“I think he can take us to the Championship given the right financial backing.”


The last time Lincoln City hosted Milton Keynes Dons was on 4th April 2008 in League Two. Milton Keynes left Sincil Bank with all three points that day (1-2), in front of a crowd of 3,896. Today, there will be over 9,000 inside Sincil Bank.

Earlier on in the 2007/08 season, Milton Keynes hammered The Imps 4-0 at Stadium MK, in what was John Schofield’s last game in charge following a poor run of results.

Ahead of today’s game, we would like to thank Matt, John and Blodwyn (published in this order) for answering our questions. The answers have been published on three separate pages, with the link to the next page being at the bottom on the right-hand side.

First up, Matt:

How long have you supported Milton Keynes Dons?

I started following when Wimbledon arrived and got a season ticket when we moved to Stadium:MK in 2007.

Where did you finish last season?

The dark depths of League One.

What do you think of your Manager?

Tisdale has made a positive start. He has already succeeded in solidifying the defence and making us hard to beat. After two relegations in three seasons, this was the priority.

Our 1-1 home draw with Forest Green at the weekend – in which we were thoroughly outplayed – raised a few tentative questions about the style of football he will serve up. We were stodgy and defensive. If this cautiousness is part of a transition towards more attacking football, that’s fine. But Dons fans may become slightly restless if it’s as good as we’re going to get.

What are your hopes and expectations for this season?

I hope for automatic promotion and expect a top-seven finish.

One(s) to watch?

Chuks Aneke. Injury problems have prevented the former Arsenal youngster playing at a higher level. Most expected him to leave this summer – including Chuks himself, who didn’t feature in August as he angled for a move to Bolton. It never materialised and he’s back in the team until January, at least. He’s a brick outhouse with skills and should do damage at this level.

Elsewhere, Callum Brittain will play at right wing-back. He’s another academy product and an England U20 player.

Who do you think will finish in the top 7?

In no particular order: Lincoln City, Milton Keynes Dons, Colchester United, Yeovil Town, Forest Green Rovers, Exeter City and Bury.

Who do you think will finish in the bottom 2?

Macclesfield Town and Morecambe.

What are your thoughts on Lincoln City?

Ominous opposition and a coach destined for big things.

What do you think the score will be?

2-1 to Lincoln.

What will your likely default formation and style of play be for this season?

Tisdale has favoured 3-5-2 so far and that looks set to continue.

Random fact about your Club?

We’re big in Ukraine. Max from Kharkiv – a fan since ’88 – is flying over for the game on Saturday.

If you could steal one Lincoln City player for your own team, who would it be and why?

Lee Frecklington. Good name, good player.

What are your proudest and most embarrassing moments as a Milton Keynes Dons Supporter?

Proud moment(s): Seeing Dele Alli flourish.

Embarrassing moment: When Pete Winkelman appointed Dan Micciche in January 2018 to lead a long-term project, only to sack him in April 2018 for short-term results. That was the first time I seriously questioned the competence of those in the boardroom, which I suppose is another step on the path to being a ‘proper club’.

Who would you say is your most underrated player?

Joe Walsh has been sturdy in the back-three.

Do you have a Supporters Trust and what role do they play at the Club?

There is a supporters’ association that acts as a link between club and fans. I’m not personally involved but they seem active on match days – there’s a lot going on for young fans.

Which was your favourite match involving Milton Keynes Dons?

MK Dons 4 – 0 Manchester United. We were dancing on the roundabouts that night.

Which was your least favourite match involving Milton Keynes Dons?

Losing to Peterborough in the 2011 playoffs was a tough one. Although they don’t like to admit it, there is a bit of a rivalry between us.

Edds, Lewington, Andrews, Dyer, Wilbraham, McLeod, Platt. Discuss.

Lovely, lovely nostalgia. Ever-present Lewington is still here and will be plodding up and down the left flank on Saturday.

stadium:MK – has it been the off the pitch success that was intended i.e. concerts, international games etc?

Yes. A few years ago JLS played at the stadium. Next year it is part of Rod Stewart’s tour, which means things are moving in the right direction, I think. On the sporting side, we’ve had European rugby matches, Under-21s and women’s international football. And darts.

If you could build the stadium again, what would you add/remove from a supporters perspective?

A few more people would be nice but on the whole, we can’t complain. It might be a soulless dome, but at least it’s an architecturally interesting soulless dome. It has more about it than Reading, Derby, the Ricoh, and the rest of the 30,000-capacity identikit grounds.

Do you have any/many fans who were originally Wimbledon fans or are they nearly all newbie MK Dons fans who started supporting the team when they were formed?

Yes, there are original Wimbledon fans. It’s difficult to say how many but I would estimate about 100 that attend regularly.

I used to work in MK and was always impressed with the lengths the club went to engage with the community and also all of the community events the club put on. A good model for a lower league club. Has this continued in recent years and what benefits has it brought?

This touches on the paradox at the heart of MK Dons. The aspect of the Wimbledon move that draws a particularly emotional response is the idea that MK Dons stole a club from its community. And yet, once in Milton Keynes, the club has, as you say, been a model for lower-league community engagement.

The club is still very active in the community. This month 500 people were at the stadium for a disability awards night that the coaching staff and a few players attended. The club’s reach should increase further when a new training ground – which has been in the pipeline for a while – is completed.

It’s hard to say what the tangible benefits are, but there’s no doubt that it’s an important part of the club’s role and something to be proud of.

Has the hostility towards the club from fans of other teams lessened over the years, or is it still pretty much the same?

A vocal minority are hostile. Most are ambivalent. I haven’t been called a ‘Franchise ****’ since our 2014/15 promotion season so the moral standards of football league fans must be slipping.

I am always intrigued when foreign players end up in League Two – what’s the story behind Ousseynou Cisse and Weiger Sietsma and are they any good?

I have no idea how they ended up in Milton Keynes. But Cisse, a Mali international, is good fun. He has become something of a fans’ favourite this season and is revelling in this rather odd turn of events. Look out for his party-piece: needlessly rolling the ball back and forth with his studs before playing a simple pass.

Sietsma is the third-choice ‘keeper. He had a run in the team last season after No.1 Lee Nicholls punched the crossbar upon conceding a fifth goal at Wigan, resulting in a broken hand.

Do you miss the former National Hockey Stadium (now a Network Rail offices site) and do you actually own or are in debt for the current stadium?

I miss the city-centre location. But our current home is a much better place to watch football.

And now for John’s answers!

How long have you supported Milton Keynes Dons?

Since they were formed in 2004.

Where did you finish last season?

A very sad and disappointing 23rd place with 45 points, only winning 11 times.

What do you think of your Manager?

I like him so far and it’s still early days, but already there are a few disgruntled fans who are questioning his defensive style of play.

What are your hopes and expectations for this season?

Hope to win the League but expecting to at least get into the playoffs.

One(s) to watch?

Chuks Aneke, and goalkeeper Lee Nicholls. Also Jordan Moore-Taylor.

Who do you think will finish in the top 7?

Lincoln City, Oldham Athletic, Colchester United, MK Dons, Bury, Exeter City and Swindon Town.

Who do you think will finish in the bottom 2?

Morecambe and Northampton Town.

What are your thoughts on Lincoln City?

They are a good side with a lot of attacking threat and I expect them to be up there all season. They have a great management team and a good fan base to back them up.

What do you think the score will be?

Heart says 1-0 Dons, head says 2-1 Lincoln.

What will your likely default formation and style of play be for this season?

Tisdale likes to play defensively and packs the midfield with defensive type players, we’ve played mostly with a 5-3-1-1 setup.

Random fact about your Club?

We had the coolest ever football kit sponsor. Marshall Amplification.

If you could steal one Lincoln City player for your own team, who would it be and why?

Jon Akinde, we would have liked him here as he’s the type of player all our fans have been wanting at the Dons, he scores plenty as well.

What are your proudest and most embarrassing moments as a Milton Keynes Dons Supporter?

Proudest has to be seeing Dele Alli making his England debut born and bred in MK. Most embarrassing is a no-brainer, it has to be getting relegated last season.

Who would you say is your most underrated player?

I’m going to be a bit controversial and say, Kieran Agard.

Do you have a Supporters Trust and what role do they play at the Club?

No, we don’t.

Which was your favourite match involving Milton Keynes Dons?

Has to be the 4-0 cup win against Manchester United.

Which was your least favourite match involving Milton Keynes Dons?

Away to Bury on a cold February 2017 and ended in a drab 0-0.

Edds, Lewington, Andrews, Dyer, Wilbraham, McLeod, Platt. Discuss.

All Dons legends and will always be a big part of the early success of the Club. Lewington’s record speaks for itself started over 700 games and still going strong. McLeod top goal scorer for the club. I’m not going to comment on them all as it would take too long.

stadium:mk – has it been the off the pitch success that was intended i.e. concerts, international games etc?

We had World Cup Rugby there, and Rod Stewart is booked next June, also the arena is holding more and more events as well.

If you could build the stadium again, what would you add/remove from a supporters perspective?

I believe in the original plans for the stadium that a training ground was going to be included where the retail units are situated, if true we are certainly regretting it know as we are still trying to get a training ground sorted 10 years later. I wouldn’t remove anything.

Do you have any/many fans who were originally Wimbledon fans or are they nearly all newbie MK Dons fans who started supporting the team when they were formed?

Yes, there are still quite a few original Wimbledon fans that come to MK although I’m not sure on numbers. They are scattered around the ground.

I used to work in MK and was always impressed with the lengths the club went to engage with the community and also all of the community events the club put on. A good model for a lower league club. Has this continued in recent years and what benefits has it brought?

Yes, it has The club has 16 disability teams, while the MK Dons Sport and Education Trust interacts with 60,000 people every year. The academy has produced some great prospects and continues to do so, in fact, we played Peterborough Utd recently in the Checkatrade Trophy and there were no less than 9 MK Dons academy involved that night.

Has the hostility towards the club from fans of other teams lessened over the years, or is it still pretty much the same?

It has dampened somewhat but there are still the occasional keyboard warriors who stir it up on social media. I go to most away games and I can honestly say I have never encountered any problems and I find that most fans now accept that the Dons are here to stay.

I am always intrigued when foreign players end up in League Two – what’s the story behind Ousseynou Cisse and Weiger Sietsma and are they any good?

Both were signed by Robbie Neilson and I don’t really know the whole story regarding how he signed them, Cisse is a Malian international and was signed from Tours who play in the second div in France he has quickly become a fans favourite and loves interacting with the crowd, however can be either brilliant or a liability, you can never tell, he has though been much better this season under Tisdale.

Sietsma is a Dutch goalie and played for SC Heerenveen. He had short spell towards the end of last season and was caught up in the inevitability of a relegation battle last season. He has been overlooked this season and is now number three after Nicholls and Moore.

Do you miss the former National Hockey Stadium (now a Network Rail offices site) and do you actually own or are in debt for the current stadium?

I loved the NHS with its uniqueness and somewhat controversial conversion into a football stadium, it was a tight and compact ground and the atmosphere generated was brilliant. There were some memorable matches there, the first one of course against Burnley and teams like West Ham, Millwall rolling up and adding to the atmosphere.

The stadium is owned by Peter Winkelman who also owns Inter MK, so we don’t owe anyone for using it.

And finally, the answers provided by Blodwyn:

How long have you supported Milton Keynes Dons?

Since 2004 when MK Dons were formed.

Where did you finish last season?

Sadly relegated but not bottom.

What do you think of your Manager?

I like Paul Tisdale. I think he can take us to the Championship given the right financial backing.

What are your hopes and expectations for this season?

My hopes are automatic promotion and good runs in the FA Cup and Checkatrade. My expectation is playoffs.

One(s) to watch?

We don’t have any stand out players but Callum Brittain is an England U20 player. We have some very good young players coming through. You might see Dylan Asonganyi and Brandon Thomas-Asante play. They are both fast strong forwards.

Who do you think will finish in the top 7?

Lincoln City, Tranmere Rovers, Forest Green Rovers, Milton Keynes Dons, Colchester United, Oldham Athletic and Stevenage.

Who do you think will finish in the bottom 2?

Macclesfield Town and Morecambe.

What are your thoughts on Lincoln City?

Your Club seems friendly and well run. I like your Club and your City.

What do you think the score will be?

Lincoln City 2 MK Dons 1.

What will your likely default formation and style of play be for this season?

Tisdale does chop and change the formation depending on the opposition but we have been defensively minded the season to stop leaking goals.

Random fact about your Club?

We are the legal continuation of Wimbledon FC… (Please stop swearing now)

If you could steal one Lincoln City player for your own team, who would it be and why?

Matt Rhead. We need more goals and he knocks them in.

What are your proudest and most embarrassing moments as a Milton Keynes Dons Supporter?

Winning the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy at Wembley in 2007. Being relegated is always embarrassing and humbling.

Who would you say is your most underrated player?

Goalkeeper Lee Nicholls. He is 25 and improving every season.

Do you have a Supporters Trust and what role do they play at the Club?

The Supporters Trust is “mothballed” I don’t think we will ever have an “active” Trust.

Which was your favourite match involving Milton Keynes Dons?

MK Dons 4 Manchester United 0. What a night!! Look it up on YouTube. Unreal!!!

Which was your least favourite match involving Milton Keynes Dons?

Our 2 losses to AFC Wimbledon. You can guess the reason why.

Edds, Lewington, Andrews, Dyer, Wilbraham, McLeod, Platt. Discuss.

Edds: His goal against Tranmere on the last day of the season kept us up in 2005. Legend. Lewington: Club legend. There should be a statue of him at StadiumMK in the future in my opinion. Andrews, Platt, Wilbraham and Dyer: All played well for us. McLeod: Top all-time scorer with 62 goals. Retired now but working for the Club in sales.

stadium:mk – has it been the off the pitch success that was intended i.e. concerts, international games etc?

StadiumMK is doing what it was built for. We have various income streams that are keeping the Club solvent.

If you could build the stadium again, what would you add/remove from a supporters perspective?

I wouldn’t change anything about the Stadium itself. Catering and stewarding need sorting out though.

Do you have any/many fans who were originally Wimbledon fans or are they nearly all newbie MK Dons fans who started supporting the team when they were formed?

I think less than 100 original Wimbledon fans followed the Club to MK. Since 2003 they have either died, retired, or don’t bother anymore. I do know around 12 fans who still come but the total number is probably less than 40.

I used to work in MK and was always impressed with the lengths the club went to engage with the community and also all of the community events the club put on. A good model for a lower league club. Has this continued in recent years and what benefits has it brought?

MK Dons Sports and Education Trust do great work in the community with the young, disabled, and ladies. I hear it’s an admired set up. They are a registered charity.

Has the hostility towards the club from fans of other teams lessened over the years, or is it still pretty much the same?

Face to face hostility towards us has disappeared except for some AFC Wimbledon and Luton fans. Some keyboard warriors try to keep the hostility going and Supporters Trusts mainly take an anti-MK Don stance but generally, we’re disliked for football reasons rather than our history.

I am always intrigued when foreign players end up in League Two – what’s the story behind Ousseynou Cisse and Weiger Sietsma and are they any good?

Cisse is a French Mali international and Sietsma is Dutch. Cisse is a confidence player and has been brilliant this season. Sietsma is non-league standard (Sorry Weiger).

Do you miss the former National Hockey Stadium (now a Network Rail offices site) and do you actually own or are in debt for the current stadium?

The National Hockey Stadium was built for Hockey and as such was unsuitable for football in the long term. I liked it though. StadiumMK is fantastic. It’s owned by InterMK 1 who own InterMK2 the owners of MK Dons FC. Pete Winkelman is the top man in both companies. I think the outstanding debt for the Stadium is less than 10 million and is manageable as we stand. It helps to have good income streams and selling Dele Alli for 5 million plus add-ons.

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