THE GROUND
stadium:mk
Stadium Way West
Milton Keynes
MK1 1ST
Milton Keynes Dons moved in to their new stadium in the summer of 2007 after nearly four years playing at the National Hockey Stadium following the angry birth of the club and the move of Wimbledon FC to Milton Keynes in 2003.
The 22,000 capacity stadium has the potential to rise to 32,000 should The Dons complete the top tier on three sides of the ground.
Visiting supporters are usually housed in the North Stand and there is room for 3,000.
THE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
It is approximately 55 miles from Griffin Park to stadium:mk.
Most supporters who travel by road will use the M1 and MK Dons suggest leaving at junction 14 and taking roads V6 and H11 to meet the A421 and there are signs for the stadium from there.
Junction 13 of the M1 will lead drivers on to the A421, follow this road until the junction with H9 and that leads directly to the stadium.
The ground is also very close to the A5 and anyone approaching on this road can’t miss it.
There is parking available at stadium:mk but it is limited.
Supporters are not allowed to park in the retail outlets close to the ground but parking is available in the industrial estates.
The nearest station to stadium:mk is Bletchley, which is less than a mile away while Fenny Stratford is also just under a mile from the ground.
Milton Keynes Central Station is more than two miles from the stadium.
London Midland services from Euston stop at all three stations while Virgin Trains go from Euston to Milton Keynes Central and Southern services from Clapham Junction stop to Bletchley and Milton Keynes Central.
The Supporters’ Association will be running coaches to every game this season – details of times and prices will be announced in due course.
THE FIXTURES
Brentford will entertain MK Dons at Griffin Park on Sunday December 29, their last game of 2013.
The Bees will then travel to Buckinghamshire on Easter Monday, April 21, for a Bank Holiday fixture and the penultimate away game.
THE RECENT HISTORY
Milton Keynes Dons finished outside the League One Play-Offs last season for only the second time in five seasons.
The Dons are set to begin their sixth season at this level and have established themselves as one of the premier teams in the division.
Recent success for MK is a far cry from the early part of the 21st Century, which saw a controversial beginning for the Football League’s youngest club.
MK Dons came about when Wimbledon FC were given permission in the summer of 2002 to move to the Buckinghamshire town.
They moved in September 2003 and, with a large proportion of former Wimbledon FC fans creating AFC Wimbledon, changed their name to Milton Keynes Dons in the summer of 2004.
This date is now said to be the formation of MK Dons and following negotiations that concluded in 2007, MK have given up all claim to the history of Wimbledon FC, although legally they are a continuation of the 1889 club.
The club started out as one on a downward spiral, they were relegated from the second tier in 2004 and dropped to the bottom tier in 2006.
They missed out on promotion under Martin Allen in 2007 but Paul Ince brought them up in 2008, their first season in their new home, and when Roberto Di Matteo replaced Ince in the summer of 2008 he led them to third place in League One, with a points total that would have seen them promoted in any of the previous seven season.
Di Matteo left after one season and Ince returned but MK missed out on the promotion shake-up, finishing 12th.
Karl Robison took over in the summer of 2010 and after two fifth placed finished, losing in the League One Play-Offs twice to make it three times in four years, last season was less successful.
They started well and at the end of November were third in the table and on a run of five wins and a draw for their previous six games.
They then beat AFC Wimbledon in the FA Cup before a defeat in a memorable game at Griffin Park.
Although they made it to the FA Cup Fifth Round their league form suffered.
After beating Notts County on New Year’s Day, they then won one of their next 11 league games and slipped out of contention.
They had games in hand and ended strongly – with five wins in their last eight – but eventually finished eighth, four points outside the Play-Off zone.
THE MANAGER
Karl Robinson became the Football League’s youngest manager when he took over from Paul Ince in the summer of 2010.
Just 29 at the time, Karl, now 32, followed Ince to Milton Keynes Dons then Blackburn Rovers and back to MK as Assistant Manager after starting his coaching career at Liverpool’s academy.
He took over when Ince left and is about to start his fourth season in charge.
His professional career with Swindon Town ended before it really began due to a back injury and his non-league clubs included Bamber Bridge and Prescott Cables.
He was the youngest coach to ever be awarded the UEFA Pro License.
THE TOP SCORER
Dean Bowditch and Ryan Lowe both scored 12 goals in all competitions for MK Dons last season, Bowditch hit eight of his in npower League One while Lowe scored 11 league goals.
Bowditch, 27, joined The Dons in the summer of 2011 from Yeovil Town.
He is of course well known to Brentford fans having spent nearly three months on loan from Ipswich Town in October 2008.
That spell was one of several in his time at Portman Road, which saw him play at Burnley, Wycombe Wanderers, Brighton and Hove Albion (twice) and Northampton Town before he left to join Yeovil.
Lowe, 34, joined Mk Dons in August from Sheffield Wednesday having previously played for clubs including Bury and Shrewsbury Town.
He left stadium:mk in the close season and is now at Tranmere Rovers.
THE KEY MEN
MK Dons under Robinson have become known as one of the best footballing teams in the third tier.
They have usually played with two holding midfield players – Stephen Gleeson and Darren Potter – and three behind a lone front man.
The loss of Gleeson in the middle of last season hit The Dons badly and he only made 30 appearances while Potter carried the midfield burden, scoring four goals in an ever-present League One season.
Ryan Lowe was often the main striker while Dean Bowditch, Daniel Powell and former Manchester United attacking midfield player Luke Chadwick were also regulars.
Former England Under-19 international David Martin missed the end of the season with injury but should return for the new season while in defence Shaun Williams played 44 league games.
Left back Dean Lewington, who was with Wimbledon FC before the move to Milton Keynes in 2003, made 47 appearances in all competitions last season.
Most of MK’s key players will be remaining with The Dons – one-year extension options on the contracts of Bowditch and Williams were triggered while Martin and Lewington signed new deals.
Defender Mathias Kouo-Doumbé has left, as has Lowe, while defender Adam Chicksen and back up goalkeeper Ian McLoughlin have yet to commit for 2013/14.
THE FIRST MEETING
September 28 2004, LDV Vans Trophy Southern Section First Round – Brentford 0 Milton Keynes Dons 3
Brentford line-up: Julian (sub Lennie); Hillier, Palmer, Fitzgerald, Myers; Peters (sub Weight), Lawrence, Tabb, Hunt (sub Muldowney); Harrold, Rhodes
Subs (not used): Osborne, Charles
MK scored three goals inside the first half hour at Griffin Park.
THE LAST MEETING
April 1 2013, npower League One – Milton Keynes Dons 2 Brentford 0
Brentford line-up: Moore; Logan, Dean, Craig, Bidwell; Douglas, Diagouraga; Donaldson (sub German), Forshaw, Forrester (sub Saunders); Trotta (sub Wright-Phillips)
Subs (not used): Gounet, Hodson, Reeves, Adeyemi Brentford’s three-match winning streak was brought to an end as they were beaten 2-0 by Milton Keynes Dons, their first ever defeat at stadium:mk.
Click here for a full report.
THE MEMORABLE DAY
December 8 2012, npower League One – Brentford 3 Milton Keynes Dons 2
Brentford line-up: Moore; Logan, Dean, Craig, Bidwell; Diagouraga (sub Kiernan); Donaldson, Douglas, Forshaw (sub Reeves), Forrester; Trotta (sub Hodson)
Subs (not used): Lee, Dallas, Saunders, Hayes
Brentford goal scorers: Donaldson (2), Forrester
Clayton Donaldson scored twice as Brentford came from behind twice to end up victorious in a promotion six-pointer against Milton Keynes Dons at Griffin Park.
Click here for a full report.