Milton Keynes Dons F.C.
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. 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]
 | ||||
| Full name | Milton Keynes Dons Football Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Dons | |||
| Short name | MK Dons | |||
| Founded | 21 June 2004[n 1] | |||
| Ground | Stadium MK | |||
| Capacity | 30,500 | |||
| Chairman | Pete Winkelman | |||
| Head coach | Liam Manning | |||
| League | EFL League One | |||
| 2021–22 | EFL League One, 3rd of 24 | |||
| Website | Club website | |||
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| ||||
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 operates a women's team, who groundshare Stadium MK with their male counterparts – Milton Keynes Dons Women – and they currently play their football in the third tier of the Women's English Football pyramid.[7]
Origins
Milton Keynes, about 45 miles (72 km) north-west of London in Buckinghamshire, was established as a new town in 1967.[8] 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.[9] Charlton Athletic briefly mooted moving to "a progressive Midlands borough" during a planning dispute with their local council in 1973,[10] and the relocation of nearby Luton Town to Milton Keynes was repeatedly suggested from the 1980s onwards.[11] Another team linked with the new 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" rise from obscurity and by the end of the 1980s were established in the top division of English football.[13] Despite Wimbledon's new 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 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.[12]
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.[13] 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.[14] Hammam sold the club to two Norwegian businessmen, Kjell Inge Røkke and Bjørn Rune Gjelsten, in 1997,[15] and a year later 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 subsidiary) and IKEA proposed a large retail development in Milton Keynes including a Football League-standard stadium.[19][20] 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.[21]
The consortium proposed that an established league club move 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 chairman, Charles Koppel, who was in favour of this idea, saying it was necessary to stop the club going out of business.[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 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.[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 club, AFC Wimbledon, to which most of the original team's support 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 unable to do so until a temporary home in the town meeting Football League criteria could be found.[27] The club remained at Selhurst Park in the meantime and in June 2003 went into administration.[28] With the move threatened and the club facing liquidation,[29] Winkelman decided to buy it himself.[20] He secured funding for the administrators to keep the team operating with the goal of getting it to Milton Keynes as soon as possible.[30] The club arranged the temporary use of the National Hockey Stadium in Milton Keynes and played its first match there in September 2003.[31] 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.[32]
History
2004–2006: Struggles and relegation
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.[33] Murdoch was sacked in November[34] 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.[35]
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.[36] A year after leaving, Ince returned as manager for the 2009–10 season.[37] He resigned from the club on 16 April 2010, but remained manager until the end of the season.[38]
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.[39] 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.
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.[40] A few weeks later, the Dons recorded their record win, a 6–0 thrashing of Colchester United at home.[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 short-lived top spot.[43] 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.[44]
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.[45]
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.[46]
2016–2018: Slow decline
Robbie Neilson joined MK Dons as manager from Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian in his native Scotland,[47] with his first official game in charge 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 win over AFC Wimbledon,[49] and in late January 2017 a local derby win against Northampton Town.[50]
The following season started badly, however on 30 December 2017 the team was noted[51] for a remarkable 1–0 derby win against Peterborough, playing with 9-men for 68 minutes after controversial refereeing decisions[52][53] and 13 minutes of added time.[54] 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;[55] he was sacked the same day as his last game, a disappointing away 2–1 derby defeat against relegation rivals Northampton Town.[56]
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.[57] 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).[58]
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.[59] 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,[60] the club sunk to 8th in February[61] before being one win way away from automatic promotion against play-off hopefuls Colchester United in the penultimate game. The Dons lost 2–0[62] which led to a "winner takes all" game against 3rd placed Mansfield Town, who were separated by goal difference, to determine who was promoted.[63] MK Dons won 1–0 in front of nearly 21,000 fans meaning they returned to League One at the first attempt.[64]
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.[65] The next day, Russell Martin was announced as the new permanent first-team manager; 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 table decided upon by an unweighted points-per-game system resulting in the club finishing the season in 19th place,[68] 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[69] | |
| 2015–2016 | Erreà | |
| 2016–2017 | ||
| 2017–2018 | ||
| 2018–2019 | ||
| 2019–2020 | ||
| 2020–2021 | ||
| 2021–2022 |
Source: 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 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.[70] The stadium was officially opened on 29 November 2007 by Queen Elizabeth II.[71] 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.[72]
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.[73] England's bid was unsuccessful, but Stadium MK went on to be one of stadia for the Rugby World Cup 2015.[74][75]
Supporters
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.[76][77] 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.[78] At its AGM on 5 June 2006, the FSF again considered a motion[79] 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[80] 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.[81] On 2 August 2007, Milton Keynes Dons transferred ownership of all Wimbledon Football Club trophies and memorabilia to the London Borough of Merton.[82]
Rivalries
Peterborough United
MK Dons have a rivalry with Peterborough United,[83][84] since the two clubs have vied head-to-head for promotion to the Championship.[85][86] There also exists between MK Lightning and Peterborough Phantoms in ice hockey a rivalry that pre-dates the one in football.[87]
Head to head
| Opponent | Matches | Won | Drawn | Lost | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peterborough United | 27 | 11 | 4 | 13 | 40.7 |
| 24 August 2004 League Cup R1 | Peterborough United | 0–3 | Milton Keynes Dons | Peterborough |
| 19:45 GMT (UTC) | Rea  73' |
Report | McLeod 42',  63'Small 45'Smart 80'Kamara 90' |
Stadium: London Road Stadium Attendance: 2,886 Referee: Kevin Friend |
| 7 December 2004 League One | Milton Keynes Dons | 1–1 | Peterborough United | Milton Keynes |
| 19:45 GMT (UTC) | Small 53' Herve 90' |
Report | Constantine 26' |
Stadium: National Hockey Stadium Attendance: 3,913 Referee: Mick Fletcher |
| 8 January 2005 FA Cup R3 | Milton Keynes Dons | 0–2 | Peterborough United | Milton Keynes |
| 15:00 GMT (UTC) | McLeod 69' Chorley 87' |
Report | Logan 45' Arber 57'Legg 85' |
Stadium: National Hockey Stadium Attendance: 4,407 Referee: Phil Crossley |
| 30 April 2005 League One | Peterborough United | 0–3 | Milton Keynes Dons | Peterborough |
| 15:00 GMT (UTC) | Woodhouse 30' Kanu 85' |
Report | Rizzo 9' McLeod 22', 84', 85'Chorley 64' |
Stadium: London Road Stadium Attendance: 3,742 Referee: Grant Hegley |
| 6 October 2006 League Two | Milton Keynes Dons | 0–2 | Peterborough United | Milton Keynes |
| 19:45 GMT (UTC) | Diallo 53' |
Report | Arber 70' Branston 77'Richards 80'Huke 89' |
Stadium: National Hockey Stadium Attendance: 6,647 Referee: Paul Melin |
| 10 March 2007 League Two | Peterborough United | 4–0 | Milton Keynes Dons | Peterborough |
| 15:00 GMT (UTC) | Gain 25', 56' Mackail-Smith 33', 79'Strachan 39'Blackett  70'Butcher 85'Huke 90' |
Report | Platt 36' Diallo 54'Hayes 69' |
Stadium: London Road Stadium Attendance: 5,087 Referee: Mike Russell |
| 9 October 2007 League Trophy | Milton Keynes Dons | 3–1 | Peterborough United | Milton Keynes |
| 19:45 GMT (UTC) | Wright 25', 52' Cameron 85' |
Report | McLean 16' |
Stadium: Stadium mk Attendance: 5,087 Referee: Mike Russell |
| 15 December 2007 League Two | Peterborough United | 1–2 | Milton Keynes Dons | Peterborough |
| 15:00 GMT (UTC) | McLean 75' Gnakpa 88' |
Report | Gallen 47' Andrews 57'Diallo |
Stadium: London Road Stadium Attendance: 10,351 Referee: Nigel Miller |
| 21 March 2008 League Two | Milton Keynes Dons | 1–1 | Peterborough United | Milton Keynes |
| 19:45 GMT (UTC) | Wilbraham 12' Andrews 57' |
Report | Whelpdale 27' Gnakpa 30'Morgan 51'Boyd 90' |
Stadium: Stadium mk Attendance: 14,521 Referee: Peter Walton |
| 27 September 2008 League One | Milton Keynes Dons | 1–2 | Peterborough United | Milton Keynes |
| 15:00 GMT (UTC) | Gerba 63' Llera Guéret Lewington |
Report | Mackail-Smith 73' (pen) Green 75'Hyde |
Stadium: Stadium mk Attendance: 10,876 Referee: Phil Dowd |
| 20 January 2009 League One | Peterborough United | 0–0 | Milton Keynes Dons | Peterborough |
| 19:45 GMT (UTC) | Morgan Whelpdale |
Report | Llera Chadwick Leven |
Stadium: London Road Stadium Attendance: 8,982 Referee: Graham Salisbury |
| 25 September 2010 League One | Peterborough United | 2–1 | Milton Keynes Dons | Peterborough |
| 15:00 GMT (UTC) | Mackail-Smith 36' McLean 48' |
Lewington 37' |
Stadium: London Road Stadium Attendance: 7,838 Referee: Andy D'Urso |
| 21 March 2011 League One | Milton Keynes Dons | 1–0 | Peterborough United | Milton Keynes |
| 19:45 GMT (UTC) | MacKenzie 69' |
Stadium: Stadium mk Attendance: 10,019 Referee: Graham Scott |
| 15 May 2011 League One Playoffs | Milton Keynes Dons | 3–2 | Peterborough United | Milton Keynes |
| 12:15 GMT (UTC) | Powell 47' Baldock 50' Balanta 56' |
Report | Mackail-Smith 8' McCann 81' (pen.) |
Stadium: Stadium mk Attendance: 12,662 Referee: Jonathan Moss |
| 19 May 2011 League One Playoffs | Peterborough United | 2–0 | Milton Keynes Dons | Peterborough |
| 19:45 GMT (UTC) | McCann 11' Mackail-Smith 54' |
Report | Stadium: London Road Stadium Attendance: 11,920 Referee: Colin Webster |
| 21 September 2013 League One | Peterborough United | 2–1 | Milton Keynes Dons | Peterborough |
| 15:00 GMT (UTC) | Knight-Percival 7' Tomlin 12' (pen)Assombalonga 34'Little 76' |
Report | McLeod 74' |
Stadium: London Road Stadium Attendance: 8,149 Referee: Darren Drysdale |
| 15 March 2014 League One | Milton Keynes Dons | 0–2 | Peterborough United | Milton Keynes |
| 15:00 GMT (UTC) | Report | Assombalonga 58', 60' (pen.) |
Stadium: Stadium mk Attendance: 9,590 Referee: Keith Hill |
| 16 August 2014 League One | Peterborough United | 3–2 | Milton Keynes Dons | Peterborough |
| 15:00 GMT (UTC) | McEvoy 45+1' Vassell 81', 85' |
Report | Alli 48' Powell 87' |
Stadium: ABAX Stadium Attendance: 7,115 Referee: Keith Stroud |
| 21 February 2015 League One | Milton Keynes Dons | 3–0 | Peterborough United | Milton Keynes |
| 15:00 GMT (UTC) | Gleeson 4' Reeves 30', 45+1' |
Report | Stadium: Stadium mk Attendance: 11,162 Referee: Dean Whitestone |
| 27 August 2016 League One | Milton Keynes Dons | 0–2 | Peterborough United | Milton Keynes |
| 15:00 BST | Walsh 31' Downing 45'Potter 66'Baldock 88' |
Report | Hughes 2' Taylor 64'Bostwick 71' |
Stadium: Stadium mk Attendance: 10,621 (2,171 Peterborough fans) Referee: Mark Heywood |
| 4 October 2016 EFL Trophy | Peterborough United | 0–1 | Milton Keynes Dons | Peterborough |
| 19:30 GMT (UTC) | Oduwa 78' |
Report | Agard 40' Rasulo 90+3'Carruthers 90+4' |
Stadium: ABAX Stadium Attendance: 1,793 (138 Dons fans) Referee: Trevor Kettle |
| 28 January 2017 League One | Peterborough United | 0–4 | Milton Keynes Dons | Peterborough |
| 15:00 GMT | Tafazolli 79' |
Report | Baldock 51' GB Williams 53'Barnes 59'Potter 67'Agard 71'Aneke 74', 83'Walsh 90' |
Stadium: London Road Stadium Attendance: 6,617 (685 Dons fans) Referee: John Busby |
| 12 September 2017 League One | Peterborough United | 2–0 | Milton Keynes Dons | Peterborough |
| 19:45 GMT | Tafazolli 47' Maddison 52' |
Report | Stadium: London Road Stadium Attendance: 6,465 Referee: Carl Boyeson |
| 30 December 2017 League One | Milton Keynes Dons | 1–0 | Peterborough United | Milton Keynes |
| 15:00 BST | Walsh 9' Gilbey 25'Aneke 27'Sow 35'Golbourne 43'GB Williams 90+5' |
Report; Report | Tafazolli 51' |
Stadium: Stadium mk Attendance: 10,304 Referee: Charles Breakspear |
| 4 September 2018 EFL Trophy | Milton Keynes Dons | 3–3 (6–5 p) | Peterborough United | Milton Keynes |
| 15:00 BST | Aneke 6' (45+1) Kasumu 29' Healey 33' 29' Jackson 74' |
Report | Cooper 56' Woodyard 58' Walker 87' Godden 90+3' |
Stadium: Stadium mk Attendance: 2404 Referee: Charles Breakspear |
| Penalties | ||||
Cissé  Watson Brittain Healey Cargill Nombe |
Toney Maddison Godden Cooper Walker Woodyard  |
|||
| 24 August 2019 League One | Milton Keynes Dons | 0–4 | Peterborough United | Milton Keynes |
| 15:00 BST | Boateng 62' Harley 90+3' |
Report | Maddison 21' Toney 28' Eisa 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 | Sorinola 32' Lewington 53' Kasumu 55' Jerome 78' Harvie 81' |
Report | Clarke-Harris 25' Pym 45+1' Burrows 68' |
Stadium: Stadium mk Attendance: n/a Referee: Robert Lewis |
| 16 January 2021 League One | Peterborough United | 3–0 | Milton Keynes Dons | Peterborough |
| 15:00 BST | Clarke-Harris 7' Szmodics 30' 65'Taylor 61' |
Report | Davies 90+1' |
Stadium: London Road Stadium Referee: Marc Edwards |
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).[89] 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 nearest rivals.[90] Although Peterborough United 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."[90]
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.[91] 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.[92][93] Four arrests were for public order offences, one for criminal damage, one for pitch encroachment, one for obstructing the police, and one for affray.[92]
Head to head
| Opponent | Matches | Won | Drawn | Lost | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northampton Town | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 57.1 |
| 16 August 2008 League One | Milton Keynes Dons | 1–0 | Northampton Town | Milton Keynes |
| Wilbraham 66' |
Report | Guttridge Coke |
Stadium: stadium:mk Attendance: 12,078 Referee: Gavin Ward (Surrey) |
| 28 April 2009 League One | Northampton Town | 0–1 | Milton Keynes Dons | Northampton |
| Holt Watts |
Report | Wilbraham 34' Stirling Navarro |
Stadium: Sixfields Stadium Attendance: 6,054 Referee: Keith Stroud (Hampshire) |
| 10 November 2009 League Trophy | Milton Keynes Dons | 3–1 | Northampton Town | Milton Keynes |
| Wilbraham 6' Baldock 16' 27' (pen) Gobern 62' Powell 73' McCracken 87' |
Report | Dunn 23' Rodgers 39' Guinan 51' |
Stadium: stadium:mk Attendance: 8,886 Referee: Wright |
| 4 September 2012 League Trophy | Northampton Town | 1–0 | Milton Keynes Dons | Northampton |
| Robinson 11' |
Report | Stadium: Sixfields Stadium Attendance: 3444 |
| 6 August 2013 League Cup | Northampton Town | 1–2 | Milton Keynes Dons | Northampton |
| O'Donovan 76' |
Report | Reeves 12' Banton 53' |
Stadium: Sixfields Stadium Attendance: 3,486 |
| 3 September 2013 League Trophy | Milton Keynes Dons | 2–0 | Northampton Town | Milton Keynes |
| Bamford 52' Alli 58' |
Stadium: stadium:mk Attendance: 4,299 |
| 9 January 2016 FA Cup | Northampton Town | 2–2 | Milton Keynes Dons | Northampton |
| Holmes 49' 58' |
Report | Ryan Cresswell 13' (own goal) Nicky Maynard 82' |
Stadium: Sixfields Stadium Attendance: 5878 Referee: Darren Drysdale |
| 19 January 2016 FA Cup | Milton Keynes Dons | 3–0 | Northampton Town | Milton Keynes |
| Reeves 53' Murphy 61' 71'Church 89' (pen) |
Report | Moloney 19' |
Stadium: stadium:mk Attendance: 15,133 Referee: Tony Harrington |
| 4 September 2016 League One | Northampton Town | 3–2 | Milton Keynes Dons | Northampton |
| Beautyman 8' Revell 13'Taylor 28' |
Report | Bowditch 38' Carruthers 90+4' |
Stadium: Sixfields Stadium Attendance: 6,618 Referee: David Webb |
| 21 January 2017 League One | Milton Keynes Dons | 5–3 | Northampton Town | Milton Keynes |
| 15:00 GMT | Agard 38' Aneke 43' (pen.), 56'Potter 63'Barnes 79' |
Report | Wylde 61' Richards 71', 84' (pen.) |
Stadium: stadium:mk Attendance: 12,300 (3,039 away fans) Referee: Roger East |
| 26 September 2017 League One | Milton Keynes Dons | 0–0 | Northampton Town | Milton Keynes |
| 19:45 | Report | Stadium: stadium:mk Attendance: 11,340 Referee: Chris Sarginson |
| 20 January 2018 League One | Northampton Town | 2–1 | Milton Keynes Dons | Northampton |
| O'Toole 16' Long 41' |
Report | Gilbey 19' Aneke 90+4' |
Stadium: Sixfields Stadium Attendance: 7,231 (1,210 away) Referee: Brett Huxtable |
| 20 October 2018 League Two | Milton Keynes Dons | 1–0 | Northampton Town | Milton Keynes |
| 15:00 GMT (Daylight Saving) | Agard 44' 71' Cargill 84' |
Report | McWilliams 63' Turnbull 70' Hoskins 74' Odoffin 79' Foley 89' |
Stadium: stadium:mk Attendance: 9,618 Referee: Brett Huxtable |
| 29 December 2018 League Two | Northampton Town | 2–2 | Milton Keynes Dons | Northampton |
| 15:00 GMT (Daylight Saving) | Crooks 26' van Veen 71' Pierre 72' A. Williams 78' Morias 90+1' |
Report | Gilbey 20' McGrandles 55' Aneke 69' Lewington 72' G. Williams 85' |
Stadium: Sixfields Stadium Attendance: 6,963 Referee: Graham Scott |
| 8 September 2020 EFL Trophy | Milton Keynes Dons | 3–1 | Northampton Town | Stadium MK |
| 19:00 BST | Poole 34' Nombe 74'Sorinola 77' |
Report | Mills 13' |
Attendance: n/a Referee: Christopher Pollard |
| 3 November 2020 League One | Northampton Town | 0–0 | Milton Keynes Dons | Northampton |
| 15:00 GMT (Daylight Saving) | Sowerby 7' |
Report | Kasumu 22' Jerome 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 |
AFC Wimbledon
Due to their shared ancestry in Wimbledon F.C., there is an unavoidably acrimonious rivalry with AFC Wimbledon[95] since the relocation of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes;[96] 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"[97]
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").[98] 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,[99] was also scored with his heel, and was consequently labelled "Heel of God II".[100] 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.[101]
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.[102] 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,[96] and eventually charged for breaching EFL regulations.[103] The charges were dropped.[104] 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.[105]
Head to head
| Opponent | Matches | Won | Drawn | Lost | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFC Wimbledon | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 63.6 |
| 2 December 2012 FA Cup R2 | Milton Keynes Dons | 2–1 | AFC Wimbledon | Milton Keynes |
| 12:30 GMT (UTC) | Report | Midson 59' |
Stadium: Stadium mk Attendance: 16,459 Referee: Scott Mathieson |
| 12 August 2014 League Cup R1 | Milton Keynes Dons | 3–1 | AFC Wimbledon | Milton Keynes |
| 19:45 BST (UTC+1) | Report | Tubbs 90+4' (pen.) |
Stadium: Stadium mk Attendance: 7,174 Referee: Dean Whitestone |
| 7 October 2014 League Trophy R2 South | Milton Keynes Dons | 2–3 | AFC Wimbledon | Milton Keynes |
| 19:45 BST (UTC+1) | Report | Stadium: Stadium mk Attendance: 4,407 Referee: Tim Robinson |
| 10 December 2016 League One | Milton Keynes Dons | 1–0 | AFC Wimbledon | Milton Keynes |
| 13:00 GMT | Bowditch 63' (pen) |
Report | Stadium: Stadium mk Attendance: 11,185 (1,967 AFC fans) Referee: Geoff Eltringham |
| 14 March 2017 League One | AFC Wimbledon | 2–0 | Milton Keynes Dons | Kingston upon Thames |
| 19:45 GMT (UTC) | Report | Stadium: Kingsmeadow Attendance: 4,112 (650 MK fans) Referee: Roger East |
| 22 September 2017 League One | AFC Wimbledon | 0–2 | Milton Keynes Dons | Kingston upon Thames |
| 19:45 BST (UTC+1) | Taylor 63' |
Report | Stadium: Kingsmeadow Attendance: 3,973 (c.300 MK fans) Referee: Mike Jones |
| 13 January 2018 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 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 |
|
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."[107][108]
Head to head
| Opponent | Matches | Won | Drawn | Lost | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wycombe Wanderers | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 44.4% |
| 16 December 2006 League Two | Milton Keynes Dons | 3–1 | Wycombe Wanderers | Milton Keynes |
| 15:00 GMT | Andrews 17' Diallo 23'McLeod 26' (pen.)Platt 45' |
Report | Mooney 7', 31' Grant 28'Doherty 45'  80'Stockley 71'Betsy 73' |
Stadium: National Hockey Stadium Attendance: 5,977 Referee: R Beeby |
| 28 April 2007 League Two | Wycombe Wanderers | 0–2 | Milton Keynes Dons | Wycombe |
| 15:00 GMT | Golbourne 24' Easter 26'Grant 27'Martin 52'Bloomfield 86' |
Report | Jarrett 69' McLeod 90' |
Stadium: Adams Park Attendance: 7,150 Referee: A Hall |
| 3 November 2007 League Two | Wycombe Wanderers | 1–1 | Milton Keynes Dons | High Wycombe |
| 15:00 | Bloomfield 37' Antwi 73' |
Report | Wilbraham 30' Cameron 45'Wright 53'Knight 55'Andrews 57'Dyer 58'Guéret 89' |
Stadium: Adams Park Attendance: 5,929 Referee: Keith Stroud |
| 12 April 2008 League Two | Milton Keynes Dons | 2–2 | Wycombe Wanderers | Milton Keynes |
| 15:00 | Swailes 42' Navarro 71'Wilbraham 72'O'Hanlon 90' |
Report | McGleish 37', 73' Knight 40'Oakes 62'Doherty 71'Fielding 90' |
Stadium: Stadium mk Attendance: 12,747 Referee: Clive Oliver |
| 19 September 2009 League One | Wycombe Wanderers | 0–1 | Milton Keynes Dons | High Wycombe |
| Report | Kouo-Doumbé 44' |
Stadium: Adams Park Attendance: 6,127 Referee: Grant Hegley |
| 17 April 2010 League One | Milton Keynes Dons | 2–3 | Wycombe Wanderers | Milton Keynes |
| Wilbraham 45', 75' Chadwick 80' |
Report | Revell 29', 64' Betsy 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 14', 55' Ibehre 66' Kouo-Doumbé 71' |
Report | Beavon 51', 90' Trotta 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 17' Lewis 71' Beavon 90+2' |
Report | Smith 32' Powell 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 12' Onyedinma 37' Smyth 60' Phillips 68' Wheeler 88' 90' |
Report | Bowery 32' McGrandles 45+5' Houghton 51' (pen) |
Stadium: Adams Park Attendance: 5,243 Referee: Trevor Kettle |
| League One | Milton Keynes Dons | v | Wycombe Wanderers | Milton Keynes |
| Stadium: stadium MK |
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.[110] 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).[111]
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.[112]
Youth academy
.jpg.webp)
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 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 graduate and first team midfielder Dele Alli was sold to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur for a fee in the region of £5 million.[113] Alli became the first Milton Keynes Dons academy graduate to make a full England senior team debut, on 9 October 2015.[114]
Kevin Danso is a graduate of the academy[115] 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.[116][117]
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.[118]
Players
First-team squad
- As of 1 May 2022[119]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
.svg.png.webp){kind=small}
Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
Notable players
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".[121]
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.[122] Similarly Dietmar Hamman made 12 appearances as a player-coach before retiring.[123]
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.[124] Former Ireland international Clinton Morrison[125] 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 26 September 2022.[126]
| 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 | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} 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– | 751 | 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 | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} 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 |
Player of the Year
|
|
Source:[129]
- 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.[127]
Club staff
Football staff
|
Senior management
|
Managerial history
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.[132] 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
- Runners-up: 2014–15
Cup
- Winners: 2007–08
- Winners: 2006–07
- Runners-up: 2005–06, 2017–18
- Portimão Cup[133]
- Winners: 2004
Source: 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 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.[134] They compete in the FA Women's National League South.
Footnotes
- 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]
- 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]
- For a full description of positions see Football positions.
- 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.
References
- "Dons out of administration". ESPN. 1 July 2004. Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
A club statement read: 'InterMK are pleased to announce that the Football League have today issued their final approval of the voluntary arrangement (CVA) and confirmed the transfer of the Wimbledon FC League share to Milton Keynes Dons Ltd, bringing certainty to a future for the football club in Milton Keynes.'
- "WebCHeck". London: Companies House. Archived from the original on 29 December 2008. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
- "The Accord 2006" (PDF). Sunderland: Football Supporters' Federation. 2 October 2006. Retrieved 17 February 2015.; "MK Dons agree to return Wimbledon trophies to Merton—and sanction amendments to football statistics" (PDF). Sunderland: Football Supporters' Federation. 29 June 2007. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
And, on behalf of both clubs, the FSF respectfully requests that, with immediate effect, our media colleagues now refer to MK Dons in relation ONLY to matches played since their first Football League fixture was fulfilled against Barnsley on August 7, 2004.
- "Five reasons why MK Dons would be a great first job for Steven Gerrard". ITV News. 18 November 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
- MK Dons' Dele Alli has the makings of next Steven Gerrard – BBC Sport, 19 September 2014
- Osborne, Chris (27 September 2013). "MK Dons: A decade of football in Milton Keynes". BBC Sport.
- "Report: Women 7 Keynsham Town 1". www.mkdons.com. 13 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- "History in Milton Keynes". MK Web. Cambridge: Iliffe News and Media Limited. Archived from the original on 28 July 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2010.
- Bale, John (1993). Sport, Space and the City. London: Routledge. p. 70. ISBN 0-415-08098-3.; Ward, Andrew; Williams, John (2010) [2009]. Football Nation: Sixty Years of the Beautiful Game. London: Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 362–363. ISBN 978-1-4088-0126-0.; Parker, Raj; Stride, Steve; Turvey, Alan (28 May 2002). Report of the Independent Commission on Wimbledon F.C.'s wish to relocate to Milton Keynes (PDF). The Football Association. p. 21.
- Southgate, Robert (5 April 1973). "Interview with Rodney Stone". The Kentish Independent. London.; "Programme Notes". Charlton Athletic Match Programme. Charlton Athletic F.C.: 2. 14 April 1973.
- "Luton Town 1 MK Dons 0". When Saturday Comes. June 2005. Archived from the original on 9 March 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2010.
Thus the spectre of Luton moving to Milton Keynes has been raised regularly over the years, but the opposition of either the fans (vehement) or the Football League (ironic, given that it was on the basis of a club moving out of its area) always came to the rescue.
- Noades, Ron (1 April 2001). "I looked at MK in the 70's". BBC. Retrieved 30 May 2009.
- Roach, Stuart (2 August 2001). "Too big for their roots". BBC. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
- Neville, Conor (18 September 2014). "Balls Remembers: The Complete Story Of How Dublin Almost Got A Premier League Team". Balls.ie. Dublin: Balls Media Ltd. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- Shaw, Phil (12 June 1997). "Hammam sells up without moving out". The Independent. London: Independent News & Media. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
- Bose, Mihir (16 August 2001). "Hammam cast in villain's role as Dons seek happy ending". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2009.
- Wallace, Sam (2 August 2001). "Wimbledon on move to Milton Keynes". Daily Telegraph. London: Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
- Lock, Toby (17 July 2017). "Ten years of Stadium MK: No Threat of Ground Being a White Elephant". The Milton Keynes Citizen. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- Cloake, Martin (29 August 2014). "Why MK Dons' 4–0 victory over Manchester United didn't cause universal joy". New Statesman. London. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
- Conn, David (27 November 2012). "Peter Winkelman: 'I'm not proud of how football came to Milton Keynes'". The Guardian. London: Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
- Milton Keynes Council (29 March 2000). "Item 24, Milton Keynes Council Policy and Resources Committee, 29 March 2000" (PDF). What Do They Know. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- Willacy, Gavin (February 2007). "Relocation, relocation". When Saturday Comes. Archived from the original on 4 July 2008. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- "Move or die: 'A whole raft of us believe it is better to live, even if somewhere else'". The Independent. London: Independent News & Media. 10 November 2002. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
- Parker, Raj; Stride, Steve; Turvey, Alan (28 May 2002). Report of the Independent Commission on Wimbledon F.C.'s wish to relocate to Milton Keynes (PDF). The Football Association. pp. 17–18, 61–67. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 November 2004. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
The proposal has met with considerable opposition, and not just from the WFC fans. ... [M]ost of the hundreds (over 600) of communications we have received have argued against the proposal. They have generally been from individual WFC fans. 57. Supporters' associations and individual fans from many other clubs and people from as far afield as the United States, Australia (Wimbledon Supporters Downunder), Russia and Norway have also expressed similar views. ... The fans are not of the opinion that a club in Milton Keynes is better than no club at all.
; "Dons get Milton Keynes green light". BBC. 28 May 2002. Retrieved 31 August 2009. - Parker, Raj; Stride, Steve; Turvey, Alan (28 May 2002). Report of the Independent Commission on Wimbledon F.C.'s wish to relocate to Milton Keynes (PDF). The Football Association. pp. 1, 9–34. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 November 2004. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
- White, Jim (11 January 2003). "Pitch battle". The Guardian. London: Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
Ten miles from Selhurst Park, in Kingston upon Thames, the following Saturday, the streets around the tidy little Kingsmeadow football ground are filling up an hour before kick-off. It is here that Wimbledon fans, fed up with the direction in which the owners were leading the object of their love, have set up a football club of their own. ... Early in 2001, Wimbledon's owners announced that they intended to move the club to the Buckinghamshire new town. The fans were adamant that it should remain in their community. 'They wanted to steal our club,' says Kevin Rye, of the Wimbledon Independent Supporters Association (Wisa). 'Nick it and move it 70 miles north. That's what it is: nothing short of theft.'
- "Dons could move during season". London: BBC. 5 July 2002. Archived from the original on 19 November 2004. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
- "Wimbledon go into administration". The Daily Telegraph. London. 6 June 2003. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
- "Confusion mounts over Don's home ground". London: BBC. 3 July 2003. Archived from the original on 11 March 2005. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
- "Winkelman will still back Dons". London: BBC. 15 July 2003. Archived from the original on 11 March 2005. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
- "Wimbledon 2–2 Burnley". London: BBC. 26 September 2003. Retrieved 17 November 2014.; "It's mooing not booing". London: BBC. 27 September 2003. Archived from the original on 11 March 2005. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
- "Wimbledon to change name". BBC. 21 June 2004. Retrieved 5 June 2009.; "Wimbledon become MK Dons FC". The Guardian. London: Guardian News and Media. 21 June 2004. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
- Mitchell, Kevin (8 August 2004). "McLeod gives Dons sense of identity". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
- "Murdoch axed by Dons". BBC Three Counties. 10 November 2004. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
- "MK Dons part company with Wilson". BBC Three Counties. 11 May 2006. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
- "Baggies confirm Di Matteo as boss". BBC Sport. BBC. 30 June 2009. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
- "Ince reappointed as MK Dons boss". BBC. 3 July 2009. Retrieved 3 July 2009.
- Bob Williams (16 April 2010). "Paul Ince announces that he will leave MK Dons at the end of the season". Telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 April 2010.
- "Dons spring surprise by appointing Robinson as new boss". BBC. 10 May 2010. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
- Osborne, Chris (26 August 2014). "Milton Keynes Dons 4–0 Manchester United". BBC Sport.
- "Milton Keynes Dons 6–0 Colchester United". BBC Sport.
- "MATCH REPORT: MK Dons 7 – 0 Oldham – Christmas comes early at stadiummk". OneMK. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
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