It’s pretty well known among the football community that MK Dons are not the most respected club; not just of the 92 professional sides, but the nine steps of the non-league pyramid, too.
Formed in 2004 after the relocation of Wimbledon FC, the club nicknamed ‘Franchise FC’ may be one of the most hated clubs in England. However, their growing success on the pitch is starting to change the minds of many critics.
The double trophy-winning season of 2007/08, when Paul Ince guided them to both League Two and Johnstone’s Paint Trophy success, was the first time the Dons had really gained any admiration from anyone outside of the club, with some even predicting a second promotion into the Championship straight away (in fairness, they weren’t far off). The Dons finished third in their season of return to League One, crashing out of the play-offs thanks to Scunthorpe United. This seemed to affect the squad, as the next season they finished in a lowly 12th.
However, the 2010/11 season saw a change at the club. After Paul Ince’s resignation at the end of the previous season, his assistant, Karl Robinson, unknown to many people in the footballing world, was appointed as his replacement. It started well for him, too, with two consecutive fifth placed finishes. However, no play-off glory followed in either season, which saw the Dons go out to Stevenage firstly, and then Huddersfield in the next season.
Two poor seasons followed with an eighth place finish in 2012/13, then an even lower 10th in 2013/14. This may not seem like much history being created, but Robinson was adamant that he could do the job. Over his four seasons as manager, he had established this hated team that nobody had hope for as a well-run, solid League One club.
What followed next in 2014/15, however, must have been beyond his wildest dreams.
The season started well, with a 4-2 win over Gillingham, and then a 3-1 win in The Capital One Cup over arch-rivals, AFC Wimbledon. The draw for the next round saw the Buckinghamshire side paired with English and European giants, Manchester United. All hope was snuffed, with Robinson saying that what happens in the game doesn’t matter; there would be no shame in going out to a side like Manchester United. He can’t have expected what happened then; the Dons completely tore apart Louis Van Gaal’s team, with Will Grigg and Benik Afobe each scoring twice in a 4-0 victory that was recognised worldwide as one of football’s greatest achievements.
After this major triumph, the town of Milton Keynes was well and truly on the footballing map, and they were beginning to stamp their authority in League One, too. A 2-0 victory away at Yeovil Town on the 4th of October sparked an unbeaten streak (in the league) that lasted 12 games, until it was ended in a 3-0 home defeat by Walsall on the 28th December. This result then ignited a turbulent period where a four-game winless run saw MK Dons lose ground on the two automatic promotion places, but the away win at Oldham got the season back on track. The Dons recorded nine wins and one draw from their final 10 games, including a 3-0 away win at promotion rivals, Swindon Town, and a 3-2 away win at play-off hopefuls, Rochdale.
The promotion was sealed on the final day with a 5-1 win against Yeovil, coupled with defeat for Preston at Colchester. This meant the Dons were going to be competing in the Championship for the first time in their short, controversial history, and arguably, the man behind it all was Karl Robinson, with his never-say-die attitude and ever-increasing skill as a manager.
He’s never one to criticise players unnecessarily, which always makes for a happy camp at Stadium mk, and his growing maturity reflects on to the team as well. His growing reputation in the game too allows for better players to join the club, and ultimately makes for more happy endings in a club that he cherishes, and is cherished within, too.
He hasn’t made a bad start in the club’s début Championship season, either, as the Dons sit fourth in the league with two wins, one draw and one loss, as well as consecutive 2-1 wins in the Capital One Cup, against Leyton Orient and Cardiff City. If MK were to win this weekend at home to Birmingham City, it would be their best ever start to a season; something that Robinson, the team, and the whole of Milton Keynes could be proud of.
Main Photo
