October Blog

Sad to see the Back of Jimmy Bullard ! Picture was taken as Jimmy arrived for Blackburn game watched by Karl Robinson sadly Jimmy did not make many appearances in the Players entrance.

The month of October started with the sad but not unexpected news that Jimmy Bullard had been forced to retire due to a recurring knee injury I met and spoke to Jimmy a few times but not as many times as Id have liked and like many fans I would have liked to see him play a lot more here at MK Dons.

Jimmy's career has included stints with West Ham Peterborough Wigan Athletic, Fulham Ipswich and Hull City the midfielder has had a 14-year playing career but has been plagued with injury in later years.

Jimmy ruptured the cruciate ligaments in his knee twice in three years once at Fulham and again on his debut for Hull in 2009 and three years on the pain and playing restrictions forced Bullard to visit a consultant the last week of September after the news broke Jimmy said “My old knee injury has never allowed me to get back to where I want to be as a football player; it’s always hindered me. There are a lot of games in this League and I now know my knee won’t allow me to play Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday-Tuesday, it’s not built for that now.I want to be out there playing but at the same time I know my knee won’t allow me to play at my best and to keep my place in the team. I’m hindering myself more than I am helping myself for the future.” This ended his career just four weeks after Jimmy signed a short-term deal with the Dons.
Jimmy added “I honestly think MK Dons can do something special with the manager and the group of players they have here. I wish them all the best and I hope they realise how lucky they are to be at a Club like this and to play for a manager like Karl, because he’s going to achieve great things for this Club. I believe he is going to become a top manager.

Good Luck Jimmy and I am sure whatever you do in the future it will be with a smile on your face.

Our next game and first of the month was against Coventry a team that not so long ago were top flight , like us they have a 32 thousand seater stadium although theirs is complete.
The attendance's this season have been about the same as ours no doubt boosted by away fans wanting to see the once Prem boys ground..
Sadly the fixture was on a Tuesday night which meant a lot of our away regulars could not attend but 697 of the MK Army did make the trip.

Coventry have had a rubbish start to the season and sat in the relegation zone but under new manager Mark Robins had just picked up a win the Saturday before.


The game followed a now familiar patten with the Dons starting slowly and under pressure and even conceded an early'ish goal.


Gleeson got a goal from a deflected shot after we had a free kick and we were then back in the game but Charlie again missed a sitter when he seemed to get tangled up in his own feet and Powell missed a chance as well the rest of the team seemed frightened to shoot and the game played out to a frustrating one all draw with the whole second half a nail-biting frustrating affair.

I don't think Coventry will be in the relegation zone for long but at the time it was on paper a game we perhaps should have won. I consoled myself with the fact it was a point on the road which I am usually happy with but this pattern of being the stronger team and missing chances is now getting boring.
The teams lined up
Coventry: Murphy, Baker, McSheffrey (Fleck 68) , Barton (Ball 78), Christie, Wood, Edjenguele (Cameron 68), McGoldrick, Moussa, Reckord, Bailey. Unused subs: Dunn, Hussey, Willis, Henderson.Goal was by Wood on 34
Dons: Martin, Otsemobor, Lewington, Williams, Gleeson, Potter, Bowditch, MacDonald (Smith 79), Powell, Kay, Chadwick (O'Shea 73) Unused subs: McLoughlin, Doumbe, Chicksen (why is he not starting ?), Lowe, O'Shea, Allan.
The goal by Gleeson was on 42
Attendance was 9,948 and 697 were Dons fans where have all Coventry's fans gone ?
The draw meant we slipped down to fifth from third going into the Portsmouth game.

On Thursday I spoke to Karl at Woughton and mentioned the missed chances and the fact Id seen the strikers and wingers working on shooting with Wrighty that morning.

Karl said we work on it all the time and that it was frustrating for him watching the players not shooting or missing chances, Id said that it was the tap in's we seem to be missing and Karl then mentioned the players he had wanted to bring in and that he had been told he cant have them.

Karl also said later when myself and another fan asked about Portsmouth that although they are on one month contract's a few are on a lot more than any of our players including Izale ! I got the impression Karl is feeling some pressure although we are fifth in the league and still well placed to push on.

I thought at the start of the season that as a club we seem to be expecting to get Automatic and that this does put a hell of a lot of pressure on the manager and players !



Portsmouth

Portsmouth manager Micheal Appleton signs autographs as he arrives at StadiumMK

I got to the stadium about one o'clock and there were already a lot of Pompey fans about with one coach arriving about half twelve I was told.

I got chatting to a couple of Pompey fans and they informed me of the current situation regarding the administration and likely buyers but did not think that the fan trust option could work but it might be the only one ! they also said they still could not believe they were in third division and said that the Championship was the league they enjoyed most as the Prem seemed to be about survival and they thought it was quite boring knowing they would finish on forty points and just survive.

The game itself started very badly for the Dons and within 4 minutes the Dons all time leading scorer Izale McLeod did what returning players often do and scored against his old club, and this was after a missed pen by captain Brian Howard that Izale had earned Pompey.

And the pressure was on and continued until Gabor Gyepes put us under even more re on 20 minutes when he made it two nil.

The Dons seemed to get over the shock of the mad first half hour of pressure and slowly got back into the game then Webster managed to get the ball in his own net after a cross from Lewie was knocked on from Kay and it was game on.

Second half was altogether a more even affair and Potter slotted the ball in after Powell missed his chance and it was honours even, we kept pressing but again miss having a striker that can actually score even Chadders missed a chance.

I thought Mustapha Dumbuya and Wesley Thomas were the pick of the Pompey players and keeper Andersen incidentaly all are on loan Thomas from Bournemouth the other two from Reading.
The teams lined up Dons: Martin; Otsemobor (Smith 33), Kay, Williams, Lewington (c); Potter, Gleeson; Powell, Chadwick, Bowditch; MacDonald (Allan 69)
Goals were by: Webster (og) 40 and Potter 72
We had two booked: Kay and Smith
Subs not used: McLoughlin, Chicksen, Kouo-Doumbe, O’Shea

Pompey: Andersen; Dumbuya, Michalik, Gyepes, Webster; Williamson, Ertl, Howard (c) (Buzasaky 81), Harley; Thomas (Obita 81), McLeod
Goals by McLeod 4 and Gyepes 20
Booked just McLeod old habits and all that.
Subs not used: Eastwood, Walker, Compton, Harris, Rodgers

The Referee was David Coote who I did not think was as bad as some thought I probably give him a seven out of ten.

Attendance was 10,409 helped by an excellent 2,552 very noisy Pompey fans.
But it was really all about Izale that day.

Izale McLeod Still MK Dons all time leading goalscorer and likely to remain so on our current strikers form.

Before the Preston game there was a behind closed door match against Brighton, as it was at the Stadium we did not get to see it but reading the two clubs reports it seems both clubs were happy with the performances and no injuries were sustained.

We had two trialists playing but neither have been named one came on and set up Alli and then scored himself I often hear who the trialists are but most of the time nothing comes of it so I don't bother and really think its not fair to name them unless Im told it does not matter.

Dons played a mixture of returning from injury players, trialists and players who haven't had a game for a while along with some of the academy players.
McLoughlin had a good game by all accounts and the teams lined up
Dons in the usaul first team 4-2-3-1 formation: McLoughlin; Osae (Trialist 46), Hickford, Doumbe, Chicksen, Galloway, Alli; Osei-Addo (Summerfield 77), Allan, Trialist; Lowe.

Subs not used keeper Charlie Burns.
Goals: Alli 47, Trialist 58

Albion used a 4-3-3 formation East, Sampayo, Dunk, Jones (Akubuine 66), Painter; Richards (Peake 83), March, Gray (Wiltshire 60); Barker, Goodwin, Agdestein. Subs not used: Keeper Smith .

There was good and bad news later in the week when we heard Gary MacKenzie would be out for three months but that Doumbe was unscathed from his run out against Brighton and was fit to play on Sunday against Preston North End.

Our next game was against Preston and we have never beaten them so expectation's were not really high.
The game was on Sky but it probably was not the best game for the viewing public as the teams cancelled each other out for the better part of the game.

It was a typical Dons performance in many ways and we again lacked the killer blow in the final third I commented on twitter through the game that we seem to have a player missing ! by that I mean we get those crosses in the box and there is no one there to tap in usually because we are not playing 4-4-2 or in the second half at Deepdale because when we do we have no fox in the box.


Sodje missed a couple of sitters and if truth were told Preston had the better of the chances although I thought we were slightly the better team..but I think we have heard that a few too many times this season.

The most controversial decision of the game I thought was the blatant penalty that was not seen by either the referee or the ideally placed Linesman, or assistant referee as they like to be called but in reality they rarely assist.

MacDonald was clearly brought down by Stuckmann but the referee bizarrely awarded a goal kick and more surprisingly not booking McDonald who he obviously thought dived.

The pundits Ronnie Moore and Peter Beagrie in the Sky studio both agreed it was a stonewall penalty as did many Preston fans, in fact it was hard to find anyone who thought otherwise.

Another draw and although almost always welcome on the road at this quarter way through the season stage one has to wonder if the Auto spots are a realistic target !

Yes we are playing at times some nice football no hoofball and no dirty tactics but we are not getting those results that are the difference between the teams that get promoted and the also rans.

The teams lined up Preston North End: Stuckmann, Keane, Laird, Wroe, Huntington (Robertson, 35), Wright, Monakana, Welsh, Beavon, Sodje (Cummins, 82), Hayhurst (Mousinho, 46). Subs not used: Simonsen, Amoo, Cummins, Procter, King.

Dons Lined up: Martin, Otsemobor, Lewington, Doumbe, Williams, Gleeson, Potter, Bowditch, Smith (Lowe, 64), Chadwick, Allan (McDonald, 64). Subs not used: Chicksen, McLoughlin, O’Shea.

Attendance was 8,327 with 177 annoyed Dons fans.

The referee was Craig Pawson who up till the penalty appeal was not too bad well for what we are used to in League one anyway.

We stay seventh for the second week and next up we have a local Derby with Wesley's former team high flying Stevenage

Stevenage Manager Gary Smith

Next up was a home game against Stevenage who have had a great start to the season with just a minor blip the week before.
In fact they have had the sort of start we wish we had.

Stevenage also get my newly created award for the friendliest players and manager to come to Milton Keynes, all the players stopped and chatted and Robin Shroot even got a couple of tickets for one of the fans.

I was chatting to one of the fans and his mum and they said they are always like that and couple of players even knew them by name and said hello as they arrived.

As for the game well it was same old same old we probably deserved a draw but the headers and shots we did have were weak and the keeper made good saves and held on to the ball to deny any tap in we could have got.
To make things worse Gleeson will be out for up to three months after a foot injury.

Robin Shroot

Mark Roberts

We now moved down the table into eighth place as other results helped us not slip down any further, few boo's at the end and even odd shout of Robbo out which is a bit over the top considering we were playing a good side.
But the frustration of a toothless strike force and a loss at home and the high expectation of fans this season seemed to boil over.
As a crowd we were the quietest I have (not) heard all season made worse by the as always noisy Stevenage lot.
Teams lined up
Dons the not working 4-2-3-1: Martin, Otsemobor (Chicksen 62), Kouo-Doumbe, Williams, Lewington (c), Potter, Gleeson, Chadwick, Allan, O’Shea (MacDonald 62), Smith (Lowe 62).
Subs not used: McLoughlin, Kay.

Booked just Chicksen according to OS but Otsemobor got a yellow as I remember.

Stevenage also lined up 4-2-3-1 but got a goal: Arnold, Gray, N’Gala, Roberts (c), Charles; Tansey, Dunne; Akins, Morais (Rogers82), Freeman (Risser 72), Haber.

Subs not used: Day, Ball, Iro, Lopez, Shroot.

Booked Charles according to OS but I thought there was another but couldn't find record of it on BBC match report and can not be bothered to look elsewhere.

Referee: Andrew Madley from West Yorkshire who was okay seven out of ten.

Attendance: 9,190 1,019 noisy away fans.

The FA Cup first round draw saw us get an away draw at Cambridge City which has gone down well with everyone including City fans who are buzzing about the draw the only downside was the amount of tickets we were allocated due to the size of the Milton Road ground.

So after the home loss it was back on the road to newly promoted Crawley for the Tuesday night game.
But just before the game came the news that Angelo Balanta the QPR winger had signed up for his third spell at the Dons by agreeing a one-month loan move.

The 22-year-old, whose last senior appearance was for the Dons last December ,Angelo was available for the trip to Crawley.

However he will not be allowed to play in the FA Cup first round tie at Cambridge City on 2 November.

Balanta played 49 games during his two previous loan stints at Stadium MK and scored 12 goals.

Angelo's QPR appearances have been few and far between and last played in April 2010 but he has signed a new two-year contract in the summer.

But even the return of Angelo was not enough to change the fortune's of the team and we lost 2-0 Karl said after the game he was sounding like a broken record and I feel the same writing about the matches lately, better team missed chances etc etc we have now slipped down to tenth in the league and look more like a pretty football playing mid table team than a promotion chasing efficient one.

The fans are getting restless and more annoyed by the week and I think the reasons are clear for us all to see, the system is not working ! we have not got Keith Andrews or Lloyd Dyer or even Peter Leven to get goals from midfield and the strikers we have got are not capable of playing to any effect the lone striker role.

The teams lined up
Crawley Town: P Jones, Sadler, McFadzean, Akpan (Torres 86), Clarke (M Jones 90), Alexander (c), Simpson, Bulman (Connolly 86), Adams, Bryne, Davis.

Subs not used: M Kuipers, Connolly, Forte, Hunt.

Booked: Clarke, Davis

Goals: both by Clarke on 21 and 89

MK Dons: Martin; Otsemobor, Kouo-Doumbe, Kay, Lewington (c); Potter, Williams; Powell, Chadwick (Smith 74), Balanta (Chicksen 65); MacDonald (Lowe 46).

Subs not used: McLoughlin, Gleeson who's injury was not as bad as first thought, O’Shea, Allan who now return's to his parent club.

Booked: Just Williams

Referee was Simon Hooper the attendance was 2,853 with 249 Dons fans.

So it was off Scunthorpe a team that according to Karl have a third of the budget they had when in the Championship and judging by the attendance on the day about a fifth of the fans they had then.

Languishing at the bottom end of the table it was a good time to play them at their place the fans are unhappy and the manager under pressure and Scunthorpe's problems seem massive compared to ours going into the game.

But you still have to win the games and with our recent worries I was not that convinced when I saw the starting line up with Doumbe left out and Chicksen left on the bench again , we seemed to be relying on lone striker Alan Smith who has scored twice in five years to get us on the score sheet.

Apart from a few spells we bossed the game and for a change our recent and usual dominance resulted in goals with MOTM Luke Chadwick grabbing a brace and Smith getting a tap in (although it came off a centre back last). Luke's first was a bit on the lucky side with Slocombe fumbling his save and giving Luke the chance to bury the goal but we have not had that bit of luck of late so I'll take it, his second was featured on SSN as possible goal of the day but his hatrick alluded him as Slocombe guessed right and saved the penalty.

I think that game was quite a turning point and fully expect us to push on in the League where we climb from 10th to 8th and the Auto dream was alive again and definitely within reach of the Play Off's.

The teams lined up
Scunthorpe United: Slocombe, Ribeiro, Walker, Mirfin, Reid (c), Jennings (Ryan 71), Duffy, Collins, Newey, Hawley, Prutton (Grella 64).
Subs not used: Severn, Kennedy, Gibbons, Canavan, Keegan.

Dons lined up: Martin; Otsemobor, Kay, Williams, Lewington (c); Potter, Gleeson; Powell (Chicksen 37), Chadwick (O’Shea 84), Balanta; Smith (Lowe 75).
Subs not used: McLoughlin, MacDonald, Alli.
Booked: The usaul suspects Kay and Smith
Goals by Chadwick were on 17 and 30, and Smith on 60
Referee was Dean Whitestone
Attendance was another low one of 2,737 with 164 very cold Don's fans.

Man of the Match Luke Chadwick

So one win in the whole of October and a frustrating time for many of us but such is the League this season with no real runaway leaders we are still up there.

Stevenage lost and Tranmere drew losing points, in fact point wise we are still up there with the pack chasing Automatic, and right there with the play off contenders.

Crawley are up to second which makes our loss there seem a bit more bearable in fact none of the League one teams won at home on Saturday 27th.

But at the end of last month I wrote that we were third and had seventeen points one behind Notts and just four away from Tranmere with nine games gone.
We are now eighth with twenty three points 15 games into the season.

We are 2 points behind Notts and are now 8 points behind leaders Tranmere and 6 points behind second and third place Crawley and Stevenage.

Next up the magic of the FA Cup and away to Cambridge City the game will be on ESPN on Friday night if you can not be there for any reason and it will be a nice pay day for City.
COYD

September Blog Part Two

The month of September so far up to the Yeovil game had been commented on a lot and on reflection there was almost a sense of mid season pessimism about our progress.
I was probably amongst the disappointed but not in the were doomed club, after the Glovers game I looked at the table and results and it did not look so bad ! six games in with ten points and only four behind the leaders who were not Bournemouth or Sheffield Unt as some had predicted.

In fact Bournemouth were nearer the bottom than the top of the table and that is with Harry Rednapp there giving his services for free .. allegedly.

So after the euphoria of the Glovers win had subsided and I was in more reflective mood I thought really the only bad result was Walsall, a draw at Bournemouth and the loss to Swindon over the season are probably the kind of results one would expect.
Of course the sore point is the red cards and I think that more than the results was what most of us were upset about.

The first game of the second September blog is the home game with Notts County a team who have spent a bit and seem to have a decent budget and are also ahead of us at this early stage in the league table they also have 29 players which is a big squad these days.

Looking at Notts recent past with Allen and Ince and now Curle it seems we have an old established set up with the same manager through their managerial crisis's in fact it seems like Robbo has been here forever.

The fact we are the youngest League club and they are the oldest in the world does seem to laugh in the face of the old traditionalists that say history is all in important , when you consider the recent problems Notts have had with the phoney businessmen and banks promising them Prem in three years the arrival of Sven and Sol and even hastier departure our grumbles about cladding and car parks seem quite petty.

The Infamous Lee Hughes arrives at SMK

The manager Kieth Curle arrived with the players but sat on the coach for over twenty minutes before getting off in fact I got bored waiting and went for a coffee I remembered Warnock did the same thing when he came with QPR and Curle who was his assistant must have learnt that off him lol.

The game itself was Id imagine for the neutral quite good Jamal Campelll-Ryce being the pick of the Notts players for me which was annoying as the BBC said he was unlikely to play.

Both teams had their chances and both keepers made crucial saves and overall Id say the draw was a fair result Notts seemed to be happy with a draw from the off with the keeper lucky to not be booked for time wasting we again were not clinical in front of goal and this is really the story of the season so far.

Karl said after the game much the same thing and that the boys got him out of trouble and reverted to a 4-4-2 with Lowe and MacDonald up front something the fans have been saying we should play for a while and especially on the road,so it was strange to hear Robbo say that for home matches! at home we have more room and if the 4-2-3-1 system was going to work that is where it would be most effective.

Notts star player Jamal Campell-Ryce

The teams lined up MK Dons 4-2-3-1: Martin; Otsemobor, MacKenzie, Kay (O’Shea 54), Lewington (c); Potter, Gleeson; Powell, Williams, Chadwick (Lowe 64); MacDonald (Smith 81).
Subs: McLoughlin, Bowditch, Chicksen, Bullard.
Booked: Lewington, Potter ,Otsemobor and OS only listed two bookings !
Goal: O’Shea scored on 68

Notts County: Bialkowski, Kelly, Bishop (c), Leacock, Liddle, Judge, Zoko (L Hughes 78), Arquin (Showunmi 87), Labadie, Campbell-Ryce (G Hughes 65), former Don Regan.
Subs: Bencherif, Spiess, Wholey, Hollis.
Goal: Bishop 21
The OS didnt list the Notts bookings but BBC listed the appropriatly named LaBadie
I thought there was at least another booking but hey ho.
Referee: Eddie Ilderton who was average and not helped by his linesmen who missed a lot of offsides and saw a few non offsides as off.
Attendance: 7,121 with 650 away which was not too bad considering it was champions league night on the telly.

Next up was an away trip to bottom of the table Bury and we were all hoping for our first away win of the season.

In truth the Dons were never troubled by the Shakers and dominated the game throughout, there was a nervy few minutes after the never knowingly undersold John-Lewis (sorry couldnt resist)got a late consolation goal in the 80th minute
but when Bowditch scored just after we had played half an hour and Bury needed to come forward more the result was not in much doubt.

Bowditch then added two more goals second half to put the game to bed and I was then hoping for the clean sheet which never knowingly put the damper on.
Chadwick our top goal scorer not to be outdone grabbed an injury time goal to make the score 1-4 and take us up to fourth in the League at this early stage of the season.

Bury were managerless and bottom of the table but we beat them comfortably and thats all you can ask for.
But more importantly we have our first win of the season away from home and that is always a nice thing to get before heads go down and it becomes a monkey on the back.
The teams lined up
Bury: Carson who probably saved it from being seven , Skarz, Lockwood who was injured in clash with Charlie Mac(Marshall 39), Sweeney (Worrall 59), Schumacher (c), Carrington former Don was kept quiet, Sodje, Hughes, Jones, Healy, Hopper.

Subs not used: Byrne, according to OS John-Lewis which is strange as he scored, Elford-Alliyu, Cullen, Belford.
Goal was by John-Lewis on 81 even though he was an unused sub lol

MK Dons lined up 4-2-3-1: Martin; Otsemobor who pulled up injured on 45(Kouo-Doumbe , Kay, Williams, Lewington (c); Potter, Gleeson; Bowditch was subbed to take the applause (Powell 71), Chadwick, O’Shea; MacDonald who got a gash that could not be stiched in time(Lowe 41).
Subs not used: McLoughin, Smith, Chicksen.

Chadwick the only booking.

Goal times were Bowditch 33, 55, 67, Chadwick 90

Referee was Mark Haywood who was for a ref pretty decent

The attendance was a lowly 2,321 with 179 Dons fans.
The game itself was Id imagine for the neutral quite good Jamal Campelll -Ryce being the pick of the Notts players for me which was annoying as the BBC said he was unlikely to play .
Both teams had their chances and both keepers made crucial saves.

Martin O'Neill signing Autographs for a couple of lucky fans.

On Tuesday 25th the much anticipated game with Sunderland was upon us and I have to admit that I did not think we would win this one.
Sunderland under Martin O'Neill put out a strong side and I think want to go as far as they can in the Capital One Cup and unlike some Prem teams O'Neill has respect for the League Cup as I still like to call it.

For Cup games I like to go in club red as a little treat to myself and while I was there I ran into Peter Leven who actually remembered me and said hello and he told me he was still living in MK and had been injured recently so had not been playing, he was there as guest of Gary McKenzie I said are you keeping him out of trouble and he laughed and said that's impossible ! before anyone gets the wrong idea it was a joke and Gary is quite the gentleman off the pitch.

Also floating about was Jabo but I never got to speak to him but he was not in Bury as some had suggested.

As for the game I thought we played well first half and did not look like a team two division below in fact I heard some reports from various media sources saying we looked the better team.

When Cattermole was sent off after just half an hour I thought we could win this and knowing that it was likely we would go two up front second half a cup upset was on the cards.

But then just nine minutes into the second half Gardner scored from a free kick that left second choice keeper McLoughlin rooted to the spot this seemed to be the catalyst for the Dons to fade from the game and despite changing the formation to two up front we never looked anywhere near as good as we did first half.

The second goal came and although did flatter the visitors we never looked like we were going to score but a one nil defeat would have reflected the game better I thought, we were not for the first time this season toothless in front goal and we really need to find someone who can take the chances we create personally unless we can get someone in on loan or buy in January Id play Bowditch up front.

So we are now out of the cup both JPT and League and await the FA draw though realistically it is not a competition we are ever likely to win or go past the fourth round in and will probably field a weakened team and concentrate on the League campaign.
The teams lined up
MK Dons 4-2-3-1 McLoughlin, Chicksen, Kay, Williams, Lewington (c); Potter, Gleeson; Powell (O’Shea 78), Chadwick (Lowe 62), Bowditch; Smith (MacDonald 62).
Subs not used: Burns, Kouo-Doumbe, Alli, Spence. Kay was booked.

Sunderland lined up Westwood,Rose, Cattermole (c), Kilgallon, Colback, Vaughan, Meyler, McClean, Saha, Sessegnon (Johnson 85).
Subs not used: Mignolet, Campbell, Wickham, Dong-Won, Fletcher, Egan. The captain Cattermole was sent off on 31 and Colback was booked the goals were scored by Gardner on 54 and McLean on 82 the referee was Stuart Attwell who I thought was pretty good to be fair.

The attendance was 10,489 bolstered by a very good turnout from Sunderland listed as 2,978 but looked and sounded more Sunderland have loads of fans in the South of England and a large supporter club in London but Id imagine a fair few travelled down from Sunderland as well.

Sunderland's Craig Gardner

Sunderland's second goalscorer James McLean.

Adam Chicksen Dons M.O.T.M just after getting the award.

On Thursday we were told that "Jabo Ibehre’s chances have been limited this season and that manager Karl Robinson felt it best to allow the 29-year-old to link up with the U’s on a 93-day loan, which will run until 27th December" we will play Colchester before his loan deal is up but Jabo will not be allowed to play I'll miss seeing Jabo around he was always cheerful and always said hello.

Rochdale trained at Woughton ahead of their game against Gillingham.

On the Friday before the Crewe game I was over at Woughton and managed to speak to Karl before the players trained he was still looking for players and I mentioned Jabo but he did not expand on the loan deal anymore than the OS had told us already.

Friday before a game is usually a light session with some shooting practice at the end, earlier in the week Karl had his windscreen broken by one stray shot and he had moved his car from its usual spot, Paul Heald was even more cautious and left his in the public car park.

Just as I was about to leave the Rochdale team turned up which was not that unusual as they have been here before and were using Woughton to train ahead of their game with Gillingham last time they came it was before their game with Crawley but it still seems weird seeing another team on our hallowed soil !

But as they say onwards and upwards and our next game and last of the month was against Crewe and I think Karl can put it far better than I could when after the game he said to MK News " the first half we were like Brazil, the second more like Bridlington".

It was the strangest game to watch as both halves were so totaly different.

Before the game we learnt we had signed signed West Bromwich Albion and Scotland U-21 midfielder (yes another International player )Scott Allan on a one-month loan deal.
The 20-year-old looked very lively when he came on and had a shot on goal which second half we seemed to be lacking.

Allan has made 10 appearances for Scotland U-21s and will be available for the games with Coventry City, Portsmouth, Preston North End and Stevenage before playing his last game away at Crawley Town on Tuesday 23rd October .
Sadly he could not inspire us to score again but I thought for a debut and considering he had only just met the team let alone train with them he looked pretty good.

To make matters worse after the goal drought against Crewe I heard that Jabo had scored twice at Colchester, I thought why could he not do that here we had again failed to capitalise on the numerous chances we created and were lucky to get all three points with Crewe hitting the post and Martin blocking a certain goal in a one on one situation.
Teams lined up
MK Dons (4-2-3-1) D Martin, Chicksen, Kay, Williams, Lewington (c); Potter got MOM, Gleeson, Bowditch, Chadwick (Allan 71), O’Shea (Powell 61), MacDonald got our first half goal (Lowe 82).
Subs not used: McLoughlin, Otsemobor, Kouo-Doumbe, Smith.

Crewe Alexandra A Martin, Tootle (Turton 79), Davis, Ellis, Clayton (Colclough 68), Murphy (c), Leitch-Smith (Pogba 63), Moore, Mellor, Robertson, Bond.

Subs not used: Garratt, Guthrie, Ray, Daniels.

Attendance: 11,037 with 768 away.

The Referee was James Adcock from Nottinghamshire who was one of the better ref's I have seen and I dont think he booked anyone either.

Anyway overal not a bad month we are up to third with seventeen points one behind Notts and just four away from Tranmere with nine games gone, not in the Auto spots but pretty damn close.
COYD

September Blog Part One

Jimmy Bullard before MK Dons V Carlisle United game

So into September we go and I thought Id comment on the various rumours that started on twitter at the end of the month of August.

It started with an interview Karl did for MK News and he said when asked if we were getting anymore in "that there might be people going out " I was listening to the interview with a few other fans so heard exactly what he said and to be honest the reporter and the camera man from Anglia I think it was were there as much to get an interview with Jimmy Bullard as anything.

This got picked up on twitter and it then got speculated on that we were selling players and Daniel Powell's name was mentioned, a Derby fan then said they wanted him and it became Powell was going to Derby.
I was then quoting the article from the MK News but it did not the stop the rumours then a Huddesfield fan chipped in and our Daniel was linked there as well I was expecting to see Sky Sports News reporting it but that never happened the other funny one was Micheal Owen being spotted at Cranfield in his helicopter but no one fell for that.

Then next day the other MK paper the Citizen reported that "Robinson had previously hinted that possible departures could be on the cards, but now it looks set to be an uneventful day at Dons" and I wondered if that was a reference to yesterday or Robbo had given a different interview to them because he certainly said people might be going out as it turned out George Baldock went out on loan to Tamworth (who we seem to be building a link with) until 31st December when Bullard's deal is up coincidentally ! George joins teammates Charlie Collins and Jordan Ivey-Ward in Staffordshire for his second stint with the Lambs.

Anyway back to the Jimmy Bullard interview Jimmy is a funny bloke and his resemblance to the Chairman was mentioned and he said he has got that nickname amongst the players and both media outlets that were there that day joked about his hair. Jimmy was joking its insured and that he uses wash and go and both interviews were very funny especialy the one Dan from MK News did.

I can imagine Jimmy is a right laugh in the dressing room and I have been lucky enough to speak to him a few times now and he is very approachable and friendly and has that personality that reminds me of a naughty schoolboy .

Mike Edwards Carlisle Defender


On Saturday 1st we had Carlisle so technically the above news is August but Id already put that blog out so forgive my liberty taking lol

I do like Carllise and their players always seem to have time for the fans when they arrive and I even got to say hello and shake hands with Greg Abbott as he arrived I wished him luck but was just being polite and didnt mean it of course, but he is such a nice bloke I dont like to be rude.

One of the fans I hang about with on match days knows the Carlisle keeper Adam Collin and Adam came over for a chat as well, perfect opportunity for a photo I thought only to find when I took it Adam was laughing and the picture was even more blurry than my normal attempts at photography !

As for the match it was a bit like the Oldham game in that we looked comfortable and not in any danger of losing apart from a few minutes second half when the Dons fans really raised the noise level and support and
cheered the team through it and Karl was quick to give the crowd praise for it post match.
Chicksen got M.O.T.M which I thought well okay Id have probably given it to MacKenzie but perhaps the sponsors are bored with him winning it every game.

I thought all our players were good and wouldn't have wanted the job of picking one out to be honest.
Chadwick again got on the score sheet and Lowe added to the goal tally of the day which would have been more had it not been for some fine saves by Collin who I thought a good game although Abbott seemed to notice his mistakes rather than his saves in the post match comments.

It was good to see Lowe score his first goal at home from open play on 64 and hopefully he will now get a lot more .

But a surprise for me anyway was the appearance of Jimmy Bullard who I thought we wouldnt see on the pitch for another week at least and he also raised the noise level when he came on he showed some us some lovely touches and might well of scored.
The teams lined up Dons 4-2-3-1: Martin, Otsemobor, MacKenzie, Williams, Chicksen; Gleeson, Potter; Powell (O’Shea 85), Chadwick (Bullard 72), Bowditch; Lowe (MacDonald 72).
The subs not used were: McLoughlin and Kay none of the young lads and just the five on the bench
Jabo and Smith were not at the game Smith is banned so understandable but Jabo missing was a concern for me !
Goal by Chadwick was on 11 Lowe was on 64
Carlisle United lined up Collin, Robson (O’Halloran 65), McGovern (Symington 73), Murphy (c), Noble, Cadamarteri, Edwards, Potts, Berrett (Thirwell 37), Jervis, Chantler.
Subs not used: Simek, Madden, Beck, Gillespie.
The attendance was 7,227 with 381 unusually quiet away fans.

September is a busy month and we now have an extra game against Sunderland so the JPT game with Northamton is probably something Robbo could do without but it is for us fans a competition with happy memories and tickets for the game were selling well ahead of the Tuesday night game and by Monday morning we had sold our allocation according to a Northampton forum, on Monday afternoon the OS confirmed we had sold out our initial allocation of 950 tickets and received a further 300 that afternoon.

Some other news ahead of the game was that Ian McLoughlin our 20-year-old reserve keeper linked up with the Republic of Ireland U21 team on Monday 3rd September and played against Hungary on Thursday 6th September a game which the Republic lost.

Also Gary MacKenzie joined up with Scotland on Monday night and missed the MK Dons JPT clash with Northampton and also our League 1 match at Walsall but never made the bench.

Back to the Northampton game and as we know we lost to a wonder goal from Robinson that caught out Martin and although we were arguably the better team we could not a find a way back into the game despite a few good passages of play.

Mason Spence from the academy had a good game and looks to be a good prospect and did not seem fazed by the occasion.
But the JPT campaign was over and we don't have to think about that again this season.
The teams lined up
Northampton Town 4-4-2 L Nicholls, East, Langmead (c), Charles, Widdowson; Demontagnac (Wilson 71), Tozer, Moult (Nicholls 82), Robinson (Turnball 76); Akinfenwa, Mukendi.
Subs not used: Snedker, Dias.
MK Dons Martin, Spence (Ibehre 66), Williams, Kay, Chicksen; Bullard (Chadwick 66), Smith (O’Shea 69), Gleeson (c); Bowditch, MacDonald, Powell.
Subs not used: Lowe, Galloway another academy lad, O’Shea.
Booked: Kay, Spence
Referee was Carl Berry from Surrey and the attendance was 3, 444 with 1,349 loud Dons fans.

On Thursday 6th we heard that teenager Mason Spence had been called up to the Wales Under-19 squad and I thought is there another team in League One with so many Internationals in the squad ?

And so thoughts then turned to the upcoming game with Walsall, last season at the Bescott we had Beevers starting with McNamee and Balanta on the bench all three have now gone but one of the goalscorers that day Lewington was due to return from his three game ban and that triggered the memory of the game last season when we all thought we were going to score a boatload with the whole second half playing against ten men but it turned out to be a case of forty five minutes of frustration and we didnt had to our first half tally the Saddlers had veteran goalkeeper Jimmy Walker sent off for handling outside the box which meant full-back Lee Beevers went in goal and I wondered if we would fare any better this time round.

But that was then and it was back to the Bescott Charlie Burns the Academy keeper was given the day out I thought he'd get last game and there were changes from the Northampton game as the team looked more like the first team we know.

But just as we were settling in Walsall were in front after Jamie Paterson's corner was poked home by Dean Holden on seventeen minute's and it was catch up time.But despite having most of the possession we went into half time one down we made all our substitutions but nothing changed despite fourteen corners and the better possession we were again toothless in front of goal and it was Northampton all over again.

Saddlers have made changes this season but no one of any note we have made changes and the players we have brought in are supposedly better , but we did not get the result we did last season ,should we be worried ? maybe because we should be winning these games if we want Auto.
Not time to press the panic button just yet but we need to be getting something occasionally from free kicks and corners but we don't.

Understandably most fans were disappointed some angry and Robinson said after the match “The boys will go away and it’s their duty of care to the badge and the Chairman to put a performance in and that’s me included, I have a duty of care to the Football Club to up my game as well.” which I thought was at first hearing a bit OTT but afterward thought it is the thing a fan would have said and actually quite good to hear a manager say it.
The teams lined up Walsall: Grof, Butler (c), Holden, Featherstone, Cuvelier, Paterson, Hemmings (Taundry 86), Purkiss, Bowerman (A Williams 90), Baxendale (Jones 77), A Taylor.
Subs not used: C Taylor, Benning, Downing, Jones.
Booked: A Taylor
Goal: Holden 17

MK Dons the unsuccessful away from home on small pitches team lined up 4-2-3-1: Martin; Otsemobor, Kay, Williams, Lewington (c); Potter, Gleeson; Powell, Chadwick (O’Shea 68), Bowditch (Smith 75); Rowe (MacDonald 61).
Subs not used: academy keeper Charlie Burns, Doumbe, Chicksen, Ibehre.
Booked: Lowe, Kay, O’Shea
Referee was the rather incompetent Patrick Miller from Bedfordshire the Attendance was 3,657 with 437 very frustrated Dons.

And now for some news on the players we have out on loan, at Tamworth FC George Baldock went straight into the starting eleven for the Lambs fixture with Mansfield Town and also played in midfield the game against Barrow the 19-year old helped to create chances for the Blue Square Premier side but they have fallen to 13th in the table after two defeats.
Academy graduates Charlie Collins and Jordan Ivey-Ward were on the bench for Tamworth and both players came on Ivey-Ward had a chance but his effort sailed wide.
Defender Tom Flanagan made his sixth appearance for Gillingham in their 3-1 victory over Barnet at Underhill Tom came on to replace the injured Matt Fish in the 84th minute and Tom helped to secure the win for Mad Dog’s team who remain at the top of League Two and are one point clear of Burton who are in second place.

And even better news was to come when on Wednesday the 12th George Baldock put pen to paper on a new two-year deal with the Dons keeping him at the Club until 2014.
Karl Robinson and I have spoken a few times about George so I thought if Karl had anything to do with it
George would stay.
George had spent most of the summer with Icelandic side IBV and made 19 appearances and scored once during his three month loan spell there.
George’s loan deal is up on December 31st and he will return to fight for a place in Karl's side.
George said: “I’m really pleased to have signed a new deal, this Club is the perfect place to be for a youngster, whether you are playing or in and around the squad because there is so much talent here to improve you as a player.

Yeovil manager Gary Johnson

And so it is the final match of this blog and we have Yeovil at home the game comes as we are having something of an early season wobble.
The games away from home are at best frustrating and at worst a sign that we are not going to make Auto.

Former Dons from Fulham loan player Keanu Marsh Brown

So this game with Yeovil was eagerly anticipated by those of us that want to get back to winning ways and those that want to keep in with the Auto shout.
The Yeovil team arrived by the same coach firm as the fans arrived on although it looked like it was a bit posher.

Then followed a game between two teams who looked to be as good as each other with both missing the chances they had but both playing some quite nice passing football but both seemed toothless in front of goal although both keepers did make a couple of excellent saves.

When Lowe was subbed for MacDonald I thought well Lowe has not got on the end of two lovely crosses and I was not convinced Charlie would either but he proved me wrong and found himself one on one with the keeper and after a change of direction placed the ball nicely into the net.

The it was squeaky bum time as we held on in the final few minutes and even managed to have a goal disallowed in injury time.
Our home form continues to be good just the away form to work on now.
MK Dons 4-2-3-1: Martin; Otsemobor, MacKenzie (Kay 12), Williams, Lewington (c); Potter, Gleeson; Powell, Chadwick, Bowditch (Bullard 82); Lowe (MacDonald 67).
Subs not used: McLoughlin, A Smith, Chicksen, O’Shea.
Only Don booked was Williams and Charlie's goal was on 75

Yeovil Town lined up: Stech; Ayling (former Dons loan player Marsh-Brown 76), Hinds, Webster (c), Ralph; Young, Blizzard another former Don player, Upson, Foley; Hayter (K Smith 62), Ugwu (Reid 62).
Subs not used: Stewart, Ince a cousin of Tom so therefore a relation of former manager Paul, Nkumu.
Booked: Ayling, Ugwu, Webster

Referee was the rather fussy and often confused (but equally so for both sides) Carl Boyeson from East Yorkshire.
Attendance was 7,235 with 322 away fans.

As this is a month with a lot of games I am doing two blogs this month which I'll probably regret as a lot of you regular readers will not check till October lol but hoping the Dons fans on twitter will spread the word.

COYD

August Round up and Capital One Cup News

Picture MK Dons Official Team Photograph www.mkdons.com

The pre season came to a close and the new season was nearly upon us and in a curtain raiser to the new season we had the League Cup match against Cheltenham.

But just before the Cheltenham game the Don's signed Anthony Kay on the Friday , nobody expected him to feature but when Williams limped off injured it was the former Barnsley,Tranmere Rover's and Huddersfield man's chance to make his debut with only half an hour played.

In the forty first minute Gleeson got sent off for an alleged dangerous follow through on his tackle, but he got the ball and even the Cheltenham manager thought it was a harsh decision along with all the Don's fans and a fuming manager.

That seemed to spur the team on and Bowditch then managed to convert after a Jay O'Shea cross right in first half injury time just minute's after the sending off.
It was always going to be tough second half with ten men and in the fifty eighth minute Mohamed made it 1-1 and it was then a case of holding on with a three man defence.

Robbo decided to move Kay further up the field in a brave move that left us vulnerable down the right.
But the Dons held on and it was penalty time.
Dean Bowditch, Charlie MacDonald, Gary MacKenzie, Antony Kay and Ryan Lowe all netted their penalties for Cheltenham Darryl Duffy saw his kick saved by David Martin which meant the Don's go through to next round of the competition.

The Dons lined up 4-2-3-1 with Martin; Chicksen, MacKenzie, Williams was subbed for Kay on 29, Lewington (c); Potter, Gleeson; Bowditch, Chadwick (Lowe 71), O’Shea (Smith 61); MacDonald.
Subs not used were: McLoughlin and Powell, and in this early stage we managed to get three booking's in Chadwick, Kay, Potter and the red of Gleeson Cheltenham just got the one yellow !

Our goal by Bowditch was listed as 45 the Referee Steven Rushton was from Staffordshire and let's hope he has a re-think over his red. Attendance was 1,660 with 352 Don's.

Tuesday after the match we heard the red would stand and Gleeson would miss the first three games of season in a decision Karl called a disgrace "they can go shove it, it's us against the world" he added.


So the season was almost here and the squad looked to be complete so we started shipping out those who would not likely be needed at least early on.
Tom Flanagan went out on loan to Gillingham under the watchful eye of former Don's manager Martin Allen poor lad.

George Baldock his loan spell with Icelandic side IBV until August 31st who are in third place only six points off top spot.
Charlie Collins and Jordan Ivey-Ward are at Tamworth in their Blue Square Premier so good luck to them as many are saying this is Charlie's last chance to prove himself before his contract is up in the new year.

Dean Lewington and Alan Smith arrive for Oldham game.

So the first game of the season was finally here and it was the hottest day of the year so far but apart from the end it was not really a hot headed affair.

Before the game I got to speak to one of the Oldham director's about how his season looked and what Oldham expected he said "we haven't got the budget the Don's have and it was a different world there" to which a couple of us laughed and said we are not a rich club and it may be in the top ten but no better, the director then said their budget was one and a half million and we conceded yes ours is bigger ! He was a really nice bloke and very friendly and I thought was Oldham's version of Pete the way he engaged with us ordinary folk. He then went off to meet the Oldham team coach and spoke to Dickov and the players as they arrived.

Oldham players arrive led by Paul Dickov who stopped to sign autographs.


Another surprise was meeting Darren Gough who most will know lives in Milton Keynes and has done for twelve years now. Darren told me he has a box at the Dons( but never invited me to watch the match there lol)he stood and had his picture taken with a few of us that hang around the hotel on match days then went off for his lunch with the other good folk in the posh bit.

Paul Dickov's Oldham were the team we would spend our opening day entertaining Oldham have had a bit more actively than us in the close season losing some of last season's squad amongst those leaving were Rueben Reid, Kieron Lee,Zander Diamond,Felipe Morias ,Chris Taylor and Josh Parker to name a few even our former loan player Marsh-Brown was gone.

In came Johnathan Grounds,Daniel Taylor,Lee Croft,Connor Brown and Cliff Byrne a mixture of loans and regular signings but they were still predicted to finish mid table and 14th seemed to be the most common prediction.
Jordan Slew on loan from Blackburn Rovers was the one we were told to watch but apart from some snazzy looking headphone's when he got of the bus I didn't see anything to catch my eye really.

As I have said previously I dont do match reports as Im crap at them and you can read them on the official site so a summary is what you get lol I thought it was a professional performance without being rude to Oldham the Dons never looked in danger of conceding let alone losing.

A pin point cross to Potter from Bowditch resulted in the first goal just before half time, a lovely well taken header that had a few behind the goal flinching as it hit the net thinking it was going through.
Daniel Powell had one of the best games I have seen him play if not the best ! and his goal was top drawer a real cracker( and all the other cliche's )and had his shot not hit the crossbar and gone in it would have been a nomination for goal of the season .

The game was marred by an altercation in injury time when the horrible Robbie Simpson who had been baiting MacKenzie amongst other's all game clashed with Anthony Kay resulting in Kay getting sent off, reaffirming the Robbo quote that it's us against the world, Simpson the instigator let off Scott free.

Really the Don's should have won four nil and been top of the table Saturday evening bit Cisak made some good saves and Lowe and other's could have done better.But it was a convincing win if not a spectacular one and you cant ask for anymore than three points on opening day but I couldn't shake that memory of losing on opening day to Bury but then going on to win the league and hoping that it was different this time ...sometimes I over think things !!

Team's lined up Dons 4-2-3-1: Martin; Chicksen, MacKenzie, Kay, Lewington (c); Potter, Chadwick (Smith 81); Powell, O’Shea, Bowditch (MacDonald 65); Lowe (Ibehre 75).
Subs not used: McLoughlin, Otsemobor, the two academy lads Alli, Galloway made up the bench.
Booked: MacKenzie, Chadwick, Smith
Sent-off: Kay 90
Goals: Potter 34, Powell 59

Oldham Athletic: Cisak; Byrne, M’Voto, Tarkowski, Grounds, Croft, M’Changma, Furman (c), Montano (Hughes 66); Simpson, Slew (Taylor 80).
Subs not used: Brown, Bouzanis, Smith, Millar, Winchester.
Booked: Simpson
Referee: Ian Williamson who's eyesight went several times during the game was from Berkshire which seemed apt.

The attendance was a disappointing but usaul summer holiday figure of 7,409 with 512 not very happy Oldham fans.

But the games come thick and fast and there was no time to saviour the win before it was off to the seaside at Bournemouth.

I thought as I always do with most away games a draw would have been a good result with the cherries seeming to have pots of money this season, the eight hundred thousand pounds Tubbs now settled in Bournemouth who also managed to add Barnard to the squad on loan during close season.

Bournemouth started the brighter and within seventeen minute's Grabban had put them one up and we looked second best but that was not the worst of it Smith then got sent off for a reckless studs up challenge on Arter and we were down to ten men with most of the game still to go. It seemed to be a case of hanging on till half time and hope the half time team talk was inspirational.

Chadwick came on after twenty two minute's and we seemed to find our way a bit.
Second half came and Bournemouth seemed to play into our hands with the intruduction of Fletcher and the high balls up to him, then on sixty two minute's the until then out of sort's Powell managed to rescue the game with a goal and the draw was on the cards .

Then followed a real dig the heels in battle and the Dons showed the fans that old never say die attitude so apparent in the promotion winning season , when Jabo came on with twenty minute's left I thought I reckon we can do this and so we did and a point on the road was ours.

Probably wrong to single out a player after that but the concensus of opinion was Gary Mac was M.O.T.M which was good after Robbo had praised him before the game for his maturity during Olldham match.

Worringly we now had three red's from three game's which was more akin to the season with Ince second time round so some very mixed reaction's from the fan's after the game.

The team's lined up AFC Bournemouth Jalal, Francis, Daniels, Barnard, Addison (c), Pugh, O’Kane, Partington, Arter (Fletcher 46), Cook, Grabban (Tubbs 79).
Subs not used were Flahavan, Thomas, Wakefield, Gregory, Zubar Goal was Grabban on 17
Dons lined up 4-2-3-1 Martin, Otsemobor (pronounced Semi-bore), MacKenzie, Lewington, Chicksen, Potter, Smith; Powell, MacDonald (Chadwick 22) Bowditch (O'Shea 90), Lowe (Ibehre 71).Subs not used were McLoughlin, Alli and Galloway. Smith was sent off with 21 minute's on the clock. The goal from Powell was on 62.
Attendance was 5,407 with 271 Don's fans.
The referee was Brendan Malone from Wiltshire.

And Wiltshire was next up as the games come thick and fast and it was away again to newly promoted Swindon who were unbeaten at home in a year and had only conceded one goal in 1710 mins of football last season.And Wiltshire was next up and it was off to newly promoted Swindon who were unbeaten at home in a year and had only conceded one goal in 1710 Min's of football last season.
With Smith Gleeson and Kay suspended along with the injured we looked thin on the ground and the team looked to pick itself

Swindon started the better and if truth were told it stayed that way for ninety minute's.
But the big talking point was the dismissal of Captain Dean Lewington in what on reflection and with benefit of replay's was a harsh decision but not a completely wrong one.
I have seen players get away with pushing others away with their arms up but also seen them sent off or yellow carded which I though would have been the right action in this instance.

Dean by his own admission should not have got involved but he did that when he picked the ball up when Ferry tried to get the ball back (as it was Swindon's free kick although O'Shea's tackle looked okay to me) Dean pushed him away with his arm or elbow it was not violent behaviour more petulant and the ref did not see it and consulted the 4th official, who saw it as an elbow to the head or face the replay showed Ferry not hurt or that I could see made contact with, so to my mind it was a yellow I would point out that Ferry had grabbed Lewington from behind although I wouldn't say he grabbed him by the throat as Winkelman said but his arms were also raised more a case of handbags.
.
But Dean struck out with his arm high and he should know better, after the recent reds and yellows refs will be looking that bit closer at MK Dons I don't think its because we are MK Dons but because for whatever reason we have those reds against our name.

The chairman stopped Karl speaking to the media after the game and I think that was to save Karl from another fine and make matters worse I also think by the chairman speaking about the incident's regarding red cards all referee's might look at some of the inconsistencies during their referee meetings but maybe that's wishful thinking but after Winkelman said Lewie was grabbed by the throat when he clearly wasnt perhaps they wont !

But it did lead to questions asked such as how many times have we wondered what the 4th official actualy does ? when in some games seemingly nothing then here at Swindon send a player off.
Yet in the same game ignore De Canio running on the pitch .
This to me has been the problem.. inconsistency with the officials .

Three of our reds have been offences that might have been a yellow or even ignored by other refs on another day, even the red on Kay one could argue both players should have been sent off as Kay had his nose broken by an elbow that went unpunished not one official 4th or otherwise saw it !! bizarre.

But back to the game and just before half time Swindon took the lead and the Dons had forty five minutes to either hold out and make the result look respectable of snatch a draw which to be fair would have been tough on Swindon.
Swindon continued to worry the defence and Martin deservedly our fans M.O.T.M making some classy saves including Jamie Collins deflected shot that De Vita hit low and a one handed tip over from the shot of Collins.

With fifteen minutes left Robbo decided to go three at the back and Chicksen came off and Jabo came on but it was not enough to grab a point and the game ended with our first loss of the season.

The teams lined up Swindon Town Foderingham, McEveley, Flint, Devera, Ferry, Collins (Storey 87), Ritchie, McCormack (c), Williams, Miller, De Vita (Navarro 73).
Subs not used: Bedwell, Rooney, Risser, Thompson, Smith
Goal: Ritchie 40

MK Dons (4-2-3-1): Martin; Otsemobor, MacKenzie, Lewington, Chicksen (Ibehre 75); Potter, Chadwick; Powell, O’Shea (Williams 42), Bowditch; Lowe (MacDonald 64).
Subs not used: McLoughlin, Alli, youth team captain Mason Spence even got a place on bench.
Just the one booking MacKenzie for kicking the ball out of play after a foul on him was not given.

Lewington got his marching orders on 40

Attendance was 8,299 and 497 Dons fans watched the game and some chanted sort it out and we want our money back which whilst I would not have joined in with you cant help but hope we do sort it out.

Blackburn arrive at Milton Keynes

Colin Hendry first team coach

Steve Kean signs an autograph for an MK Dons Rovers fans never asked lol

Next game up and the last of the month was the Capital One Cup game against Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday night and we all hoped for eleven men to finish rather than the right result such is the state of things at the moment.

Rovers were without Danny Murphy, Paul Robinson or Morten Gamst Pedersen and we were without Lewington, Kay or Doumbe so even in terms of players not featuring.

The Dons to a man played some nice passing football and there could have been a number of players up for M.O.T.M award Chadwick got two goals and I thought it he would get the award but the match sponsor gave it to MacKenzie which I could understand and did not have a problem with.

Rovers were in the Premiership last season but it was hard to see evidence of that with the Dons looking like the team a division above.

I watched Kean standing motionless on the touchline and Rovers disjointed play made me think what do they actually do at the training ground ? at times nobody seemed to know where his fellow player was and I could understand the Kean out chants that rang out from the away end from the minute we scored till the end of the game. In fact the scoreline did not give the Dons credit as it was more one sided than 2-1 suggested.

I could not help but remember the QPR game last season and wondered if Kean would be sacked in the morning, the Blackburn fan's were certainly very very unhappy as they left.
The teams lined up
MK Dons 4-2-3-1: Martin, Otsemobor, MacKenzie, Williams, Chicksen; Potter, Gleeson; Powell, Chadwick (O’Shea 76), Bowditch (Ibehre 90); MacDonald (Lowe 74).
Subs not used: McLoughlin, Alli, Galloway. Goals by Chadwick were on 52, 67mins
Blackburn Rovers 4-4-1-1 Kean, Orr, Nunes, Marcus Olsson, Dann (c), Jorge, Etuhu (J Lowe 58), Junior (Goodwillie 58), Rochina (Formica 68), Hanley, Vukcevic.
Subs not used: Usai, Martin Olsson, Morris, Ribeiro.
Goal: Goodwillie 83
Referee was Mick Russell from Hertfordshire who let play flow and I thought had a good game with two assessors at the game I guess he wanted to make a good impression.
Only attendance figure I got was from BBC 5873 no away figure but looked to be 800 or so.
Before the game we were introduced to Jimmy Bullard and he was presented with the number 13 shirt till end of of December, and he provided my say hello to someone who has not got a clue who you are moment as I saw him arrive just after Blackburn had arrived . Karl came out of the players entrance to meet him as his car arrived (well bloody great four by four Japanese number)I turned around to see him and chirped up hello Jimmy he said hello mate and went in with Karl I told you its a quirk of mine lol..
I only managed to get a photo of the back of his head he went in pretty quickly.

August has not been great in terms of points on the table or discipline and the reds will make officials look that bit more closely at us ,but we are going to have another round at least in the League Cup and I think we have good squad that will be up there challenging the top two if not one of them.
COYD

Gary MacKenzie man of the match

On Thursday 30th August we learnt that MK Dons are to play Sunderland at Stadium MK on the week commencing 24th September, Sunderland have a lot of fans down south and a fair few in Milton Keynes there is also a London based supporters club so we are expecting a good away following for this game.
Another Prem team can we cause an upset ?
COYD

Picture Daily Mail

Chairman Pete Winkelman demands answers after another Dons red card - MK DONS - Milton Keynes Citizen

Chairman Pete Winkelman demands answers after another Dons red card - MK DONS - Milton Keynes Citizen
So many opinions on the 4th red this season but I think Pete Winkelman has a point and I have to agree with his comments call me happy clappy but only one of the reds was a red and even that was debatable as we should have had free kick which would have meant there would have been no red as the player that broke Kay's nose wouuld have been collecting his yellow or even red.

Pre Season Round Up and Blog News

Milton Keynes Dons can today confirm the signing of defender Antony Kay following his release from Huddersfield Town.

The 29-year-old joins the Dons as a free agent and has put pen-to-paper on a 2 year deal.
This for me is the last of Karl's targets and we now look to have cover in all position's with most players able to adapt and cover any weak area's Karl has built a versatile squad and competition for a staring place will be tough.

Pre season

Alan Smith signing autograph's at Woughton pre season

So the pre season began with games in Ireland.
Karl took the team to Ireland for pre season training and I had asked him before why Ireland.
Karl loves the location of the training camp and the facilities and he also said its cheaper than Portugal or even other UK based places.
Karl told me he saves the club two hundred thousand by going there which is money he gets for the team budget, which is strangely enough about two hundred thousand more than last season.

The total budget for the team is still nowhere near De Matteo's who I recently found out was the highest of any manager we have had.
Id previously thought that it was Allen's honour to have had the biggest budget of an MK Dons manager but have no reason to believe the person ! who informed me was wrong.

Obviously the clubs budget is higher but now we have more staff both on match day's and through the normal working week so as Id said before the Chairman's take on the budget is not the same as say the manager or the fans.
The first game was on Monday 23rd July at 7:30pm versus St James Gate and the Dons came away with a 0-2 win the second game was on Wednesday 25th July at 7:15pm and this was an even easier test against Whitehall Rangers and the score was 0-6 to the MK Dons.

On Thursday 26th July at 11:00 we played a team Id actually heard of although the Bohemians didn't put up much opposition and the score was a resounding 0-11 win for MK Dons, some may argue that these games mean nothing even in pre season terms and playing teams some cruelly call pub teams just risks injury and is no competition ,which I can sort of understand as Id prefer to be playing League Two or Conference/Blue Square type clubs at the early stage of pre season but I think as we are in Ireland we have to take who is available !

But saying that the first pre season game in England was a complete disaster.
On Saturday 28th July at 3:00pm we turned up to play Kettering to find the pitch was not marked and that grass cutting's were left on the very hard un- watered disgrace of a pitch. Karl told me afterwards he wont be going back and Mick Harford said he felt embarrassed for the manager and if he had been manager of Kettering he would have put the markings down himself.

Karl said to me and the press earlier that he was not going to play the game but saw all our fans and relented telling the players to play at sixty percent although two players did not train the first day back due to pulls they took on the rock hard pitch (but I wont say who they were now).

The score on that wasted afternoon was Kettering Town 0-0 MK Dons and you have to wonder if Kettering will make it to the new season with no groundsman or back room staff to speak of.

Then it was the our turn to host the big boy's and first up on Friday 3rd August at 7:45pm was MK Dons v Norwich City and the canaries had the best of the first half with the Dons just shading the second and it didn't seem five minute's since we were playing them in the League so maybe in two season it could be us..no I know not realistic but stranger things have happened.

We kept out Simeon Jackson, Sean Morison and Robert Snodgrass and Martin kept a clean sheet yet again.
In the second half Jay O’Shea was denied a good effort and Luke Chadwick and Charlie MacDonald also had efforts fall off-target Ryan Lowe made his mark and won a few new fans and he is already one of my favourite players to talk to as he is quite a laugh to banter with.
The team's lined up Martin; Chicksen (O’Shea 46), MacKenzie, Kouo-Doumbe, Lewington (c); Gleeson, Potter (Lowe 79), Williams; Chadwick (Ibehre 73), Smith (MacDonald 56), Bowditch (Powell 62).Subs not used: McLoughlin, Burton which was odd as it was reported he was thinking about an offered six month contract although I had heard he was not in Karl's plans after Ireland.
Norwich City lined up Rudd, Francomb, Barnett, Turner (R Bennett 65), Lappin, Snodgrass, Hoolahan, Surman, Jackson (Murphy 80); Martin, Morison.Subs were: Matthews, Barker, Johnson, E Bennett.

On Tuesday 7th August at 7:45pm we had MK Dons v Fulham I had been told that Fulham would not bring any first teamers as they were away in France and had recently played Nice who Fulham incidentally beat 0-4 but I wasn't so sure as they had a behind closed door match with Charlton on Saturday 11th so I thought they probably came back to the UK Sunday night.

Funnily enough Fulham's game after us is Norwich so could we make any prediction's for both clubs and their Prem campaign based on what we saw here I wondered totally irrelevantly.

Fulham arrive

Anyway back to the game Fulham arrived with a mixture of regular players and fringe players and Dons rested Doumbe. I spoke to Matt before the game and he said he was not injured despite some reports of a knee injury.

Deon Burton as Id predicted left the club to join his old boss Allen at Gillingham on a one year deal (apparently we offered a six month deal which is pretty much like not offering a deal at all).
The game was not the most exciting but there was some nice passing and the ball was played on the ground.
I thought Lewie had a good game and wondered if he was upping his game because his Dad Ray was there or because he was after a job at Fulham to keep the name at Fulham now his Dad's left lol

I said hello to Ray in the club red bar area ,I always love saying hello to people who haven't a clue who I am just to see if they say hello back, some do some dont but its just a quirk of mine lol
Steve Sidwell

Martin Jol signing autographs

Sadly we conceded our first pre season goal a tap in from Rodallega with just ten minutes to go. Bowditch hit the bar after that but what cost us the draw was the missed penalty from Williams who surprisingly blasted the ball into the cowshed.
The team's lined up
MK Dons (4-2-3-1): Martin; Chicksen (replaced by academy local boy Hickford 90), MacKenzie, Williams, Lewington (c); Potter, Gleeson; Bowditch, Chadwick, O’Shea (Smith 79); MacDonald (Rowe 61).
Subs not used: McLoughlin, Lobjoit.
Fulham lined up: Stockdale, Briggs, Burn (Grygera 70), Baird (c), Kelly, Sidwell, Kasami, Frei (Mikwitz 46), Rodallega, Trotta (Kacaniklic 61), Tue Na Bangna.
Subs not used: Brister, Kavanagh, Somigyi.
Goal: Rodallega 81

And finally Blog news so you can either read on or just come back to site later.
At the end of last season or close season cant remember now ! I said I was going to stop the blog as its being going a long time now and it was started mainly for the benefit of the MK Dons forum and then I agreed to put it on other site's I have helped with, as I am no longer involved with running or helping to run any of the forum's it seemed time.

In fact I rarely even post on the one I am still a member of so I thought it was a good a time as any to stop.

For a long time I have been banging on about our younger fans and that they are the future so I was pleased to hear that at least two are starting blogs next season(or is it now this season)so I will step aside and let them get on with it and good luck to them.

I know that a lot of people have bookmarked this site and click on it along with their other Don's related site's which is REALLY NICE TO KNOW and thanks to all of you that do.
I have had nearly five hundred hit's every month of close season and the blog since January when it went out on its own has approaching five thousands hits.

I don't wish however to be seen as in competition with other's so apart from the twitter links I wont be advertising the blog site on any of the two Dons forum's( most of you know of it already and I don't mind if anyone else wants to link blog if they think it deserves a wider audience).

The aim of the blog was and has always been to give my own view of what I see on my travels and to keep other's informed and I will continue to put in things I have been told by Robbo and other contact's withing the club if I think it does not compromise the club,if I think it was told in confidence I wont put it in so keep checking back as there may well be a little nugget of something you didn't know hidden in the blog.

The Fulham game Kick Off