Milton Keynes Dons F.C. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Milton Keynes Dons

Full name	Milton Keynes Dons Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Dons
Short name	MK Dons
Founded	21 June 2004; 21 years ago
Ground	Stadium MK
Ground Capacity	30,500
Chairman	Fahad Al Ghanim
Head coach	Paul Warne
League	League One
2018–19	League Two, 3rd of 24 (promoted)
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Milton Keynes Dons Football Club, often called MK Dons, is a professional association football team. They are based in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. The team plays in EFL League Two, which is the fourth level of English football.

The club started in 2004. This happened after Wimbledon F.C. moved from south London to Milton Keynes. When they moved, the club changed its name, badge, and team colours.

MK Dons first played at the National Hockey Stadium. They moved to their current home, Stadium MK, for the 2007–08 season. In that season, they won the League Two title and the Football League Trophy. In 2015, under manager Karl Robinson, the club was promoted to the Championship. However, they went back down to League One after just one season.

Milton Keynes Dons are known for developing young players. They also have 16 teams for players with disabilities. Their football trust helps about 60,000 people in the community. Between 2012 and 2013, 11 young players from the club were chosen for national youth teams. From 2004 to 2014, 14 local academy players made their first-team debuts. One famous player is England international midfielder Dele Alli.

The club also has a women's team, Milton Keynes Dons Women. They play their home games at Stadium MK, just like the men's team. They currently play in the third tier of English women's football.

How the Club Started

Milton Keynes was created as a new town in 1967. For many years, it did not have a professional football team. People sometimes suggested that a team from another city might move there. This was a new idea in English football, and many fans did not like it.

Wimbledon F.C. was a team from south London. They were called "the Dons" and started in 1889. They became very successful, even winning the 1988 FA Cup final. However, their home stadium, Plough Lane, was small and old.

In 1991, Wimbledon left Plough Lane to share a stadium with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. The club's owner said this was temporary while they looked for a new home in south-west London. But finding a new stadium was hard. The club then looked at moving to Dublin, which many fans strongly opposed.

In 1997, two Norwegian businessmen bought Wimbledon. A year later, Plough Lane was sold. Wimbledon was then relegated from the Premier League in 2000.

Pete Winkelman, pictured in 2011, helped bring professional football to Milton Keynes.

Meanwhile, in Milton Keynes, a group led by music promoter Pete Winkelman planned a large shopping area. They also wanted to build a football stadium there. This group suggested that an existing team should move to use the new stadium. They talked to several clubs, including Wimbledon.

In 2001, Wimbledon's chairman said the club needed to move to Milton Keynes to survive. On 2 August 2001, the club announced its plan to move. The Football League first said no, but an independent group later approved the move on 28 May 2002.

Many Wimbledon fans were very upset. In June 2002, they started their own new club, AFC Wimbledon. Most of the original team's fans joined this new club. The original Wimbledon team wanted to move to Milton Keynes right away. But they couldn't find a temporary home that met the rules.

So, the club stayed at Selhurst Park. In June 2003, the club faced serious financial problems. Pete Winkelman decided to buy the club himself. He helped the team keep playing and worked to get them to Milton Keynes. The club found a temporary home at the National Hockey Stadium. They played their first game there in September 2003.

Nine months later, Winkelman's company bought the club. They announced changes to its name, badge, and colours. The team was renamed Milton Keynes Dons Football Club.

Club History

Early Years and Relegation (2004–2006)

Milton Keynes Dons (white) playing against Blackpool (tangerine) at the former England National Hockey Stadium in the 2004–05 season.

The first season for Milton Keynes Dons was 2004–05 in Football League One. Stuart Murdoch was the manager. Their first game was a 1–1 draw against Barnsley on 7 August 2004. Izale McLeod scored their first goal. Murdoch was replaced by Danny Wilson in November. The team avoided relegation on the last day of the season.

In the 2005–06 season, MK Dons struggled all year. They were relegated to League Two. Danny Wilson was then sacked.

Promotion and First Trophy (2006–2010)

Martin Allen became the new manager for the 2006–07 season. MK Dons almost won automatic promotion but finished fourth. They lost in the play-off semi-finals to Shrewsbury Town. Allen left in the summer of 2007.

For the 2007–08 season, former England captain Paul Ince took over as manager. MK Dons reached the final of the Football League Trophy. They also led the league for most of the season. On 30 March 2008, they won the final 2–0 against Grimsby Town at Wembley. This was the first professional trophy for Milton Keynes. The club also won the League Two championship and was promoted to League One. Ince left at the end of the season.

Former Chelsea player Roberto Di Matteo became the next manager. In the 2008–09 season, they finished third, just missing automatic promotion. They lost in the play-offs to Scunthorpe United after a penalty shootout. Di Matteo left after the season. Paul Ince returned as manager for the 2009–10 season but resigned in April 2010.

The Karl Robinson Years (2010–2016)

Karl Robinson became the new manager on 10 May 2010. At 29, he was the youngest manager in the Football League. In his first season, MK Dons finished fifth in League One. They lost in the play-off semi-finals to Peterborough United.

The 2011–12 season was similar, with the Dons finishing fifth again. They lost to Huddersfield in the play-offs.

This chart shows how MK Dons have performed in the league since the 2004–05 season.

In the 2012–13 season, MK Dons had their best ever FA Cup run. They beat Premier League team Queens Park Rangers 4–2 to reach the fifth round. Their run ended with a 3–1 loss to Barnsley. The club finished tenth in League One in 2013–14.

The 2014–15 season started very well. A big highlight was beating Manchester United 4–0 in the League Cup. This was a huge shock! A few weeks later, the Dons won 6–0 against Colchester United. This record was broken again with a 7–0 win over Oldham Athletic in December 2014.

On 3 May, the club was promoted to the Championship for the first time. They beat Yeovil Town 5–1 on the final day of the season.

Life in the Championship started well with a 4–1 away win against Rotherham United. But they couldn't keep up the good form. The Dons didn't win any of their last 11 games and were relegated back to League One.

Karl Robinson left the club on 23 October 2016. This happened after a 3–0 home loss to Southend United.

Changes and Relegation (2016–2018)

Robbie Neilson became the new manager. His first official game was against Karl Robinson's new club, Charlton Athletic. Neilson's time started well, including a win over AFC Wimbledon.

The 2017–18 season began poorly. Neilson left on 20 January 2018 after a bad run of results. The club was in 21st place.

Dan Micciche took over, but the team continued to struggle. He left on 22 April 2018. The club was relegated to League Two on the second-to-last weekend of the season.

Bouncing Back (2018–2023)

Paul Tisdale was appointed manager in June 2018. The team spent most of the season near the top of League Two. They went to the top in November after a 2–0 win over Macclesfield Town. On the final day of the season, MK Dons won 1–0 against Mansfield Town. This meant they were promoted back to League One right away!

The 2019–20 season started badly. Tisdale's contract ended on 2 November 2019. The next day, Russell Martin became the new manager. The season was stopped early due to the COVID-19 pandemic. MK Dons finished 19th, avoiding relegation.

In the 2021–22 League One season, the Dons had a chance for automatic promotion. They beat Plymouth Argyle 5–0. But other teams also won, so MK Dons finished third. They faced Wycombe Wanderers in the play-offs and lost 2–1 on aggregate.

MK Dons were relegated to League Two in the 2022–23 League One season. Liam Manning was replaced as manager in December 2022. But his replacement, Mark Jackson, only won six games out of 25. He was sacked after the team was relegated on the final day.

Return to League Two (2023–Present)

On 27 May 2023, Graham Alexander became the new head coach. He was sacked after eight games without a win. On 17 October 2023, MK Dons appointed Mike Williamson as head coach. He led the team to a 4th-place finish. They faced Crawley Town in the play-off semi-finals. Crawley won 8–1 on aggregate, which was the biggest play-off defeat in EFL history for the club. This was the sixth time MK Dons had been in the play-offs without reaching a final.

On 9 August 2024, owner Pete Winkelman sold the club to a group from Kuwait. Fahad Al Ghanim became the new chairman. After four losses in the first six games, Mike Williamson left to manage Carlisle United on 19 September. MK Dons then appointed Scott Lindsey as manager on 25 September 2024. Lindsey's contract ended on 2 March 2025, with the club in 17th place. On 15 April 2025, Paul Warne was announced as the new Head Coach.

Team Kits

This section shows the kits worn by Milton Keynes Dons since 2004.

Source: Historical Football Kits

Home Stadium

Stadium MK's East Stand in 2007.

The club's first home was the National Hockey Stadium. It was changed to host football games. Their time there ended in May 2007.

On 18 July 2007, the club's new stadium, Stadium MK, opened. It can hold 30,500 people. The first game was against a young Chelsea team. Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the stadium on 29 November 2007.

Stadium MK has an open area for fans and a hotel with rooms looking over the pitch. It also has meeting rooms. The stadium was considered as a host for the England 2018 FIFA World Cup bid. This would have increased its capacity to 44,000.

In recent years, Stadium MK has hosted important events. These include the 2014 FA Women's Cup final, three Rugby World Cup 2015 matches, and four matches (including a semi-final) of the UEFA Women's Euro 2022.

Club Supporters

Supporters' Club Recognition

In 2005, the Football Supporters' Federation (FSF) did not allow the Milton Keynes Dons Supporters Association (MKDSA) to join. This was because of the club's move from Wimbledon. The FSF and Wimbledon fans wanted Wimbledon F.C.'s history and trophies to be returned to the London Borough of Merton.

In October 2006, an agreement was reached. The FA Cup trophy and all other items from Wimbledon Football Club would go back to Merton. It was also agreed that any mention of Milton Keynes Dons should only refer to events after 7 August 2004. This was the date of MK Dons' first league game.

Because of this agreement, the FSF allowed MK Dons supporters to join. They also stopped asking other fans to boycott MK Dons matches. On 2 August 2007, Milton Keynes Dons officially gave all Wimbledon Football Club trophies and items to the London Borough of Merton.

Team Rivalries

AFC Wimbledon

There is a strong rivalry with AFC Wimbledon. This is because both clubs share a history with Wimbledon F.C..

The first game between the two clubs was on 2 December 2012 in the 2012–13 FA Cup. MK Dons won 2–1 with a late goal by Jon Otsemobor. Fans called it "The Heel of God." In August 2014, MK Dons won 3–1 in the League Cup. Kyle McFadzean scored with his heel, which was called "Heel of God II." Later that year, AFC Wimbledon beat MK Dons 3–2.

On 10 December 2016, the teams met for their first league game. MK Dons won 1–0. The first time MK Dons visited AFC Wimbledon's home for a league match was on 14 March 2017. AFC Wimbledon won 2–0.

For a while, AFC Wimbledon did not use MK Dons' full name in their match programmes or on social media. The English Football League (EFL) stepped in. AFC Wimbledon was then required to use MK Dons' full name before the 2019–20 season.

Peterborough United MK Dons also have a rivalry with Peterborough United. This is because the two clubs have often competed for promotion to the Championship.

Northampton Town Northampton Town is the closest professional football team to Milton Keynes. The two towns are only about 20 miles apart. Fans of both clubs see this as a local rivalry. In 2016 and 2018, there were some arrests and ejections of fans during games between the two teams.

Wycombe Wanderers Wycombe Wanderers is the only other professional team in Buckinghamshire. Games between these two teams are called "the Bucks derby."

Community Work

The club's charity, Milton Keynes Dons SET (Sport and Educational Trust), does a lot of work in the community. They focus on education, helping people feel included, and developing football skills. They work with schools and have 14 disability teams. They also run many activities for women and girls.

MK Dons' community work has been recognized with awards. They won the Football League Awards Community Club of the Season for the South East & East in 2012 and 2022. Chairman Pete Winkelman also received an honorary doctorate in 2013 for his contributions. The club has also received the Family Excellence status from the EFL every year since 2008. This shows their ongoing effort to involve families.

Youth Academy

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

The MK Dons academy helps young players become professionals. Sam Baldock was one of the first successful academy graduates. He played over 100 games before moving to West Ham United.

On 2 February 2015, academy graduate Dele Alli was sold to Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur for about £5 million. Alli was the first MK Dons academy player to play for the full England senior team on 9 October 2015.

Kevin Danso is another academy graduate who played for the Austria national team. He became the youngest player to appear in a league game for FC Augsburg.

Other notable youth players who have played at a higher level include George Williams, Brendan Galloway, Scotland international Liam Kelly, and England youth international Sheyi Ojo.

On 9 August 2016, in an EFL Cup match, manager Karl Robinson picked a team with 13 academy graduates and players. Eight of them made their full debuts for the club.

Players

First-Team Squad

No. Position Player 1 GK Connal Trueman 5 DF Sam Sherring 6 DF Nathan Thompson 7 FW Jonathan Leko 8 MF Alex Gilbey (captain) 10 MF Liam Kelly 11 MF Daniel Crowley 14 DF Joe Tomlinson (vice-captain) 15 GK Craig MacGillivray 16 MF Aaron Nemane 17 DF Luke Offord 20 MF Kane Thompson-Sommers 22 FW Callum Hendry

No. Position Player 23 DF Laurence Maguire 24 MF Connor Lemonheigh-Evans 25 DF Phoenix Scholtz 29 FW Scott Hogan 32 DF Jack Sanders 34 MF Callum Tripp 35 DF Charlie Waller MF Will Collar FW Aaron Collins GK Tom Finch FW Rushian Hepburn-Murphy DF Gethin Jones FW Nathaniel Mendez-Laing

Players on Loan

No. Position Player 51 GK Seb Stacey (on loan to Worthing until 30 June 2026)

Famous Players

Dean Lewington, the most recent captain of MK Dons, has played more matches for the team than any other player. Pictured in 2011, he was the last former Wimbledon player left in the club's squad.

Mark Wright was the top goalscorer in the 2007–08 season. Jon Otsemobor scored the winning "Heel of God" goal against AFC Wimbledon.

Some well-known players who ended their careers at MK Dons include former Premier League player Jimmy Bullard and Dietmar Hamman.

Many talented players have been loaned to MK Dons. These include strikers Patrick Bamford and Benik Afobe. Former Ireland international Clinton Morrison also had a short loan spell.

Alan Smith, known for playing at Leeds United and Manchester United, joined MK Dons permanently. Other international players who have played for the Dons include Tore André Flo and Russell Martin.

This list includes players who have played 100 or more league games (except for Dele Alli). Appearances and goals are for league matches only. Names in bold are current Milton Keynes Dons players.

Statistics are correct as of 8 May 2025.

Name	Nationality	Position	Milton Keynes Dons career	Apps	Goals	Notes
Alli, DeleDele Alli	England	Midfielder	2011–2015	88	24
Baldock, SamSam Baldock	England	Forward	2006–2011	102	33
Bowditch, DeanDean Bowditch	England	Winger	2011–2017	185	37
Carruthers, SamirSamir Carruthers	Ireland	Midfielder	2013–2017	117	6
Chadwick, LukeLuke Chadwick	England	Midfielder	2008–2014	210	17
Edds, GarethGareth Edds	Australia	Midfielder	2004–2008	122	10
Gleeson, StephenStephen Gleeson	Ireland	Midfielder	2009–2014	174	16
Guéret, WillyWilly Guéret	France	Goalkeeper	2007–2011	135	0
Kay, AntonyAntony Kay	England	Defender	2012–2016	142	6
Kouo-Doumbé, MathiasMathias Kouo-Doumbé	France	Defender	2009–2013	121	11
Leven, PeterPeter Leven	Scotland	Midfielder	2008–2011	113	22
Lewington, DeanDean Lewington	England	Defender	2004–2025	791	21
Martin, DavidDavid Martin	England	Goalkeeper	2004–2006 2010–17	274	0
McLeod, IzaleIzale McLeod	England	Forward	2004–2007 2013–2014	165	62
O'Hanlon, SeanSean O'Hanlon	England	Defender	2006–2011	157	15
Platt, CliveClive Platt	England	Forward	2005–2007	102	27
Potter, DarrenDarren Potter	Ireland	Midfielder	2011–2017	228	9
Powell, DanielDaniel Powell	England	Forward	2008–2017	228	37
Reeves, BenBen Reeves	Northern Ireland	Midfielder	2013–2017	102	22
Spence, JordanJordan Spence	England	Defender	2013–2016	100	2
Wilbraham, AaronAaron Wilbraham	England	Forward	2005–2011	178	50
Williams, ShaunShaun Williams	Ireland	Defender	2011–2014	108	19
Williams, GeorgeGeorge Williams	England	Defender	2016–2021	142	4

Player of the Year Awards

Year Winner 2005 Ben Chorley 2006 Izale McLeod 2007 Clive Platt 2008 Keith Andrews 2009 Aaron Wilbraham 2010 Luke Chadwick 2011 Luke Chadwick 2012 Darren Potter 2013 Shaun Williams 2014 Ben Reeves 2015 Carl Baker 2016 David Martin

Year Winner 2017 George Williams 2018 Not awarded 2019 Alex Gilbey 2020 Alex Gilbey 2021 Dean Lewington 2022 Scott Twine 2023 Jamie Cumming 2024 Alex Gilbey 2025 Not awarded

Club Staff

Manager History

Club Achievements

League Titles

• League One (third level)
  • Runners-up: 2014–15
• League Two (fourth level)
  • Champions: 2007–08
  • Promoted: 2018–19

Cup Wins

• Football League Trophy
  • Winners: 2007–08
• Berks & Bucks Senior Cup
  • Winners: 2006–07
  • Runners-up: 2005–06, 2017–18
• Portimão Cup
  • Winners: 2004

Source: MKDons.com

Records and Statistics

Milton Keynes Dons Women's Team

The club started a women's association football team in 2009. They are part of the main club and use the same badge and kit. Since the 2018–19 season, the women's team shares Stadium MK as their home ground with the men's team. This was one of the first clubs in the country to do this. They play in the FA Women's National League South.

See also

In Spanish: Milton Keynes Dons Football Club para niños