Milton Keynes Dons F.C.

Origins

Main article: Relocation of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes, about 45 mi north-west of London in Buckinghamshire, was established as a new town in 1967.{{cite web | access-date = 9 May 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120728111624/http://www.mkweb.co.uk/milton_keynes_general/displayarticle.asp?ID=285 | archive-date = 28 July 2012 | url-status = dead | url-access = registration | orig-year = 2009 | author2-link=Steve Stride | access-date = 22 November 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090309012924/http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/1623/29/ | archive-date = 9 March 2009 | url-status = dead | author-link = Ron Noades | access-date = 30 May 2009 }}

Wimbledon, established in south London in 1889 and nicknamed "the Dons", were elected to the Football League in 1977. They thereafter went through a "fairytale" rise from obscurity and by the end of the 1980s were established in the top division of English football, as well as winning the 1988 FA Cup final.{{cite news | access-date = 31 August 2009}} Despite Wimbledon's new prominence, the club's modest home stadium at Plough Lane remained largely unchanged from its non-league days. The club's then-owner Ron Noades identified this as a problem as early as 1979, extending his dissatisfaction to the ground's very location. Interested in the stadium site designated by the Milton Keynes Development Corporation, Noades briefly planned to move Wimbledon there by merging with a non-league club in Milton Keynes, and bought debt-ridden Milton Keynes City. However, Noades then decided that the club would not gain sufficient support in Milton Keynes and abandoned the idea.

In 1991, after the Taylor Report was published recommending the redevelopment of English football grounds, Wimbledon left Plough Lane to groundshare at Crystal Palace's ground, Selhurst Park, about 6 mi away. Sam Hammam, who then owned Wimbledon, said the club could not afford to redevelop Plough Lane and that the groundshare was a temporary arrangement while a new ground was sourced in south-west London. A new stadium for Wimbledon proved difficult to achieve. Frustrated by what he perceived as a lack of support from Merton Council, Hammam began to look further afield and by 1996 was pursuing a move to Dublin, an idea that most Wimbledon fans strongly opposed.{{cite news | access-date = 17 October 2014}} Hammam sold the club to two Norwegian businessmen, Kjell Inge Røkke and Bjørn Rune Gjelsten, in 1997,{{cite news | access-date = 31 August 2009}} and a year later sold Plough Lane to Safeway supermarkets.{{cite news | author-link = Mihir Bose | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130421092913/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/championship/3010879/Inside-Sport-Hammam-cast-in-villains-role-as-Dons-seek-happy-ending.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 21 April 2013 | access-date = 31 October 2009}} Wimbledon were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 1999–2000 season.{{cite news | access-date = 20 November 2014}}

Starting in 1997, a consortium led by music promoter Pete Winkelman and supported by Asda and IKEA proposed a large retail development in Milton Keynes including a Football League-standard stadium.{{cite news | access-date = 29 November 2014}}{{cite news | access-date = 29 November 2014}} The consortium originally proposed that the stadium be located at the National Bowl but later altered their proposal to change the site of the proposed stadium to Denbigh North, the same site as the mooted retail development.

The consortium proposed that an established league club move to use this site; it approached Luton, Wimbledon, Crystal Palace, Barnet, and Queens Park Rangers.{{cite web | access-date = 1 November 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080704200226/http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/591/29/ | archive-date = 4 July 2008 | url-status = dead | author2-link=Steve Stride | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20041119013644/http://www.wisa.org.uk/cgi/l/files/20020530_fa.pdf | url-status = dead | archive-date = 19 November 2004 | access-date = 5 June 2009

Having campaigned against the move,{{cite book | author2-link=Steve Stride | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20041119013644/http://www.wisa.org.uk/cgi/l/files/20020530_fa.pdf | url-status = dead | archive-date = 19 November 2004 | access-date = 5 June 2009 | access-date = 31 August 2009}} a group of disaffected Wimbledon fans reacted to this in June 2002 by forming their own non-league club, AFC Wimbledon, to which most of the original team's support defected.{{cite news | access-date = 5 June 2009 | access-date = 30 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041119074619/http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/sport/2002/07/04/wimbledon_stay.shtml |archive-date=19 November 2004 |url-status=dead}} The club remained at Selhurst Park in the meantime and in June 2003 went into administration.{{cite news | access-date = 5 June 2009}} With the move threatened and the club facing liquidation,{{cite news | access-date = 30 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050311221625/http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/sport/2003/07/03/wimbledon_selhurst.shtml |archive-date=11 March 2005 |url-status=dead}} Winkelman decided to buy it himself. He secured funding for the administrators to keep the team operating with the goal of getting it to Milton Keynes as soon as possible.{{cite news | access-date = 30 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050311222459/http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/sport/2003/07/15/wimbledon_winkleman_back.shtml |archive-date=11 March 2005 |url-status=dead}} The club arranged the temporary use of the National Hockey Stadium in Milton Keynes and played its first match there in September 2003.{{cite news | access-date = 17 November 2014}}; {{cite news | access-date = 1 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050311221731/http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/sport/2003/09/27/wimbledon_match_day.shtml |archive-date=11 March 2005 |url-status=dead}} Nine months later, Winkelman's Inter MK Group bought the club out of administration and announced changes to its name, badge and colours—the team was renamed Milton Keynes Dons Football Club.{{cite news | access-date = 5 June 2009}}; {{cite news | access-date = 4 June 2009}}

History

2004–2006: Struggles and relegation

The first season for the club as Milton Keynes Dons was 2004–05, in Football League One, under Stuart Murdoch, who had managed Wimbledon F.C. since 2002. The team's first game was on 7 August 2004, a 1–1 home draw against Barnsley, with Izale McLeod equalising with their first competitive goal. Murdoch was sacked in November and replaced by Danny Wilson, who kept Milton Keynes Dons in the division on the final day of the season — largely due to Wrexham's 10-point deduction for going into administration. The following season, Milton Keynes Dons struggled all year, and were relegated to League Two; Wilson, as a result, was sacked.

2006–2010: Promotion and first silverware

Wilson's successor for 2006–07 was Martin Allen, who had just taken Brentford to the brink of a place in the Football League Championship. Milton Keynes Dons were in contention for automatic promotion right up to the last game of the season, but eventually finished fourth and had to settle for a play-off place. They then suffered a defeat to Shrewsbury Town in the play-off semi-finals. During the 2007 summer break, Allen left to take over at Leicester City.

For the 2007–08 season, former England captain Paul Ince took over as manager. Milton Keynes Dons reached the final of the Football League Trophy, while topping the table for most of the season. The final was played on 30 March 2008 against Grimsby Town — Milton Keynes Dons won 2–0 at Wembley to bring the first professional trophy to Milton Keynes. The club capped the trophy win with the League Two championship, and the subsequent promotion to League One. Following his successes, Ince left at the end of the season to manage Blackburn Rovers.

Ince's replacement was former Chelsea player Roberto Di Matteo, taking his first role as a manager. In the 2008–09 season, they missed out on an automatic promotion spot by two points, finishing third behind Peterborough United and Leicester City. They were knocked out of the play-offs by Scunthorpe United, who defeated MK Dons by penalty shootout at Stadium MK. Di Matteo left at the season's end for West Bromwich Albion. A year after leaving, Ince returned as manager for the 2009–10 season.{{cite news | access-date= 3 July 2009}} He resigned from the club on 16 April 2010, but remained manager until the end of the season.

2010–2016: Karl Robinson era

On 10 May 2010, Karl Robinson was appointed as the club's new manager, with former England coach John Gorman as his assistant. At 29 years of age, Robinson was at the time of his appointment the youngest manager in the Football League. In his first season in the club Milton Keynes Dons finished fifth in 2010–11 League One. They faced Peterborough United in the play-off semifinals. Although they won the first leg 2–1, a 2–0 defeat at London Road meant they missed out on the play-off final, losing the Semi-Final 3–2 on aggregate goals.

The 2011–12 season brought similar results to the previous season with the Dons finishing fifth in 2011–12 League One facing Huddersfield in the play-offs. Losing the first leg 2–0 followed by winning 2–1 at The Galpharm saw Milton Keynes Dons lose 3–2 on aggregate against the eventual play-off winners. The away leg was John Gorman's last match in football after announcing his retirement a few weeks beforehand. Gorman's replacement was announced on 18 May 2012 as being ex-Luton manager Mick Harford along with new part-time coach Ian Wright.

Milton Keynes Dons experienced their best ever FA Cup campaign in the 2012–13 season by beating a spirited Cambridge City (0–0 and 6–1), League Two fierce rivals AFC Wimbledon (2–1), Championship Sheffield Wednesday (0–0 and 2–0) and Premier League Queens Park Rangers (4–2) to reach the fifth round of the competition for the first time in their history. Their record-breaking run ended in the fifth round at Stadium MK on 16 February 2013, losing 3–1 to Championship side Barnsley. After being in the top five for most of the season, the club finished the 2013–14 League One season in tenth place.

The 2014–15 season began well. The highlight event of the season's first month was being drawn against Manchester United in the League Cup second round, having dispatched AFC Wimbledon in the first. The Dons recorded a shock 4–0 victory over Manchester United in front of a sell out crowd at Stadium MK. A few weeks later, the Dons recorded their record win, a 6–0 thrashing of Colchester United at home. That record did not last long as it was broken once again with a 7–0 demolition of Oldham Athletic on 20 December 2014. Just over a month later, on 31 January 2015, the Dons recorded a joint record 5–0 away win against Crewe Alexandra, earning a short-lived top spot. On 3 May the club secured promotion to the Football League Championship for the first time, beating Yeovil Town 5–1 and leapfrogging Preston North End (who lost 1–0 at Colchester United) on the final day of the season.

The Dons started life in the Championship by beating Rotherham United away 4–1 on the opening day of the season and gaining seven points from a possible 12 in their first four games. They were not able to sustain this form throughout the season – the Dons did not win any of their final 11 games and they returned to League One after finishing 23rd in the Championship.

On 23 October 2016, Karl Robinson left the club by mutual consent, following a 3–0 home defeat by Southend United the previous day, which had extended the Dons' winless run to four games and left them 19th in the League One table.

2016–2018: Slow decline

Robbie Neilson joined MK Dons as manager from Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian in his native Scotland, with his first official game in charge coincidentally an FA Cup tie against Karl Robinson's new club Charlton Athletic. Neilson's reign started off well, with his second game in charge a win over AFC Wimbledon, and in late January 2017 a local derby win against Northampton Town.

The following season started badly; however, on 30 December 2017 the team was noted for a remarkable 1–0 derby win against Peterborough, playing with 9 men for 68 minutes after controversial refereeing decisions and 13 minutes of added time. Neilson left by mutual consent on 20 January 2018 after a run of one win in eleven league games with the club 21st in the table; he was sacked the same day as his last game, a disappointing away 2–1 derby defeat against relegation rivals Northampton Town.

Under Neilson's successor, Dan Micciche, the club continued to struggle in the relegation places. Following a run of poor results with only three wins in sixteen matches in charge, Micciche left the club on 22 April 2018, with assistant manager Keith Millen taking over as a caretaker. On the penultimate weekend of the season another defeat relegated them to League Two (leaving them seven points from safety with one game to play).

2018–2023: Bounce-back and search for stability

Former Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale was appointed in June 2018 after 12 years at his previous club. After a season where the Dons were tipped to be favourites for promotion, the club spent most of the season around the automatic promotion and play-off places. Going top after a 2–0 win over Macclesfield Town in November, the club sunk to 8th in February before being one win way away from automatic promotion against play-off hopefuls Colchester United in the penultimate game. The Dons lost 2–0 which led to a "winner takes all" game against 3rd placed Mansfield Town, who were separated by goal difference, to determine who was promoted. MK Dons won 1–0 in front of nearly 21,000 fans meaning they returned to League One at the first attempt.

Following a poor start to the 2019–20 season in which the Dons achieved only one point from a possible 27, the worst run of results in the club's history, Tisdale's contract with the club was mutually terminated on 2 November 2019 following a 1–3 home defeat to fellow relegation-threatened Tranmere Rovers. The next day, Russell Martin was announced as the new permanent first-team manager; he had joined as a player earlier in the year. Fixtures were suspended on 13 March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the clubs later voted to end the season prematurely with immediate effect on 9 June 2020, with the final table decided upon by an unweighted points-per-game system resulting in the club finishing the season in 19th place, thus avoiding relegation.

The Dons went into the final weekend of the 2021–22 League One season with a chance of gaining automatic promotion to the Championship, and even had a slim chance of becoming Champions if they won by a big score and other results went their way. They comfortably beat Plymouth Argyle 5–0, but both Wigan Athletic and Rotherham United won their games against Shrewsbury Town and Gillingham, respectively, to claim the two automatic promotion berths. The Dons finished third and faced Buckinghamshire rivals Wycombe Wanderers in the play-offs. Despite the Dons having home advantage in the second leg of their semi-final, Wycombe won 2–1 on aggregate to reach the final at Wembley.

MK Dons suffered relegation to League Two in the 2022–23 League One season. Liam Manning was replaced as manager in December 2022, but successor Mark Jackson registered just six wins in 25 games and was sacked after the side were relegated following a final day 0–0 draw at Burton Albion.

2023–present: Return to League Two

On 27 May 2023, MK Dons appointed Graham Alexander as their new head coach. After an eight-match winless run, Alexander was sacked with MK Dons in 16th place. On 17 October 2023, MK Dons announced that they had appointed Gateshead manager Mike Williamson as their new head coach. He led MK Dons to a 4th-placed finish, where they faced Crawley Town in the play-off semi-finals. Crawley won 8–1 on aggregate, inflicting the largest play-off defeat in EFL history on the club. This was the sixth time MK Dons had competed in the play-offs without reaching a final.

On 9 August 2024, the owner, Pete Winkelman, sold the club to a Kuwait-based consortium, with Fahad Al Ghanim becoming the club's new chairman, representing the first change in ownership since the club's inception. After four losses in the opening six games, including a 3–0 defeat to arch-rivals AFC Wimbledon, Mike Williamson was appointed as the manager of Carlisle United on 19 September, with the Cumbrians meeting the release clause in his contract. MK Dons appointed Williamson's replacement, the Crawley Town boss Scott Lindsey, on 25 September 2024. Lindsey's contract was terminated on 2 March 2025, with the club in 17th place, following a run of just two wins from 14 league games. On 15 April 2025, Paul Warne was announced as the Head Coach on a 'long term' deal with just 4 games remaining of the 2024–25 EFL League Two season.

Kit history

:Only seasons played by Milton Keynes Dons under that name are given here. For a kit history of Wimbledon F.C., see Wimbledon F.C.#Kit history.

Source: Historical Football Kits

Stadium

Main article: National Hockey Stadium (Milton Keynes), Stadium MK

The club's first stadium was the National Hockey Stadium, which was temporarily converted for football for the duration of the club's stay. Their lease on the venue ended in May 2007.

On 18 July 2007, the club's new 30,500 capacity stadium, Stadium MK in Denbigh hosted its first game, a restricted-entrance event against a young Chelsea XI. The stadium was officially opened on 29 November 2007 by Queen Elizabeth II. The stadium features an open concourse at the top of the lower tier, an integrated hotel with rooms looking over the pitch and conference facilities. The complex was to include a 3,000 capacity indoor arena, where the MK Lions basketball team would be based, but completion of this arena was delayed due to deferral of proposed commercial developments around the site.

In May 2009, the stadium was named as one of 15 stadia put forward as potential hosts for the England 2018 FIFA World Cup bid, which would include increasing capacity to 44,000, however England's bid was later unsuccessful. In recent years Stadium MK has played host to the 2014 FA Women's Cup final, three Rugby World Cup 2015 fixtures and four matches (including a semi-final) of the UEFA Women's Euro 2022.

Supporters

Initial supporters' club recognition

On 4 June 2005, at the 2005 Football Supporters' Federation "Fans' Parliament" (AGM), the FSF refused the Milton Keynes Dons Supporters Association (MKDSA) membership of the FSF in a debate that, among other arguments, questioned why the Football League had yet to introduce any new rules to prevent the "franchising" of other football clubs in the future. In addition, the FSF membership agreed with the Wimbledon Independent Supporters' Association (WISA) that the MKDSA should not be entitled to join the FSF until they give up all claim to the history and honours of Wimbledon FC. With this in mind, the FSF began discussions aimed at returning Wimbledon FC's honours to the London Borough of Merton.

Shortly afterwards, following heavy criticism for allowing the move, the Football League announced new tighter rules on club relocation. At its AGM on 5 June 2006, the FSF again considered a motion proposed by the FSF Council to allow Milton Keynes Dons Supporters Association membership if the honours and trophies of Wimbledon FC were given to the London Borough of Merton. In October 2006, agreement was reached between the club, the Milton Keynes Dons Supporters Association, the Wimbledon Independent Supporters' Association and the Football Supporters Federation. The FA Cup trophy plus all club patrimony gathered under the name of Wimbledon Football Club would be returned to the London Borough of Merton. Ownership of trademarks and website domain names related to Wimbledon would also be transferred to the borough. As part of the same agreement it was agreed that any reference made to Milton Keynes Dons should refer only to events subsequent to 7 August 2004 (the date of the first league game of Milton Keynes Dons).

As a result of this deal, the FSF announced that the supporters of Milton Keynes Dons would be permitted to become members of the federation, and that it would no longer appeal to the supporters of other clubs to boycott Milton Keynes Dons' matches. On 2 August 2007, Milton Keynes Dons transferred ownership of all Wimbledon Football Club trophies and memorabilia to the London Borough of Merton.

Rivalries

AFC Wimbledon

Main article: AFC Wimbledon–Milton Keynes Dons F.C. rivalry

Due to their shared ancestry in Wimbledon F.C., there is an unavoidably acrimonious rivalry with AFC Wimbledon since the relocation of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes;

The first fixture between the two clubs took place on 2 December 2012 in the second round of the 2012–13 FA Cup, where they were drawn to play each other at Stadium MK. Milton Keynes Dons won the match 2–1, with a winner scored in injury time by Jon Otsemobor and later dubbed by MK Dons fans as "The Heel of God" (a reference to Maradona's "Hand of God"). Kyle McFadzean's opening goal for MK Dons in the second match between the two clubs, a 3–1 Milton Keynes win in the first round of the League Cup in August 2014, was also scored with his heel, and was consequently labelled "Heel of God II".{{cite news |access-date=13 November 2014}} Two months later, in the Football League Trophy Southern section second round, AFC Wimbledon defeated MK Dons 3–2 with a winning goal by Adebayo Akinfenwa.

On 10 December 2016, the sides met for the first time in a competitive league fixture following MK Dons' relegation from the Championship and AFC Wimbledon's promotion from League Two the previous season. Milton Keynes Dons won 1–0, with Dean Bowditch scoring the only goal of the game with a 63rd-minute penalty. The first visit of MK Dons to AFC Wimbledon's home ground for a League One match on 14 March 2017 resulted in a 2–0 victory for AFC Wimbledon. The 2018–19 season saw AFC Wimbledon remain in League One, in a higher league than MK Dons for the first time.

In 2017, AFC Wimbledon, in the club's programme for their home game against the Dons, played on 22 September, failed to recognise their opponents by their full name for the second successive season. AFC Wimbledon's official Twitter feed also referred to their opponents as "Milton Keynes" throughout their match coverage. AFC Wimbledon were subsequently threatened by the EFL with disciplinary action, The charges were dropped. AFC Wimbledon were forced to refer to MK Dons by their full name ahead of the 2019–20 season, after the EFL stepped in to mediate.

Peterborough United

MK Dons have a rivalry with Peterborough United, since the two clubs have vied head-to-head for promotion to the Championship in recent years. A rivalry also exists between MK Lightning and Peterborough Phantoms in ice hockey that pre-dates the football rivalry.

Northampton Town

Northampton is geographically the closest urban area to Milton Keynes with a professional football team, Northampton Town, the two places separated by a little over 20 mi. Former MK Dons Supporters' Association Chairman John Brockwell had stated that the fans were looking forward to hosting Northampton Town, the club that, geographically at least, are their nearest rivals.

In January 2016 police arrested a Milton Keynes fan for setting off pyrotechnics in the away end, and two Northampton fans and three more Milton Keynes fans were ejected from the ground. In 2018, before the 30 January 3pm kick-off in the League One game between the two clubs, Northamptonshire Police arrested seven travelling supporters of the Dons, with one Northampton fan also arrested. Four arrests were for public order offences, one for criminal damage, one for pitch encroachment, one for obstructing the police, and one for affray.

Wycombe Wanderers

Wycombe Wanderers are the only other professional team in Buckinghamshire, so games between the two teams are labelled "the Bucks derby".

Community

Through the work of its charity, Milton Keynes Dons SET (Sport and Educational Trust), the club works locally in the fields of education, social inclusion, participation and football development. It works with schools, has 14 disability teams playing in regional or national competitions, works with BME (black and minority ethnic) community groups and runs many activities for women and girls.

Milton Keynes Dons' work in the community has been recognised by the award of the Football League Awards Community Club of the Season for the South East & East in both 2012 and 2022, and in the award of an honorary doctorate to chairman Pete Winkelman by the Open University in June 2013. The club have also been awarded Family Excellence status by the EFL every year since the award's inception in 2008, recognising continuing improvement and best practice in family engagement.

Youth academy

Striker Sam Baldock was the first notable academy graduate who, after making 102 appearances, moved on to West Ham United for a seven-figure sum. He later became captain of Bristol City and also played for Derby County. , Daniel Powell, Tom Flanagan and George Baldock, brother of Sam, all played regularly for the MK Dons first team.

On 2 February 2015, Milton Keynes Dons academy graduate and first team midfielder Dele Alli was sold to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur for a fee in the region of £5 million. Alli became the first Milton Keynes Dons academy graduate to make a full England senior team debut, on 9 October 2015.

Kevin Danso is a graduate of the academy who went on to play for Austria and became the youngest player to make a league appearance in FC Augsburg's history, when making his Bundesliga debut.

Other notable youth graduates who have gone on to play at a higher level include George Williams, Brendan Galloway, Scotland international Liam Kelly and England youth team international Sheyi Ojo.

On 9 August 2016, in a first-round EFL Cup match against Newport County, manager Karl Robinson selected a first-team squad composed of 13 academy graduates and players, giving eight of those players their full debuts for the club including Brandon Thomas-Asante. The game ended with a 2–3 away win for the club.{{cite web | access-date = 11 August 2016}}

Players

First-team squad

Out on loan

Notable players

Mark Wright finished the 2007–08 season as the club's top goalscorer, helping the Dons win both the League Two title and the Football League Trophy. Jon Otsemobor made 44 appearances for the club and scored the winning goal in the first match against AFC Wimbledon with a back-heel that was later dubbed the "Heel of God".

Milton Keynes Dons were former Premier League player Jimmy Bullard's last club before his retirement from football, making only three appearances for the club. Similarly Dietmar Hamman made 12 appearances as a player-coach before retiring.

Notable players loaned from other clubs were strikers Patrick Bamford, who scored 18 goals in 37 games, Benik Afobe, who became the league's top scorer in just six months, and Ángelo Balanta, whose loan spell lasted three years. Former Ireland international Clinton Morrison and former Premiership players Paul Rachubka and James Tavernier also had short loan spells with the club.

Alan Smith, most known for his time at Leeds United and Manchester United, joined the club on loan, signing from Newcastle United before making the move permanent totalling 67 appearances for the club. Other international players who have worn the Dons shirt include Tore André Flo, Ali Gerba, Michel Pensée, Cristian Benavente, Richard Pacquette, Keith Andrews, Russell Martin, Tom Flanagan, Drissa Diallo, Pelé and Ousseynou Cissé. Joe Walsh, Brendan Galloway, Jordan Houghton, Connor Furlong, Gboly Ariyibi, Gareth Edds all represented their countries at youth level.

:This list contains players who have made 100 or more league appearances (with the exception of Dele Alli). Appearances and goals apply to league matches only; substitute appearances are included. Names in bold denote current Milton Keynes Dons players.

:Statistics are correct as of 8 May 2025.

Player of the Year

|}

Source:

Club staff

Football staff

Senior management

Managerial history

Main article: List of Milton Keynes Dons F.C. managers

Honours

League

• League One (level 3)
  • Runners-up: 2014–15
• League Two (level 4)
  • Champions: 2007–08
  • Promoted: 2018–19

Cup

• 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

Main article: List of Milton Keynes Dons F.C. records and statistics

Milton Keynes Dons Women

Main article: Milton Keynes Dons F.C. Women

The club founded a women's association football team in 2009. They operate as part of the club with an identical badge and strip, and as of the 2018–19 season, the team share Stadium MK as their home stadium with their male counterparts, one of the first clubs in the country to do so. They compete in the FA Women's National League South.

Footnotes

References

References

1. Blake, Donovan. (18 November 2016). "Five reasons why MK Dons would be a great first job for Steven Gerrard".
2. "The next Gerrard ready for lift-off?". BBC Sport.
3. Osborne, Chris. (27 September 2013). "MK Dons: A decade of football in Milton Keynes". BBC Sport.
4. (13 September 2021). "Report: Women 7 Keynsham Town 1". www.mkdons.com.
5. Lock, Toby. (17 July 2017). "Ten years of Stadium MK: No Threat of Ground Being a White Elephant". The Milton Keynes Citizen.
6. Milton Keynes Council. (29 March 2000). "Item 24, Milton Keynes Council Policy and Resources Committee, 29 March 2000".
7. (10 November 2002). "Move or die: 'A whole raft of us believe it is better to live, even if somewhere else'". Independent News & Media.
8. Mitchell, Kevin. (8 August 2004). "McLeod gives Dons sense of identity". The Guardian.
9. (10 November 2004). "Murdoch axed by Dons". BBC Three Counties.
10. (11 May 2006). "MK Dons part company with Wilson". BBC Three Counties.
11. (30 June 2009). "Baggies confirm Di Matteo as boss". BBC.
12. Williams, Bob. (16 April 2010). "Paul Ince announces that he will leave MK Dons at the end of the season". Telegraph.co.uk.
13. (10 May 2010). "Dons spring surprise by appointing Robinson as new boss".
14. Osborne, Chris. (26 August 2014). "Milton Keynes Dons 4–0 Manchester United". BBC Sport.
15. "Milton Keynes Dons 6–0 Colchester United". BBC Sport.
16. "MATCH REPORT: MK Dons 7–0 Oldham – Christmas comes early at stadiummk". OneMK.
17. "Crewe Alexandra 0–5 Milton Keynes Dons". BBC Sport.
18. "Milton Keynes Dons 5–1 Yeovil Town". BBC Sport.
19. (23 April 2016). "Milton Keynes Dons 1–4 Brentford". BBC Sport.
20. (23 October 2016). "Karl Robinson: MK boss leaves club 'by mutual consent' after six years in charge". BBC Sport.
21. (2 December 2016). "Robbie Neilson: Hearts head coach completes MK Dons move". BBC Sport.
22. (13 December 2016). "Milton Keynes Dons 3–1 Charlton Athletic (aet)". BBC Sport.
23. (10 December 2016). "Milton Keynes Dons 1–0 AFC Wimbledon". BBC Sport.
24. (21 January 2017). "Milton Keynes Dons 5–3 Northampton Town". BBC Sport.
25. Pilnick, Brent. (30 December 2017). "EFL: Tony Pulis has a tough start while nine-man MK Dons hang on for a win". BBC Sport.
26. FOOTBALL ON 5: GOAL RUSH, Saturday 30 December, Season 2017/18 Episode 21
27. (30 December 2017). "Farcical refereeing doesn't dampen Dons' spirit – Neilson". Milton Keynes Citizen.
28. (30 December 2017). "Milton Keynes Dons 1–0 Peterborough United". BBC Sport.
29. (20 January 2018). "Robbie Neilson: Milton Keynes Dons manager leaves club by 'mutual consent'". BBC Sport.
30. (20 January 2018). "SACKED: Robbie Neilson leaves MK Dons". Milton Keynes Citizen.
31. (22 April 2018). "Dan Micciche: MK Dons part company with manager". BBC Sport.
32. (28 May 2018). "Premier League and Football League: Ups & downs and European qualification". BBC Sport.
33. (6 June 2018). "Paul Tisdale: MK Dons appoint former Exeter City boss as new manager". BBC Sport.
34. Aizlewood, John. (18 November 2018). "MK Dons go top of League Two".
35. (9 February 2019). "Milton Keynes Dons 2–3 Swindon Town". [[BBC Sport]].
36. (27 April 2019). "Colchester United 2–0 Milton Keynes Dons". [[BBC Sport]].
37. (3 May 2019). "League Two final day: MK Dons and Mansfield battle for last promotion place". BBC Sport.
38. (4 May 2019). "Milton Keynes Dons 1–0 Mansfield Town: David Wheeler goal seals promotion for Dons". [[BBC Sport]].
39. (2 November 2019). "Paul Tisdale: MK Dons part company with manager after third successive loss". BBC Sport.
40. (3 November 2019). "Russell Martin appointed MK Dons First-Team Manager". Milton Keynes Dons.
41. (13 March 2020). "Coronavirus: Premier League and EFL suspended in England – Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland halt games". BBC Sport.
42. (9 June 2020). "League One & League Two clubs vote to end seasons early". BBC Sport.
43. Pilnick, Brent. (30 April 2022). "Plymouth Argyle 0–5 Milton Keynes Dons".
44. (30 April 2022). "Shrewsbury Town 0–3 Wigan Athletic". BBC Sport.
45. (30 April 2022). "Gillingham 0–2 Rotherham United".
46. "League One Table 2021/2022". Eurosport.
47. (8 May 2022). "Milton Keynes Dons 1–0 Wycombe Wanderers". BBC Sport.
48. (11 December 2022). "Statement: Liam Manning".
49. (9 May 2023). "Mark Jackson: MK Dons sack head coach after relegation to League Two". BBC Sport.
50. (27 May 2023). "Graham Alexander: MK Dons appoint ex-Motherwell boss as new head coach". BBC Sport.
51. (16 October 2023). "Graham Alexander: MK Dons sack head coach after just 16 games in charge". BBC Sport.
52. (17 October 2023). "Mike Williamson appointed MK Dons Head Coach".
53. (27 April 2024). "Milton Keynes Dons 4 Sutton United 4". BBC Sport.
54. (11 May 2024). "Milton Keynes Dons Milton Keynes Dons 1–5 Crawley Town". BBC Sport.
55. (9 August 2024). "MK Dons sold to Kuwait-based consortium". BBC Sport.
56. (14 September 2024). "Callum Maycock’s double helped AFC Wimbledon record their third league win in a row with a 3-0 triumph over bitter rivals MK Dons.". BBC Sport.
57. (19 September 2024). "Carlisle bring in boss Williamson from MK Dons". BBC Sport.
58. (25 September 2024). "MK Dons appoint Crawley boss Lindsey as head coach". BBC Sport.
59. Lock, Toby. (2 March 2025). "Head coach Lindsey sacked by MK Dons". [[Milton Keynes Citizen]].
60. (15 April 2025). "Paul Warne joins MK Dons as Head Coach". MK Dons.
61. (7 September 2018). "MK Dons and Suzuki GB keep the ball rolling for three more years". Milton Keynes Dons.
62. (29 July 2023). "MK Dons stay On The Ball with Suzuki". Milton Keynes Dons.
63. (7 June 2022). "MK Dons partner with Castore". Milton Keynes Dons.
64. (4 August 2022). "eEnergy expand partnership to become first back-of-shirt sponsors". Milton Keynes Dons.
65. (3 December 2024). "Stadium Support Services parternship to become shirt sleeve sponsor". Milton Keynes Dons.
66. "Milton Keynes Dons power up with Reebok".
67. (19 July 2007). "Dons open stadium against Chelsea". BBC Sport.
68. (30 November 2007). "The Queen visits Milton Keynes". BBC Sport.
69. (26 November 2008). "Winkelman can't guarantee arena!". [[Milton Keynes Citizen]].
70. Eason, Kevin. (17 December 2009). "Milton Keynes in dreamland after being selected for World Cup bid". [[The Times]].
71. (27 December 2013). "MK Dons: A decade of football in Milton Keynes". BBC Sport.
72. Gibson, Owen. (2 May 2013). "World Cup 2015 will use only two traditional club rugby grounds". [[The Guardian]].
73. "Venues – UEFA Women's EURO 2022". [[The Football Association]].
74. FSF Annual Report for 2005 Motion 1 on pages 6
75. FSF Annual Report for 2006 minutes pages 44/45
76. "Rule changes from League's AGM". The Football League.
77. FSF Annual Report for 2006 Motion 6 (pages 6)
78. [http://www.mkdsa.co.uk/documents/archive/2006The_Accord.pdf Accord on patrimony of Wimbledon FC] MKDSA website.
79. FSF press release "MK Dons agree to return Wimbledon trophies to Merton – and sanction amendments to football statistics"
80. "Football – My Club – Milton Keynes – Merton given back Dons trophies". BBC Sport.
81. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38252537 MK Dons v AFC Wimbledon: What is the feeling among fans?]{{snd ''BBC Sport'', 9 December 2016
82. "[https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/afc-wimbledon-face-football-league-11224525 AFC Wimbledon face Football League probe after refusing to recognise bitter rivals MK Dons]", ''[[The Daily Mirror]]'', 23 September 2017
83. (2 December 2012). "MK Dons 2–1 AFC Wimbledon". BBC Sport.
84. Osbourne, Chris. (13 August 2014). "MK Dons 3–1 AFC Wimbledon". BBC Sport.
85. (7 October 2014). "MK Dons 2–3 AFC Wimbledon". BBC Sport.
86. (10 December 2016). "Milton Keynes Dons 1–0 AFC Wimbledon". BBC Sport.
87. Burnton, Simon. (4 May 2018). "AFC Wimbledon and MK Dons head in different directions once more". The Guardian.
88. (12 January 2018). "AFC Wimbledon appoint top QC in fight over MK Dons charge".
89. (17 April 2018). "AFC Wimbledon: EFL drop charges after club refused to use MK Dons' full name". BBC Sport.
90. Fordham, Josh. (10 July 2019). "ARCH-RIVALS AFC Wimbledon ordered by EFL to call bitter rivals MK Dons by correct name". talkSPORT.
91. "Milton Keynes Dons 1–0 Peterborough United". BBC Sport.
92. "Play-offs rekindle newest rivalry". BBC Sport.
93. "[http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2014-11-22/say-it-with-flowers-floral-face-off-for-local-ice-hockey-rivals Say it with flowers: Floral face-off for local ice hockey rivals]", ITV News, 22 November 2014
94. "Northampton Town FC to Stadium MK".
95. Although Peterborough United have been traditionally Northampton's main rivals, the "[[Northampton Town F.C.. link. (25 September 2017 ", ''[[Northampton Chronicle]]'', 14 August 2008)
96. Andrews, Liam. (10 January 2016). "MK Dons fan arrested at Northampton Town for possession of a pyro".
97. "[https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/eight-football-related-arrests-during-afternoon-of-mk-dons-visit-to-northampton-town-1-8342892 Eight football related arrests during afternoon of MK Dons visit to Northampton Town]" by James Averill, ''[[MK Citizen]]'', 22 January 2018
98. "[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38619530 Milton Keynes Dons – Northampton Town 5–3: game report]", ''BBC Sport'', 21 January 2017
99. Green, Sam. (18 December 2006). "Card game riles Wycombe".
100. (17 April 2010). "MK Dons 2–3 Wycombe". BBC Sport.
101. "MK Dons Sports and Education Trust". MK Dons SET.
102. (22 April 2022). "MK Dons receive regional EFL Community club of the Season award". Milton Keynes Dons.
103. (6 June 2013). "MK Dons chairman receives Honorary Doctorate from The Open University". The Open University.
104. (17 May 2022). "MK Dons awarded Family Excellence status for 14th consecutive season". Milton Keynes Dons.
105. "Dele Alli: Tottenham sign £5m MK Dons midfielder & loan him back". BBC Sport.
106. "Euro 2016 qualifiers: England 2–0 Estonia". BBC Sport.
107. Dawkes, Phil. (8 September 2018). "England: Players getting game time – the biggest threat to future?". BBC Sport.
108. Langner, Wolfgang. (4 March 2017). "Kevin Danso ist nach seinem Debüt ein gefragter Mann". Augsburger Allgemeine.
109. (24 May 2017). "Baum über Danso: "Es ist eine Sensation"".
110. "First Team - MK Dons". [[Milton Keynes Dons F.C.
111. "HEEL OF GOD: It's two years on from when Jon Otsemobor scored magical goal for MK Dons against AFC Wimbledon". OneMK.
112. (1 October 2012). "Jimmy Bullard: MK Dons midfielder retires after knee injuries". [[BBC Sport]].
113. (20 May 2010). "MK Dons sign Dietmar Hamann as player-coach". BBC Sport.
114. (2 August 2011). "Balanta back but Doumbe is ruled out". Milton Keynes Citizen.
115. (24 September 2011). "MK Dons bring in striker Clinton Morrison". BBC Sport.
116. "Soccerbase – The Internet Soccer Database". Soccerbase.
117. (27 April 2018). "Changes to the End of Season Awards". Milton Keynes Dons.
118. (26 June 2020). "Gilbey doubles up as he claims Dons' Player of the Year for a second year". [[Milton Keynes Citizen]].
119. (5 May 2025). "The Alternative MK Dons Awards 2024/25". [[Milton Keynes Citizen]].
120. (26 June 2020). "Gallery: Player of the Year winners". Milton Keynes Dons.
121. "Football Staff". Milton Keynes Dons.
122. (2 August 2004). "Portimão Cup: MK Dons ganha nos "penalties"". [[Record (Portuguese newspaper).
123. (25 July 2018). "Honeyman delighted after Stadium MK is named Ladies base". Milton Keynes Dons.