2 November 2019 following a 1–3 home defeat to fellow relegation-threatened Tranmere Rovers.[64] The next day, Russell Martin was announced as the new permanent first-team manager; he had joined as a player earlier in the year.[65] Fixtures were suspended on 13 March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[66] and the clubs later voted to end the season prematurely with immediate effect on 9 June 2020, with the final table decided upon by an unweighted points-per-game system resulting in the club finishing the season in 19th place,[67] thus avoiding relegation.

Kit history

Only seasons played by Milton Keynes Dons under that name are given here. For a kit history of Wimbledon F.C., see Wimbledon F.C.#Kit history.
Season Kit Manufacturer Sponsor
2004–2005 A-line Marshall Amplification
2005–2006
2006–2007 Surridge Sports
2007–2008 Nike
2008–2009
2009–2010 DoubleTree by Hilton
2010–2011 ISC
2011–2012
2012–2013 Vandanel Case Security
2013–2014 Sondico
2014–2015 Suzuki GB[68]
2015–2016 Erreà
2016–2017
2017–2018
2018–2019
2019–2020
2020–2021
2021–2022

Source: Historical Football Kits

Stadium

Stadium MK's East Stand in 2007
Main articles: National Hockey Stadium (Milton Keynes) and Stadium MK

The club's first stadium was the National Hockey Stadium, which was temporarily converted for football for the duration of the club's stay. Their lease on the venue ended in May 2007.

On 18 July 2007, the club's new 30,500 capacity stadium, Stadium MK in Denbigh hosted its first game, a restricted-entrance event against a young Chelsea XI.[69] The stadium was officially opened on 29 November 2007 by Queen Elizabeth II.[70] The stadium features an open concourse at the top of the lower tier, an integrated hotel with rooms looking over the pitch and conference facilities. The complex was to include a 3,000 capacity indoor arena, where the MK Lions basketball team would be based, but completion of this arena was delayed due to deferral of proposed commercial developments around the site.[71]

In May 2009, the stadium was named as one of 15 stadia put forward as potential hosts for the England 2018 FIFA World Cup bid, which would include increasing capacity to 44,000.[72] England's bid was unsuccessful, but Stadium MK went on to be one of stadia for the Rugby World Cup 2015.[73][74]

Supporters

Notable supporters

The Dons' most famous non-football related supporter was local resident Jim Marshall, the founder of Marshall Amplification,[75] who were one of the earliest shirt-sponsors.[76] Racing driver Dan Wheldon was also reported to be a fan;[77] after his death, a minute's silence was held in his memory before the next game's kickoff, against Scunthorpe.[78] Former cricketer and talkSport radio presenter Darren Gough,[77] despite being a Barnsley F.C. fan, attends Dons games from time to time as he lives nearby, and also frequently speaks of the Dons when presenting on the radio.

Other notable fans who are either Dons fans or regularly attend games are: Gabi Downs, Paralympic fencer; Andrew Baggaley, table tennis Commonwealth Games double gold medallist; Gail Emms, badminton world champion; James Hildreth and James Foster both England cricketers; Mark Lancaster, local member of parliament and government minister in 2012; Craig Pickering, 100m sprinter – bronze medal at the World Championship in 2007; Craig Gibbons, London 2012 Olympic 100 metre swimmer; Mikey Burrows, Sky Sports Radio presenter; and the late musician and radio broadcaster George Webley.[77]

Initial supporters' club recognition

On 4 June 2005, at the 2005 Football Supporters' Federation "Fans' Parliament" (AGM), the FSF refused the Milton Keynes Dons Supporters Association membership of the FSF in a debate that, among other arguments, questioned why the Football League had yet to introduce any new rules to prevent the "franchising" of other football clubs in the future.[79][80] In addition, the FSF membership agreed with the Wimbledon Independent Supporters' Association that the Milton Keynes Dons Supporters Association should not be entitled to join the FSF until they give up all claim to the history and honours of Wimbledon FC. With this in mind, the FSF began discussions aimed at returning Wimbledon FC's honours to the London Borough of Merton.

Shortly afterwards, following heavy criticism for allowing the move, the Football League announced new tighter rules on club relocation.[81] At its AGM on 5 June 2006, the FSF again considered a motion[82] proposed by the FSF Council to allow Milton Keynes Dons Supporters Association membership if the honours and trophies of Wimbledon FC were given to the London Borough of Merton. In October 2006, agreement[83] was reached between the club, the Milton Keynes Dons Supporters Association, the Wimbledon Independent Supporters' Association and the Football Supporters Federation. The FA Cup trophy plus all club patrimony gathered under the name of Wimbledon F.C. would be returned to the London Borough of Merton. Ownership of trademarks and website domain names related to Wimbledon F.C. would also be transferred to the borough. As part of the same agreement it was agreed that any reference made to Milton Keynes Dons FC should refer only to events subsequent to 7 August 2004 (the date of the first League game of Milton Keynes Dons FC).

As a result of this deal, the FSF announced that the supporters of Milton Keynes Dons FC would be permitted to become members of the federation, and that it would no longer appeal to the supporters of other clubs to boycott Milton Keynes Dons' matches.[84] On 2 August 2007, Milton Keynes Dons transferred ownership of all Wimbledon Football Club trophies and memorabilia to the London Borough of Merton.[85]

Rivalries

Peterborough United

MK Dons have a rivalry with Peterborough United,[86][87] since the two clubs have vied head-to-head for promotion to the Championship.[88][89] There also exists between MK Lightning and Peterborough Phantoms in ice hockey a rivalry that pre-dates the one in football.[90]

Head to head

Opponent Matches Won Drawn Lost Win %
Peterborough United 25 11 3 12 44.0
Previous games
hide
Most recent
30 December 2017 League One Milton Keynes Dons 1–0 Peterborough United Milton Keynes
15:00 BST Walsh Red card 9'
Gilbey Yellow card 25'
Aneke Goal 27'
Sow Red card 35'
Golbourne Yellow card 43'
GB Williams Yellow card 90+5'		 Report; Report Tafazolli Yellow card 51' Stadium: Stadium mk
Attendance: 10,304
Referee: Charles Breakspear
24 September 2018 EFL Trophy Milton Keynes Dons 3–3
(6–5 p)		 Peterborough United Milton Keynes
15:00 BST Aneke Goal 6' (45+1)
Kasumu Yellow card 29'
Healey Goal 33'Yellow card 29'
Jackson Yellow card 74'		 Report Cooper Goal 56'
Woodyard Yellow card 58'
Walker Goal 87'
Godden Goal 90+3'		 Stadium: Stadium mk
Attendance: 2404
Referee: Charles Breakspear
Penalties
Cissé Penalty scored
Watson Penalty scored
Brittain Penalty scored
Healey Penalty scored
Cargill Penalty scored
Nombe Penalty scored		 Toney Penalty scored
Maddison Penalty scored
Godden Penalty scored
Cooper Penalty scored
Walker Penalty scored
Woodyard Penalty missed
24 August 2019 League One Milton Keynes Dons 0–4 Peterborough United Milton Keynes
15:00 BST Boateng Yellow card 62'
Harley Yellow card 90+3'		 Report Maddison Goal 21'
Toney Goal 28'
Eisa Goal 40' (72)		 Stadium: Stadium mk
Attendance: 9,402
Referee: Andy Davies
15 December 2020 League One Milton Keynes Dons 1–1 Peterborough United Milton Keynes
15:00 BST[dubious – discuss] Sorinola Yellow card 32'
Lewington Yellow card 53'
Kasumu Yellow card 55'
Jerome Goal 78'
Harvie Yellow card 81'		 Report Clarke-Harris Goal 25'
Pym Yellow card 45+1'
Burrows Yellow card 68'		 Stadium: Stadium mk
Attendance: n/a
Referee: Robert Lewis
16 January 2021 League One Peterborough United v Milton Keynes Dons Peterborough
15:00 BST[dubious – discuss] Stadium: London Road Stadium

[91]

Northampton Town

Northampton is geographically the closest urban area to Milton Keynes with a professional football team, Northampton Town, the two places separated by a little over 20 miles (32 km).[92] MK Dons supporters' association chairman John Brockwell has stated that the fans were looking forward to hosting Northampton, the club that, geographically at least, are their nearest rivals.[93] Although Peterborough have been traditionally Northampton's main rivals, the "Cobblers" spokesman has stated, in 2008, that, "with MK Dons now on the fixture list, it gives [Northampton] supporters the chance to develop another rivalry."[93]

In January 2016 police arrested a Dons fan for setting off pyrotechnics in the away end, furthermore two Northampton fans and three more Dons fans were ejected from the ground.[94] In 2018, before the 30 January 3pm kick-off in the League One game between the two clubs, Northamptonshire Police arrested seven travelling supporters of the Dons, with one Northampton fan also arrested.[95][96] Four arrests were for public order offences, one for criminal damage, one for pitch encroachment, one for obstructing the police, and one for affray.[95]

Head to head

Opponent Matches Won Drawn Lost Win %
Northampton Town 14 8 3 3 57.1
Previous games
hide
Most recent
29 December 2018 League Two Northampton Town 2–2 Milton Keynes Dons Northampton
15:00 GMT (Daylight Saving) Crooks Yellow card 26'
van Veen Yellow card 71'
Pierre Yellow card 72'
A. Williams Goal 78'
Morias Goal 90+1'		 Report Gilbey Goal 20'
McGrandles Yellow card 55'
Aneke Goal 69'
Lewington Yellow card 72'
G. Williams Yellow card 85'		 Stadium: Sixfields Stadium
Attendance: 6,963
Referee: Graham Scott
8 September 2020 (2020-09-08) EFL Trophy Milton Keynes Dons 3–1 Northampton Town Stadium MK
19:00 BST Poole Goal 34'
Nombe Goal 74'
Sorinola Goal 77'		 Report Mills Goal 13' Attendance: n/a
Referee:
3 November 2020 League One Northampton Town 0–0 Milton Keynes Dons Northampton
15:00 GMT (Daylight Saving) Sowerby Yellow card 7' Report Kasumu Yellow card 22'
Jerome Yellow card 65'		 Stadium: Sixfields Stadium
Attendance: n/a
Referee: Thomas Bramall
12 January 2021 EFL Trophy Northampton Town v Milton Keynes Dons Northampton
19:45 BST Stadium: Sixfields Stadium
Attendance: n/a
6 February 2021 League One Milton Keynes Dons v Northampton Town Milton Keynes
15:00 GMT Stadium: stadium:mk
Attendance: n/a

[97]

AFC Wimbledon

Due to their shared ancestry in Wimbledon F.C., there is an unavoidably acrimonious rivalry with AFC Wimbledon[98] since the relocation of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes;[99] AFC Wimbledon was the club created in 2002 by disaffected supporters of Wimbledon F.C.. Dons chairman Pete Winkelman initially stated that MK Dons were the rightful inheritors, writing in November 2004 that "MK Dons and AFC Wimbledon share the same heritage, but we're the real child of Wimbledon"[100]

The first fixture between MK Dons and AFC Wimbledon took place in the second round of the 2012–13 FA Cup, where they were drawn to play each other at Stadium MK. Milton Keynes Dons won the match, held on 2 December 2012, by two goals to one, with a winner scored in injury time, scored by Jon Otsemobor and dubbed by MK Dons fans as "The Heel of God" (a reference to Maradona's "Hand of God").[101] Kyle McFadzean's opening goal for MK Dons in the second match between the two clubs, a 3–1 MK win in the first round of the League Cup in August 2014,[102] was also scored with his heel, and was consequently labelled "Heel of God II".[103] Two months later, in the Football League Trophy Southern section second round, AFC Wimbledon defeated MK Dons 3–2 with a winning goal by Adebayo Akinfenwa.[104]

On 10 December 2016, the sides met for the first time in a competitive league fixture following MK Dons' relegation from the Championship and AFC Wimbledon's promotion from League Two the previous season. Milton Keynes Dons won 1–0, with Dean Bowditch scoring the only goal of the game with a 63rd-minute penalty.[105] The first visit of MK Dons to AFC Wimbledon's home ground for a League One match on 14 March 2017 resulted in a 2–0 victory for AFC Wimbledon.

In 2017, AFC Wimbledon, in the club's programme for their home game against the Dons, held on 22 September, failed to recognise their opponents by their full name for the second successive season. AFC's official Twitter feed also referred to their opponents as "Milton Keynes" throughout their match coverage. AFC Wimbledon were subsequently threatened by the EFL with disciplinary action,[99] and eventually charged for breaching EFL regulations.[106] The charges were dropped.[107] AFC were forced to refer to the MK Dons by their full name ahead of the 2018–19 season after the EFL stepped in to mediate.[108]

Head to head

Opponent Matches Won Drawn Lost Win %
AFC Wimbledon 11 7 2 2 63.6
Previous games
hide
Most recent
13 January 2018 (2018-01-13) League One Milton Keynes Dons 0–0 AFC Wimbledon Milton Keynes
15:00 GMT (UTC) Report Stadium: Stadium mk
Attendance: 9,504 (c.705 AFC fans)
Referee: Paul Tierney
13 August 2019 (2019-08-13) EFL Cup First Round AFC Wimbledon 2–2
(2–4 p)		 Milton Keynes Dons Kingston upon Thames
19:45 BST (UTC+1)
Report
Stadium: Kingsmeadow
Attendance: 2,191
Referee: Craig Hicks
Penalties
7 September 2019 League One Milton Keynes Dons 2–1 AFC Wimbledon Milton Keynes
12:00 BST (UTC+1)
Report
  • Forss Goal 83'
 Stadium: Stadium mk
Attendance: 8,627
Referee: Ben Toner
Saturday 31 October 2020 League One Milton Keynes Dons 1–1 AFC Wimbledon Milton Keynes
12:00 BST (UTC+1)
Report
Stadium: Stadium mk
Attendance: n/a
Referee: Chris Sarginson
Saturday 30 January League One AFC Wimbledon 0-2 Milton Keynes Dons Tooting
15:00 GMT (UTC) Stadium: New Plough Lane
Attendance: n/a

Wycombe Wanderers

Wycombe Wanderers are the only other professional team in Buckinghamshire, therefore games between the two teams are labelled "the Bucks derby."[109][110]

Head to head

Opponent Matches Won Drawn Lost Win %
Wycombe Wanderers 9 4 3 2 44.4%
Previous games
hide
Most recent
17 April 2010 League One Milton Keynes Dons 2–3 Wycombe Wanderers Milton Keynes
Wilbraham Goal 45', Goal 75'
Chadwick Yellow card 80'		 Report Revell Goal 29', Goal 64'
Betsy Goal 90'		 Stadium: stadium MK
Attendance: 10,561
Referee: Scott Mathieson
26 November 2011 League One Milton Keynes Dons 4–3 Wycombe Wanderers Milton Keynes
Bowditch Goal 14', Goal 55'
Ibehre Goal 66'
Kouo-Doumbé Goal 71'		 Report Beavon Goal 51', Goal 90'
Trotta Goal 52'		 Stadium: stadium MK
Attendance: 9,701
Referee: Carl Boyeson
24 March 2012 League One Wycombe Wanderers 1–1 Milton Keynes Dons High Wycombe
Basey Yellow card 17'
Lewis Yellow card 71'
Beavon Goal 90+2'		 Report Smith Yellow card 32'
Powell Goal 46'		 Stadium: Adams Park
Attendance: 5,572
Referee: Jock Waugh
17 August 2019 League One Wycombe Wanderers 3–2 Milton Keynes Dons High Wycombe
Jacobson Goal 12'
Onyedinma Goal 37'
Smyth Yellow card 60'
Phillips Yellow card 68'
Wheeler Yellow card 88' Goal 90'		 Report Bowery Goal 32'
McGrandles Penalty missed 45+5'
Houghton Goal 51' (pen)		 Stadium: Adams Park
Attendance: 5,243
Referee: Trevor Kettle
League One Milton Keynes Dons v Wycombe Wanderers Milton Keynes
Stadium: stadium MK

[111]

Community

Through the work of Milton Keynes Dons SET (Sport and Educational Trust), the club works locally (Milton Keynes and the neighbouring towns) in the fields of education, social inclusion, participation and football development.[112] It works with schools, has 14 disability teams playing in regional or national competitions, works with BME (black and minority ethnic) community groups and runs many activities for women and girls. MK Dons also supports the "Football v Homophobia" initiative (one of only 25 premiership and football league clubs supporting the programme in 2012 and only 30 in 2013).[113]

Milton Keynes Dons' work in the community was recognised by the award of Football League Awards Community Club of the Year for London and the South East for 2012, and in the award of an honorary doctorate to chairman Pete Winkelman by the Open University in June 2013.[114]

Youth academy

Milton Keynes Dons sold Dele Alli to Tottenham Hotspur for £5 million in 2015

Striker Sam Baldock was the first notable academy graduate who, after making 102 appearances, moved on to West Ham for a seven-figure sum. Since then he became captain of Bristol City and now plays for Reading. As of February 2015, Daniel Powell, Tom Flanagan and George Baldock, brother of Sam, all played regularly for the MK Dons first team.

On 2 February 2015, Milton Keynes Dons academy graduate and first team midfielder Dele Alli was sold to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur for a fee in the region of £5 million.[115] Alli became the first Milton Keynes Dons academy graduate to make a full England senior team debut, on 9 October 2015.[116]

Kevin Danso is a graduate of the academy[117] who went on to play for Austria and became the youngest player to make a league appearance in FC Augsburg's history, when making his Bundesliga debut.[118][119]

Other notable youth graduates who have gone on to play at a higher level include George Williams, Brendan Galloway, Scotland international Liam Kelly and England youth team international Sheyi Ojo.

On 9 August 2016 in a first round EFL Cup match against Newport County, manager Karl Robinson selected a first-team squad composed of 13 academy graduates and players, giving eight of those players their full debuts for the club including Brandon Thomas-Asante. The game ended with a 2–3 away win for the club.[120]

Players

First-team squad

As of 17 August 2021.[121]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK England ENG Andrew Fisher
2 DF England ENG Tennai Watson
3 DF England ENG Dean Lewington (captain)
4 DF Scotland SCO Zak Jules
5 DF Republic of Ireland IRL Warren O’Hora
6 DF England ENG Harry Darling
7 MF England ENG Matt O'Riley
8 MF Nigeria NGA David Kasumu
9 MF England ENG Scott Twine
10 FW Sudan SDN Mo Eisa
11 FW England ENG Charlie Brown
14 FW England ENG Josh Martin (on loan from Norwich City)
No. Pos. Nation Player
15 DF England ENG Aden Baldwin
16 MF England ENG Josh McEachran
17 MF England ENG Ethan Robson (on loan from Blackpool)
18 MF England ENG Hiram Boateng
20 FW Republic of Ireland IRL Troy Parrott (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)
21 DF Scotland SCO Daniel Harvie
22 MF England ENG John Freeman
23 GK Argentina ARG Franco Ravizzoli
24 FW England ENG Jay Bird
25 FW England ENG Brooklyn Ilunga
27 FW England ENG Lewis Johnson
36 FW England ENG Max Watters (on loan from Cardiff City)

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
12 GK England ENG Laurie Walker (on loan to Oldham Athletic)
26 DF England ENG Jack Davies (on loan to Oxford City)

Notable players

For a list of all Milton Keynes Dons players, past or present, see Category:Milton Keynes Dons F.C. players.
Dean Lewington, the present captain of MK Dons, has played more matches for the team than any other player. Pictured in 2011, he is, as of October 2017, the only former Wimbledon player left in the club's squad.

Mark Wright finished the 2007/08 season as the club's top goalscorer, helping the Dons win both the League Two title and the Football League Trophy. Jon Otsemobor made 44 appearances for the club and scored the winning goal in the first match against AFC Wimbledon with a back-heel that was later dubbed the "Heel of God".[122]

Milton Keynes Dons were former Premier League player Jimmy Bullard's last club before his retirement from football, making only three appearances for the club.[123] Similarly Dietmar Hamman made 12 appearances as a player-coach before retiring.[124]

Notable players loaned from other clubs were strikers Patrick Bamford, who scored 18 goals in 37 games, Benik Afobe, who became the league's top scorer in just six months, and Ángelo Balanta, whose loan spell lasted three years.[125] Former Ireland international Clinton Morrison[126] and former Premiership players Paul Rachubka and James Tavernier also had short loan spells with the club.

Alan Smith, most known for his time at Leeds United and Manchester United, joined the club on loan, signing from Newcastle United before making the move permanent totalling 67 appearances for the club. Other international players who have worn the Dons shirt include Tore André Flo, Ali Gerba, Michel Pensée, Cristian Benavente, Richard Pacquette, Keith Andrews, Russell Martin, Tom Flanagan, Drissa Diallo, Pelé and Ousseynou Cissé. Joe Walsh, Brendan Galloway, Jordan Houghton, Connor Furlong, Gboly Ariyibi, Gareth Edds all represented their countries at youth level.

This list contains players who have made 100 or more league appearances (with the exception of Dele Alli). Appearances and goals apply to league matches only; substitute appearances are included. Names in bold denote current Milton Keynes Dons players.
Statistics are correct as of 22 January 2021.[127]
Name Nationality Position[n 3] Milton Keynes Dons
career		 Apps Goals Notes
Dele Alli  England Midfielder 2011–2015 88 24
Sam Baldock  England Forward 2006–2011 102 33
Dean Bowditch  England Winger 2011–2017 185 37
Samir Carruthers  Ireland Midfielder 2013–2017 117 6
Luke Chadwick  England Midfielder 2008–2014 210 17
Gareth Edds  Australia Midfielder 2004–2008 122 10
Stephen Gleeson  Ireland Midfielder 2009–2014 174 16
Willy Guéret  France Goalkeeper 2007–2011 135 0
Antony Kay  England Defender 2012–2016 142 6
Mathias Kouo-Doumbé  France Defender 2009–2013 121 11
Peter Leven  Scotland Midfielder 2008–2011 113 22
Dean Lewington  England Defender 2004– 539 19 [n 4]
David Martin  England Goalkeeper 2004–2006
2010–17		 274 0
Izale McLeod  England Forward 2004–2007
2013–2014		 165 62
Sean O'Hanlon  England Defender 2006–2011 157 15
Clive Platt  England Forward 2005–2007 102 27
Darren Potter  Ireland Midfielder 2011–2017 228 9
Daniel Powell  England Forward 2008–2017 228 37
Ben Reeves  Northern Ireland Midfielder 2013–2017 102 22
Jordan Spence  England Defender 2013–2016 100 2
Aaron Wilbraham  England Forward 2005-2011 178 50
Shaun Williams  Ireland Defender 2011-2014 108 19
George Williams  England Defender 2016-2021 142 4

Players of the Year

Year Winner
2005 England Ben Chorley
2006 England Izale McLeod
2007 England Clive Platt
2008 Republic of Ireland Keith Andrews
2009 England Aaron Wilbraham
2010 England Luke Chadwick
2011 England Luke Chadwick
2012 Republic of Ireland Darren Potter
2013 Republic of Ireland Shaun Williams
2014 Northern Ireland Ben Reeves
2015 England Carl Baker
2016 England David Martin
 
Year Winner
2017 England George Williams
2018 Not awarded[a]
2019 England Alex Gilbey[129]
2020 England Alex Gilbey[129]
2021 England Dean Lewington

Source: [130]

  1. ^ Due to the club's relegation to League Two at the conclusion of the 2017–18 season and overall poor performance, Chairman Pete Winkelman decided not to award a Player of the Year honour.[128]

Club staff

As of 25 August 2021.[131][132]

Managerial history

Paul Ince, pictured in 2006, managed the club over two spells between 2007 and 2010.

The first Milton Keynes Dons manager was Stuart Murdoch, who had previously been manager of Wimbledon.[133] Murdoch only lasted three months into the 2004–05 season before being sacked[134] — his assistant, Jimmy Gilligan, managed the club for a month before Murdoch's replacement was revealed to be Danny Wilson.[134][135][136] Wilson managed to keep the team up during the 2004–05 season,[137] but failed to repeat this feat during 2005–06.[137] Following relegation,[137] Wilson was shown the door and replaced with Martin Allen.[138] After Allen's team fell at the play-offs,[137] he left to manage Leicester City.[139] Paul Ince was appointed manager for the 2007–08 season,[140] and proved to be a shrewd appointment as MK Dons won the League Two championship as well as the Football League Trophy.[137] Ince too left after only a season, to become manager of Blackburn Rovers.[141]

Former Chelsea player Roberto di Matteo was then appointed in July 2008, his personal first ever managerial position[142][143] and left after a season to manage West Bromwich Albion.[35] Ince was reappointed in his stead on 3 July 2009.[36] Paul Ince resigned as manager on 16 April 2010, stating "a reduction in funds for next season was the reason behind his decision to leave", although he remained with the club until the end of the 2009–10 season.

Karl Robinson (R) and Head of Coaching Gary Waddock (L), pictured in 2013. Robinson held the longest tenure of any MK Dons mangager, in charge from 2010 through 2016.

Karl Robinson was appointed manager on 10 May 2010, having previously been the club's assistant manager under previous boss Paul Ince. At 29 years of age, he was the youngest manager in the Football League and former England coach John Gorman was named his number two. He was also the youngest person to ever acquire a UEFA Pro Licence at the age of 29. At the end of the 2011–12 season Gorman retired and was replaced by former Luton Town player/manager Mick Harford. At the same time, ex-Arsenal and former England international Ian Wright was also enlisted in a part-time role to provide assistance with coaching duties.

In January 2013, Robinson turned down an offer to manage Blackpool, a well established Championship and former Premier League team, in favour of his continuing commitment and loyalty towards Milton Keynes Dons, something which endeared him to the fans of the club.[144] Robinson was linked to other former Premier League clubs including Birmingham City, Sheffield United and Leeds United, and eventually managed Charlton Athletic in 2016–18 after leaving Milton Keynes before moving on to Oxford United.

After Robinson's departure, Richie Barker acted as caretaker manager for just under six weeks before former Hearts manager Robbie Neilson announced his move to the club. Neilson was at the club for just over one year before he left by mutual consent in January 2018 after a disappointing run of one win in 11 league games.[145] Former England youth coach Dan Micciche took over as manager, lasting a spell of three months in the job before leaving, being temporarily replaced by his assistant Keith Millen.[146]

June 2018 saw the appointment of former Exeter City boss Paul Tisdale,[147] tasked with turning around the Dons after their relegation to League Two. Tisdale began his League Two campaign with a near-perfect month, gaining 16 points from a possible 18, conceding just two goals.[148] Tisdale led MK Dons to a third-place finish, gaining automatic promotion back to League One on the first attempt.[149]

Following a poor start to the 2019–20 season in which Milton Keynes Dons achieved only one point from a possible 27 - the worst run of results in the club's short history - Tisdale's contract with the club was mutually terminated on 2 November 2019 following a 1–3 home defeat to Tranmere Rovers.[150] The next day it was announced that MK Dons player Russell Martin would take on the managerial role with immediate effect,[151] and later announced his retirement as a player to focus on the role.[152]

On 1 August 2021, it was announced that Russell Martin had departed Stadiummk, to fill the vacant Head Coach position at EFL Championship outfit Swansea City A.F.C. agreeing terms on a 3 year deal to move to South Wales, with the Buckinghamshire side confirming the news via their website.[153]

On Friday 13 August 2021, MK Dons announced that former Lommel SK manager Liam Manning had been officially appointed as the Football Club's new Head Coach.[154]

Statistics are correct as of 13 August 2021.[143]
Name Nationality From To Matches Won Drawn Lost Win % Notes
Stuart Murdoch  Scotland 7 August 2004 8 November 2004 21 5 5 11 023.81 [133][134][n 5]
Jimmy Gilligan  England 8 November 2004 7 December 2004 4 2 0 2 050.00 Caretaker[135]
Danny Wilson  Northern Ireland 7 December 2004 21 June 2006 81 25 32 24 030.86 [136]
Martin Allen  England 21 June 2006 25 May 2007 46 25 9 12 054.35 [138][139]
Paul Ince  England 25 June 2007 21 June 2008 55 35 11 9 063.64 [140][141]
Roberto di Matteo  Italy 3 July 2008 30 June 2009 41 22 7 12 053.66 [35][142]
Paul Ince  England 3 July 2009 10 May 2010 44 22 4 18 050.00 [36]
Karl Robinson  England 10 May 2010 23 October 2016 346 147 81 118 042.49 [155]
Richie Barker  England 23 October 2016 3 December 2016 8 2 3 3 025.00 Caretaker[155]
Robbie Neilson  Scotland 3 December 2016 20 January 2018 66 26 16 24 039.39 [156]
Dan Micciche  England 23 January 2018 22 April 2018 16 3 3 10 018.75 [157]
Keith Millen  England 22 April 2018 6 June 2018 3 1 0 2 033.33 Caretaker[146]
Paul Tisdale  England 6 June 2018 3 November 2019 73 31 13 29 042.47 [147]
Russell Martin  Scotland 3 November 2019 1 August 2021 80 30 19 31 037.50 [151][152]
Dean Lewington  England 1 August 2021 13 August 2021 1 0 1 0 000.00 Interim[158]
Liam Manning  England 13 August 2021 13 August 2021 0 0 0 0 !— arrival[159]

Coaching history

Notable former coaches include Robbie Fowler, former German international Dietmar Hamann and former Arsenal player Ian Wright.

Former Manchester United and England international Alan Smith was signed as a player, but often assisted manager Karl Robinson during matches, and managed the reserve side on occasion. He took on a player-coach role at Notts County in May 2014. Similarly, Alex Rae, a former top-flight player, joined the Dons in July 2009 as first team coach on a temporary basis, with a view to a permanent deal, working under his former Wolves team-mate Paul Ince.[160] However, Rae did make three appearances as a player for the Dons. He left on 29 October 2010, following Ince to Notts County, as an assistant manager, a role Rae fulfilled until he left the club on 3 April 2011, consequent to the departure of Ince.

Honours

League

  • Football League One
Runners-up: 2014–15
  • Football League Two / EFL League Two
Winners: 2007–08
Third-place (promotion): 2018–19

Cup

  • Football League Trophy
Winners: 2007–08
Winners: 2006–07
Runners-up: 2005–06, 2017–18
Winners: 2004

Source: MKDons.com

Records and statistics

Main article: List of Milton Keynes Dons F.C. records and statistics
See also: Milton Keynes Dons F.C. league record by opponent

Milton Keynes Dons Women

Main article: Milton Keynes Dons F.C. Women

The club founded a women's association football team in 2009. They operate as part of the club with an identical badge and strip, and as of the 2018–19 season, the team share Stadium MK as their home stadium with their male counterparts, one of the first clubs in the country to do so.[162] They compete in the FA Women's National League South.

Footnotes

  1. ^ In terms of its footballing assets and place in the English football league structure, Milton Keynes Dons F.C. is the continuation of Wimbledon F.C., which was formed in south London in 1889 and relocated to Milton Keynes in 2003. The club was brought out of administration in 2004 as a new company, Milton Keynes Dons Ltd, which purchased the assets of The Wimbledon Football Club Ltd and received the team's place in Football League One.[1] The Wimbledon Football Club Ltd legally endured until 2009.[2] Since 2006 Milton Keynes Dons has officially considered itself a new club, formed in 2004—it no longer claims any history before then, despite retaining Wimbledon F.C.'s "Dons" nickname.[3]
  2. ^ The club abandoned its claim to any history before 2004 in October 2006 as part of an agreement with the Football Supporters' Federation, which had previously boycotted the team and its supporters' groups. Under this deal Milton Keynes Dons transferred Wimbledon F.C.'s trophies and other patrimony to Merton Council in south London in 2007.[3]
  3. ^ For a full description of positions see Football positions.
  4. ^ Dean Lewington played for Wimbledon before the club was renamed in 2004. The date of Milton Keynes Dons's first league match, 7 August 2004, was agreed in 2006 to be the date on which Lewington ceased to play for Wimbledon and began to play for Milton Keynes Dons.
  5. ^ Stuart Murdoch was the manager of Wimbledon before the club was renamed in 2004. The date of Milton Keynes Dons's first league match, 7 August 2004, was agreed in 2006 to be the date on which Murdoch ceased to manage Wimbledon and began to manage Milton Keynes Dons.

References

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