Football Season Guide

Ever since Robbie Neilson took over from Karl Robinson as the manager of MK Dons in November last year, it has been clear that the new Dons' boss was unwilling to live under the shadow of his predecessor and that he would be looking to transform both the Dons' squad and playing style. As a consequence, several players that were club stalwarts under Robinson have either fallen down the pecking order or left. The current summer has seen the likes of David Martin, Darren Potter, Dean Bowditch, Daniel Powell and Nicky Maynard all leave, with the only player to leave that the Dons actually wanted to keep hold of being George Baldock. Two excellent League One players have been signed in the form of Ethan Ebanks-Landell and Gboly Ariyibi, who both sign on loan. Meanwhile, Neilson has continued his habit of looking to foreign leagues for signings. He brought in the likes of Ousseynou Cisse, who signs from Tours, Wieger Sietsma, who signs from Heerenveen, and Peter Pawllet, who signs from Aberdeen. Neilson is very familiar with players from the Scottish leagues, having managed there before moving to England to take charge of the Dons. The second half of the previous season was a case of Neilson getting to know his new players, with his appointment being made too late for his side to be able to genuinely push for promotion. However, the Dons' boss has now had the summer to make the side his own and will have absolutely no excuses if the Dons do not enter the battle for promotion.