Football Season Guide

MK Dons looked great for large periods last season. Eventually, they'd lose to Wycombe in the League One play-off semi-final. A sad end to a season filled with positives. The summer has been filled with turnover. Key faces Darling and Kasumu have departed, as have loan stars including Coventry, Parrott and Kesley Hayden. Several fringe players have also moved on, meaning the squad will look very different. Keeping ahold of both goalkeeper Cumming and midfielder Robson is key, while acquiring Grigg on a free transfer could be an astute piece of business. Midfielder Johnson is another veteran who'll bring plenty of experience. Attacker Holland joins on the back of an excellent season for Oxford United in League One, while Aston Villa's Barry is another who'll be keen to impress. The squad still looks pretty good depth-wise, with manager Manning trying to replace as many of those departures as possible with genuine quality. It'll be interesting to see how these new signings settle in. Inconsistency and familiarity could be a problem, particularly in the early stages as the players try to get familiar with their new teammates. Darling's departure is another big blow. He not only defended like a warrior but also scored goals. In terms of strengths, Manning is amongst the best managers in the division. MK Dons also boasts some genuine quality in pretty much every area of the field.