Association football club based in Milton Keynes, England

football club
Milton Keynes Dons Football Club ( ), normally abbreviated to MK Dons, is a professional association football golf club based in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. The team competes in EFL League One, the third grade of the English football league system, after gaining promotion at the conclusion of the 2018–19 season. The club was founded in 2004, following Wimbledon F.C. ‘s controversial resettlement to Milton Keynes from confederacy London, when it adopted its present name, badge and home colours. [ nitrogen 2 ]

initially based at the National Hockey Stadium, the club competed as Milton Keynes Dons from the beginning 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 championship and the Football League Trophy under the management of Paul Ince. After seven further seasons in League One, the clubhouse won forwarding 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 confidence engages around 60,000 people ; between 2012 and 2013 the golf club produced 11 new players who have been called into senesce group home teams and between 2004 and 2014. The club besides gave first-team debuts to 14 local academy graduates, including the England international midfielder Dele Alli. [ 5 ] [ 6 ] The club besides operates a women ‘s team, who groundshare Stadium MK with their male counterparts – Milton Keynes Dons Women – and they presently play their football in the third gear tier of the Women ‘s English Football pyramid. [ 7 ]

Origins

Milton Keynes, about 45 miles ( 72 kilometer ) northwest of London in Buckinghamshire, was established as a newfangled town in 1967. [ 8 ] In the absence of a master football cabaret representing the town—none of the local non-league teams progressed significantly through the English football league system or “ pyramid ” over the comply decades—it was occasionally suggested that a Football League club might relocate there. There was no case law in English league football for such a move between conurbations and the football authorities and most fans expressed hard opposition to the idea. [ 9 ] Charlton Athletic concisely mooted moving to “ a progressive Midlands borough ” during a planning dispute with their local council in 1973, [ 10 ] and the move of nearby Luton Town to Milton Keynes was repeatedly suggested from the 1980s onwards. [ 11 ] Another team linked with the modern town was Wimbledon Football Club. [ 12 ] 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 ” lift from obscurity and by the end of the 1980s were established in the top division of English football. [ 13 ] Despite Wimbledon ‘s fresh prominence, the club ‘s modest home stadium at Plough Lane remained largely unchanged from its non-league days. [ 13 ] The club ‘s then-owner Ron Noades identified this as a trouble a early as 1979, extending his dissatisfaction to the ground ‘s identical location. matter to in the stadium site designated by the Milton Keynes Development Corporation, Noades concisely 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 baseball club would not gain sufficient support in Milton Keynes and abandoned the estimate. [ 12 ] In 1991, after the Taylor Report was published recommending the renovation of English football grounds, Wimbledon left Plough Lane to groundshare at Crystal Palace ‘s flat coat, Selhurst Park, about 6 miles ( 9.7 kilometer ) away. Sam Hammam, who then owned Wimbledon, said the baseball club could not afford to redevelop Plough Lane and that the groundshare was a impermanent arrangement while a new ground was sourced in southwest London. A new stadium for Wimbledon proved difficult to achieve. [ 13 ] Frustrated by what he perceived as a lack of back from Merton Council, Hammam began to look promote afield and by 1996 was pursuing a move to Dublin, an idea that most Wimbledon fans strongly opposed. [ 14 ] Hammam sold the club to two norwegian businessmen, Kjell Inge Røkke and Bjørn Rune Gjelsten, in 1997, [ 15 ] and a year former sold Plough Lane to Safeway supermarkets. [ 16 ] Wimbledon were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 1999–2000 season. [ 17 ]
Starting in 1997, [ 18 ] a consortium led by music promoter Pete Winkelman and supported by Asda ( a Walmart subordinate ) and IKEA proposed a large retail development in Milton Keynes including a football League-standard stadium. [ 19 ] [ 20 ] The consortium primitively proposed that the stadium be located at the National Bowl but late altered their marriage proposal to change the web site of the proposed stadium to Denbigh North, the like site as the consider retail development. [ 21 ] The consortium proposed that an established league club motion to use this site ; [ 19 ] [ 20 ] it approached Luton, Wimbledon, Crystal Palace, Barnet and Queens Park Rangers. [ 22 ] In 2001 Røkke and Gjelsten appointed a new chair, Charles Koppel, who was in privilege of this estimate, saying it was necessity to stop the club going out of commercial enterprise. [ 23 ] To the fury of most Wimbledon fans, [ 24 ] Koppel announced on 2 August 2001 that the club intended to relocate to Milton Keynes. After the Football League refused permission, Wimbledon launched an attract, leading to a Football Association arbitration hearing and subsequently the appointment of a three-man independent commission to make a final examination and ski binding verdict. The league and FA stated enemy but the commissioners ruled in favor, two to one, on 28 May 2002. [ 25 ] Having campaigned against the move, [ 24 ] a group of disaffected Wimbledon fans reacted to this in June 2002 by forming their own non-league cabaret, AFC Wimbledon, to which most of the original team ‘s documentation defected. [ 26 ] AFC Wimbledon entered a groundshare agreement with Kingstonian in the borough of Kingston upon Thames, adjacent to Merton. [ 26 ] The original Wimbledon intended to move to Milton Keynes immediately but were ineffective to do so until a temp home in the township touch Football League criteria could be found. [ 27 ] The club remained at Selhurst Park in the meanwhile and in June 2003 went into administration. [ 28 ] With the move threatened and the cabaret facing extermination, [ 29 ] Winkelman decided to buy it himself. [ 20 ] He secured fund for the administrators to keep the team operating with the goal of getting it to Milton Keynes deoxyadenosine monophosphate soon as possible. [ 30 ] The golf club arranged the temp manipulation of the National Hockey Stadium in Milton Keynes and played its first match there in September 2003. [ 31 ] Nine months late Winkelman ‘s Inter MK Group bought the club out of government and announced changes to its diagnose, badge and colours—the team was renamed Milton Keynes Dons Football Club. [ 32 ]

history

2004–2006 : Struggles and delegating

The foremost 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. [ 33 ] Murdoch was sacked in November [ 34 ] and replaced by Danny Wilson, who kept Milton Keynes Dons in the division on the concluding day of the temper — but only because of Wrexham ‘s 10-point tax write-off for going into government. The following season, Milton Keynes Dons struggled all class, and were relegated to League Two ; Wilson, as a consequence, was sacked. [ 35 ]

2006–2010 : promotion and first base silverware

Wilson ‘s successor for 2006–07 was Martin Allen, who had merely taken Brentford to the brink of a place in the Football League Championship. Milton Keynes Dons were in contention for automatic forwarding right up to the last game of the season, but finally finished fourth and had to settle for a play-off identify. They then suffered a frustration to Shrewsbury Town in the play-off semi-finals. During the 2007 summer pause, Allen left to take over at Leicester City. For the 2007–08 season, former England captain Paul Ince took over as director. 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 goal of the season to manage Blackburn Rovers. Ince ‘s successor was former Chelsea player Roberto Di Matteo, taking his inaugural role as a coach. In the 2008–09 temper, they missed out on an automatic rifle promotion position 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 gunfight at Stadium MK. Di Matteo left at the temper ‘s end for West Bromwich Albion. [ 36 ] A year after leaving, Ince returned as director for the 2009–10 season. [ 37 ] He resigned from the clubhouse on 16 April 2010, but remained director until the end of the season. [ 38 ]

2010–2016 : Karl Robinson earned run average

On 10 May 2010, Karl Robinson was appointed as the club ‘s fresh director, with former England passenger car John Gorman as his adjunct. At 29 years of age, Robinson was at the time of his date the youngest director in the Football League. [ 39 ] In his first season in the club Milton Keynes Dons finished one-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 frustration at London Road meant they missed out on the play-off concluding, losing the Semi-Final 3–2 on aggregate goals. The 2011–12 temper brought similar results to the previous season with the Dons finish up fifth in 2011–12 League One facing Huddersfield in the play-offs. Losing the beginning branch 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 off leg was John Gorman ‘s survive match in football after announcing his retirement a few weeks advance. Gorman ‘s substitution was announced on 18 May 2012 as being ex-Luton coach 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 political campaign in the 2012–13 season by beating a spirited Cambridge City ( 0–0 and 6–1 ), League Two cutthroat 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 turn of the competition for the first time always in their history. Their record-breaking political campaign ended in the fifth cycle 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 temper began well. The highlight event of the season ‘s first base month was being drawn against Manchester United in the League Cup moment round, having dispatched AFC Wimbledon in the foremost. The Dons recorded a shock 4–0 victory over Manchester United in front of a sell out herd at Stadium MK. [ 40 ] A few weeks later, the Dons recorded their record gain, a 6–0 thrash of Colchester United at base. [ 41 ] That record did not last long as it was broken once again with a 7–0 demolition of Oldham Athletic on 20 December 2014. [ 42 ] Just over a month later, on 31 January 2015, the Dons recorded a joint record 5–0 away win against Crewe Alexandra, earning a ephemeral crown spot. [ 43 ] On 3 May the club secured promotion to the Football League Championship for the first base clock 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. [ 44 ] The Dons started life in the championship by beating Rotherham United away 4–1 on the open day of the season and gaining seven points from a possible 12 in their foremost four games. They were not able to sustain this form throughout the season – the Dons did not win any of their final examination 11 games and they returned to League One after finishing 23rd in the Championship. [ 45 ] On 23 October 2016, Karl Robinson left the club by reciprocal accept, following a 3–0 home plate 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. [ 46 ]

2016–2018 : slow decay

Robbie Neilson joined MK Dons as coach from scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian in his native Scotland, [ 47 ] with his first official game in accusation coincidentally an FA Cup tie against Karl Robinson ‘s new club Charlton Athletic. [ 48 ] Neilson ‘s reign started off well, with his second game in charge a succeed over AFC Wimbledon, [ 49 ] and in late January 2017 a local bowler hat succeed against Northampton Town. [ 50 ] The stick to season started badly, however on 30 December 2017 the team was noted [ 51 ] for a remarkable 1–0 bowler hat acquire against Peterborough, playing with 9-men for 68 minutes after controversial umpirage decisions [ 52 ] [ 53 ] and 13 minutes of add time. [ 54 ] Neilson left by reciprocal accept on 20 January 2018 after a run of one winnings in football team league games with the club 21st in the table ; [ 55 ] he was sacked the same day as his end game, a disappointing away 2–1 bowler hat get the better of against delegating rivals Northampton Town. [ 56 ] Under Neilson ‘s successor Dan Micciche, the club continued to struggle in the delegating places. Following a test of hapless results with only three wins in sixteen matches in mission, Micciche left the cabaret on 22 April 2018, with assistant director Keith Millen taking over as a caretaker. [ 57 ] On the penult weekend of the season another kill mathematically relegated them to League Two ( leaving them seven points from guard with one bet on to play ). [ 58 ]

2018–present : Bounce-back and search for stability

former Exeter City coach Paul Tisdale was appointed in June 2018 after 12 years at his previous baseball club. [ 59 ] After a season where the Dons were tipped to be favourites for promotion, the cabaret 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, [ 60 ] the club slump to 8th in February [ 61 ] before being one acquire way away from automatic forwarding against play-off aspirant Colchester United in the penultimate plot. The Dons lost 2–0 [ 62 ] which led to a “ winner takes all ” game against 3rd invest Mansfield Town, who were separated by goal difference, to determine who was promoted. [ 63 ] MK Dons won 1–0 in front of about 21,000 fans meaning they returned to League One at the first attempt. [ 64 ] Following a hapless beginning to the 2019–20 temper in which the Dons achieved lone one point from a potential 27, the worst run of results in the cabaret ‘s history, Tisdale ‘s contract with the golf club was mutually terminated on 2 November 2019 following a 1–3 home kill to fellow relegation-threatened Tranmere Rovers. [ 65 ] The following day, Russell Martin was announced as the new permanent first-team coach ; he had joined as a player earlier in the year. [ 66 ] Fixtures were suspended on 13 March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, [ 67 ] and the clubs later voted to end the season prematurely with immediate effect on 9 June 2020, with the final mesa decided upon by an unweighted points-per-game system resulting in the club finishing the season in 19th place, [ 68 ] therefore 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.

informant : historical Football Kits

stadium

The club ‘s first stadium was the National Hockey Stadium, which was temporarily converted for football for the duration of the clubhouse ‘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 base game, a restricted-entrance event against a young Chelsea XI. [ 70 ] The stadium was officially opened on 29 November 2007 by Queen Elizabeth II. [ 71 ] The stadium features an open multitude at the clear of the lower grade, an incorporate hotel with rooms looking over the lurch and conference facilities. The building complex was to include a 3,000 capacity indoor stadium, where the MK Lions basketball team would be based, but completion of this arena was delayed due to postponement of propose commercial developments around the web site. [ 72 ] In May 2009, the stadium was named as one of 15 stadium put forward as likely hosts for the England 2018 FIFA World Cup wish, which would include increasing capacity to 44,000. [ 73 ] England ‘s bid was abortive, but Stadium MK went on to be one of stadium for the Rugby World Cup 2015. [ 74 ] [ 75 ]

Supporters

noteworthy supporters

The Dons ‘ most celebrated non-football relate athletic supporter was local resident Jim Marshall, the laminitis of Marshall Amplification, [ 76 ] who were one of the earliest shirt-sponsors. [ 77 ] Racing driver Dan Wheldon was besides reported to be a winnow ; [ 78 ] after his death, a minute ‘s secrecy was held in his memory before the next game ‘s beginning, against Scunthorpe. [ 79 ] Former cricketer and talkSport radio presenter Darren Gough, [ 78 ] despite being a Barnsley F.C. fan, attends Dons games from time to time as he lives nearby, and besides frequently speaks of the Dons when presenting on the radio. other luminary fans who are either Dons fans or regularly attend games are : Gabi Downs, Paralympic fencer ; Andrew Baggaley, table tennis Commonwealth Games double over gold medalist ; Gail Emms, badminton populace ace ; James Hildreth and James Foster both England cricketers ; Mark Lancaster, local member of fantan and politics minister in 2012 ; Craig Pickering, 100m sprinter – tan decoration at the World Championship in 2007 ; Craig Gibbons, London 2012 Olympic 100 meter swimmer ; Mikey Burrows, Sky Sports Radio presenter ; and the late musician and radio broadcaster George Webley. [ 78 ]

initial supporters ‘ cabaret recognition

On 4 June 2005, at the 2005 Football Supporters ‘ Federation “ Fans ‘ fantan ” ( AGM ), the FSF refused the Milton Keynes Dons Supporters Association membership of the FSF in a argument that, among early arguments, questioned why the Football League had so far to introduce any newly rules to prevent the “ franchise ” of other football clubs in the future. [ 80 ] [ 81 ] In accession, 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 title to the history and honor of Wimbledon FC. With this in mind, the FSF began discussions aimed at returning Wimbledon FC ‘s honor to the London Borough of Merton. shortly afterwards, following arduous criticism for allowing the move, the Football League announced new besotted rules on baseball club move. [ 82 ] At its AGM on 5 June 2006, the FSF again considered a apparent motion [ 83 ] proposed by the FSF Council to allow Milton Keynes Dons Supporters Association membership if the honor and trophies of Wimbledon FC were given to the London Borough of Merton. In October 2006, agreement [ 84 ] was reached between the baseball club, the Milton Keynes Dons Supporters Association, the Wimbledon Independent Supporters ‘ Association and the Football Supporters Federation. The FA Cup trophy plus all golf club birthright gathered under the list of Wimbledon F.C. would be returned to the London Borough of Merton. ownership of trademarks and web site world names related to Wimbledon F.C. would besides be transferred to the borough. As separate of the like agreement it was agreed that any character made to Milton Keynes Dons FC should refer only to events subsequent to 7 August 2004 ( the date of the first League crippled 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 long appeal to the supporters of other clubs to boycott Milton Keynes Dons ‘ matches. [ 85 ] On 2 August 2007, Milton Keynes Dons transferred possession of all Wimbledon Football Club trophies and memorabilia to the London Borough of Merton. [ 86 ]

Rivalries

Peterborough United

MK Dons have a competition with Peterborough United, [ 87 ] [ 88 ] since the two clubs have vied tete-a-tete for forwarding to the Championship. [ 89 ] [ 90 ] There besides exists between MK Lightning and Peterborough Phantoms in ice field hockey a competition that pre-dates the matchless in football. [ 91 ] Head to head

Opponent Matches Won Drawn Lost Win %
Peterborough United 25 11 3 12 44.0

[ 92 ]

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 kilometer ). [ 93 ] Former MK Dons Supporters ‘ Association Chairman John Brockwell had stated that the fans were looking forward to hosting Northampton Town, the club that, geographically at least, are their near rivals. [ 94 ] Although Peterborough United have been traditionally Northampton ‘s independent rivals, the “ Cobblers “ spokesman has stated, in 2008, that, “ with MK Dons immediately on the repair number, it gives [ Northampton ] supporters the chance to develop another competition. ” [ 94 ] In January 2016 patrol 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 land. [ 95 ] 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 besides arrested. [ 96 ] [ 97 ] Four arrests were for public regulate offences, one for condemnable damage, one for pitch trespass, one for obstructing the police, and one for affray. [ 96 ] Head to head

Opponent Matches Won Drawn Lost Win %
Northampton Town 14 8 3 3 57.1

[ 98 ]

AFC Wimbledon

ascribable to their shared ancestry in Wimbledon F.C., there is an inescapably acrimonious competition with AFC Wimbledon [ 99 ] since the resettlement of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes ; [ 100 ] AFC Wimbledon was the club created in 2002 by estrange supporters of Wimbledon F.C.. Dons chair Pete Winkelman initially stated that MK Dons were the rightful inheritors, writing in November 2004 that “ MK Dons and AFC Wimbledon share the same inheritance, but we ‘re the real child of Wimbledon ” [ 101 ] The first fastness 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 equal, 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 ” ). [ 102 ] Kyle McFadzean ‘s opening finish for MK Dons in the second match between the two clubs, a 3–1 MK gain in the first gear round of the League Cup in August 2014, [ 103 ] was besides scored with his heel, and was consequently labelled “ Heel of God II ”. [ 104 ] Two months late, in the Football League Trophy Southern section second round, AFC Wimbledon defeated MK Dons 3–2 with a winning finish by Adebayo Akinfenwa. [ 105 ] On 10 December 2016, the sides met for the beginning time in a competitive league fastness following MK Dons ‘ relegation from the Championship and AFC Wimbledon ‘s promotion from League Two the former season. Milton Keynes Dons won 1–0, with Dean Bowditch scoring the only goal of the game with a 63rd-minute penalty. [ 106 ] The beginning 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 golf club ‘s broadcast for their home game against the Dons, held on 22 September, failed to recognise their opponents by their wide name for the second consecutive temper. AFC ‘s official Twitter tip besides referred to their opponents as “ Milton Keynes ” throughout their match coverage. AFC Wimbledon were subsequently threatened by the EFL with disciplinary action, [ 100 ] and finally charged for breaching EFL regulations. [ 107 ] The charges were dropped. [ 108 ] AFC were forced to refer to the MK Dons by their full moon appoint ahead of the 2018–19 season after the EFL stepped in to mediate. [ 109 ] Head to head

Opponent Matches Won Drawn Lost Win %
AFC Wimbledon 11 7 2 2 63.6

Wycombe Wanderers

Wycombe Wanderers are the only other professional team in Buckinghamshire, therefore games between the two teams are labelled “ the Bucks bowler hat. ” [ 110 ] [ 111 ] Head to head

Opponent Matches Won Drawn Lost Win %
Wycombe Wanderers 9 4 3 2 44.4%

[ 112 ]

Community

Through the work of Milton Keynes Dons SET ( Sport and Educational Trust ), the club works locally ( Milton Keynes and the neighbor towns ) in the fields of education, social inclusion, engagement and football development. [ 113 ] It works with schools, has 14 disability teams playing in regional or national competitions, works with BME ( bootleg and minority ethnic ) community groups and runs many activities for women and girls. MK Dons besides supports the “ Football five Homophobia ” inaugural ( one of only 25 premiership and football league clubs supporting the course of study in 2012 and only 30 in 2013 ). Milton Keynes Dons ‘ bring in the community was recognised by the prize of Football League Awards Community Club of the year for London and the South East for 2012, and in the award of an honorary doctor’s degree to chair Pete Winkelman by the Open University in June 2013. [ 115 ]

youth academy

Striker Sam Baldock was the first luminary 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 Derby County. 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 calibrate and first team midfielder Dele Alli was sold to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur for a fee in the region of £5 million. [ 116 ] Alli became the first gear Milton Keynes Dons academy calibrate to make a full England elder team debut, on 9 October 2015. [ 117 ]

Kevin Danso is a graduate of the academy [ 118 ] 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. [ 119 ] [ 120 ] other noteworthy youth graduates who have gone on to play at a higher level include George Williams, Brendan Galloway, Scotland external Liam Kelly and England youth team external Sheyi Ojo. On 9 August 2016 in a first turn EFL Cup match against Newport County, coach 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 succeed for the club. [ 121 ]

Players

First-team team

As of 30 December 2021.[122]

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

Out on loan

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

celebrated players

For a tilt 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 deed and the Football League Trophy. Jon Otsemobor made 44 appearances for the golf club and scored the winning goal in the first base equal against AFC Wimbledon with a back-heel that was late dubbed the “ Heel of God “. [ 123 ] Milton Keynes Dons were former Premier League player Jimmy Bullard ‘s survive club before his retirement from football, making only three appearances for the club. [ 124 ] similarly Dietmar Hamman made 12 appearances as a player-coach before retiring. [ 125 ] celebrated players loaned from early clubs were strikers Patrick Bamford, who scored 18 goals in 37 games, Benik Afobe, who became the league ‘s top scorekeeper in merely six months, and Ángelo Balanta, whose lend spell lasted three years. [ 126 ] Former Ireland international Clinton Morrison [ 127 ] and early Premiership players Paul Rachubka and James Tavernier besides had short loanword spells with the club. Alan Smith, most known for his time at Leeds United and Manchester United, joined the club on loanword, 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 wholly 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 29 September 2021.[128]
Name Nationality Position[n 3] Milton Keynes Dons
career
Apps Goals Notes
 England Midfielder 2011–2015 88 24
 England Forward 2006–2011 102 33
 England Winger 2011–2017 185 37
 Ireland Midfielder 2013–2017 117 6
 England Midfielder 2008–2014 210 17
 Australia Midfielder 2004–2008 122 10
 Ireland Midfielder 2009–2014 174 16
 France Goalkeeper 2007–2011 135 0
 England Defender 2012–2016 142 6
 France Defender 2009–2013 121 11
 Scotland Midfielder 2008–2011 113 22
 England Defender 2004– 703 19 [n 4]
 England Goalkeeper 2004–2006
2010–17
274 0
 England Forward 2004–2007
2013–2014
165 62
 England Defender 2006–2011 157 15
 England Forward 2005–2007 102 27
 Ireland Midfielder 2011–2017 228 9
 England Forward 2008–2017 228 37
 Northern Ireland Midfielder 2013–2017 102 22
 England Defender 2013–2016 100 2
 England Forward 2005-2011 178 50
 Ireland Defender 2011-2014 108 19
 England Defender 2016-2021 142 4

Players of the class

reservoir : [ 131 ]

  1. ^[129] due to the clubhouse ‘s relegation to League Two at the conclusion of the 2017–18 season and overall inadequate performance, Chairman Pete Winkelman decided not to award a Player of the Year honor .

Club staff

As of 13 September 2021.[132][133]

Name Position
Liam Sweeting Sporting Director
Simon Crampton Performance Director
Liam Manning Head Coach
Chris Hogg Assistant Head Coach
David Wright First-Team Coach
Lewis Price First-Team Goalkeeping Coach
Adam Ross Head of Rehabilitation
Tom Bromley Head Strength and Conditioning Coach
David Perkins Lead First-Team Performance Analyst
Harry Hagues Kit Manager
Andy Lee Head Groundsman
Jon Goodman Academy Manager
Stephen Payne Head of Academy Coaching
Lee Collier Lead Professional Development Phase Coach
John Bitting Lead Youth Development Phase Coach
Nathan Thomas Lead Foundation Development Phase Coach
Lucy Juffkins Senior Academy Physiotherapist
Caitlin O’Reilly Academy Sports Therapist

senior management

Name Position
Pete Winkelman Club Chairman
John Cove Club Director / MK Dons SET Chairman
Mark Turner Club Director
Berni Winkelman Club Director
Bobby Winkelman Club Director
Andy Gibb Group Sales & Marketing Director
Peter Cork Associate Director
Kirstine Nicholson Head of Football Operations
Andy Wooldridge Head of Business Sales
Antoni Fruncillo Head of Communications
Oona Carmichael Customer Services Manager / Supporter Liaison Officer
Andy Standen Disability Liaison Officer / Safety Officer

managerial history

Coaching history

celebrated former coaches include Robbie Fowler, former German international Dietmar Hamann and former Arsenal player Ian Wright. erstwhile Manchester United and England external Alan Smith was signed as a actor, but often help director 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 early top-flight actor, joined the Dons in July 2009 as first team coach on a temp footing, with a view to a permanent cope, working under his former Wolves team-mate Paul Ince. [ 134 ] 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 director, a function Rae fulfilled until he left the club on 3 April 2011, attendant to the deviation of Ince .

Honours

League
Cup

Winners: 2006–07
Runners-up: 2005–06, 2017–18
  • Portimão Cup[135]
Winners: 2004

reservoir : MKDons.com

Records and statistics

Milton Keynes Dons 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 temper, the team share Stadium MK as their home stadium with their male counterparts, one of the foremost clubs in the state to do therefore. [ 136 ] They compete in the FA Women ‘s National League South .

References