One way or another, this is going to be a season that’s something different at MK Dons.
The day before MK Dons’ season opener against Bradford City at Stadium MK will go down in the club’s history as the day that, after 20 years running things, Pete Winkelman has elected to sell the club, with a Kuwait consortium acquiring the club and associated businesses including the stadium.
It means that, regardless of what happens on the pitch in the 2024/25 season, this is the start of something new at Stadium MK, and that over the next 8 months in parallel to what will likely be another fast and frantic season of football, we will also be learning along the way what the new look MK Dons will look like as an off-pitch operation.
As it is, all of that is to come, and there is still plenty of football to be played alongside to preview for the new season up ahead.
The 2024/25 season will see MK Dons in League Two after just coming up short in last season’s automatic promotion race and then crashing in the play-offs.
On multiple occasions this pre-season, the goal has been stated the Dons want this season to end with the promotion that proved just out of reach last year, something which was likely the case for both the now-outgoing and incoming ownership groups.
The aspiration is that with a pre-season of Williamson and his methods in the Dons’ system allied to a new playing squad signed to his specifications that they would be able to build on what worked last season.
It was easy to forget in the aftermath of the Crawley play-offs debacle that ended the Dons’ hopes of promotion, but the MK Dons team Williamson inherited last October really did not look like a side capable of mounting a promotion push, and enough was clearly demonstrated over the course of the first 5 or so months that they could’ve pulled it off.
As a result, the pressure on Williamson is to show that he can put a promotion winning team together and that in the punishing slog of a 46 game League Two season, MK Dons can pull off the promotion they crave. Even moreso if the team is going to continue it’s habit of going wrong in the play-offs.
The team that Williamson will field for the first game of the season will feature many changes from that one against Crawley. Seven of those who started that second leg are out the door, including stalwarts like Warren O’Hora and Daniel Harvie, who were two of the last players leftover from the Dons side that nearly won promotion to the Championship in 2022, while top scorer Max Dean found the lure of European football with Belgian side Gent the right project to move on for.
Curiously, two of that Crawley side will now feature for MK Dons. Liam Kelly, who impressed a lot of people in Crawley’s late push for promotion, will stay in League Two after moving to Milton Keynes following Crawley’s post-promotion firesale, while the Dons also picked up Laurence Maguire after Harry’s brother was released by a Chesterfield team who Crawley borrowed Maguire from last season.
Kelly and Maguire are two of a range of outfielders who have impressed onlookers, hence why MK Dons feature highly in a lot of people’s promotion picks for League Two.
In defence, a new look is coming around. Sam Sherring joins after two impressive seasons at Northampton, Luke Offord arrives after captaining the Dons’ fellow play-off side Crewe, and Nico Lawrence arrives from Southampton on loan, with the defender choosing the Dons on the recommendation of ex-Dons boss Russell Martin, with Jack Tucker and Dean Lewington still in the fold.
With loanees Jack Payne and Lewis Bate opting to go elsewhere, Kelly and experienced ex-Premier League midfielder Tom Carroll join up to boost the midfield ranks, for which youngster Callum Tripp – also capable of playing at wing-back or in midfield – is tipped to be a potential first team contender.
Although Alex Gilbey and Stephen Wearne impressed as attacking midfielders last season, Tommy Leigh’s arrival from Accrington is seen as another coup and as another option in this area. It remains to be seen if such a role could be found for Jonathan Leko, although a long-term injury means he will be out for the first few months of the season.
Connor Lemonhaigh-Evans and Joe Pritchard also look like they can provide options down the right of Williamson’s preferred 3-4-2-1 system, with the Dons having looked to aggressively remodel.
With Dean off to Belgium, the man who looks set to inherit the question for where the goals are coming from is Callum Hendry, who had a roughly 1 goal in 3 game strike-rate for Salford City. Matt Dennis’ impressive form in pre-season means he could also be an option as an alternative, while Ellis Harrison looks set to again be a Plan B.
One area where MK Dons had question marks last season was in goal, with all of Craig MacGillivray, Nathan Harness, Michael Kelly and Filip Marschall used at various points but none exactly laying down a convincing marker.
Stepping up is the 24-year-old Canadian Tom McGill, who has signed from Brighton and Hove Albion after a summer which saw him called up as a Canadian back-up for the Copa America. How quickly he can hit the ground running in a first season as a number one could be one area that determines if MK Dons can hit the ground running.
Certainly, Williamson will want to see his team be prepared to go straight away, starting with a clash with a Bradford side now managed by ex-Dons boss Alexander and who some also think are a possible promotion chaser as well.
Many have tipped MK Dons to again challenge near the top end of the league, and it’s something the new people with the purse strings will be hoping can be achieved on their first try.
Naturally, the league is set to be as frantic and competitive as ever, with plenty of teams thinking they’ve got what it takes to get themselves into League One for this time 12 months from now. On paper, MK Dons have what it takes to get into such a mix, but now we have to see if this strong look on paper can be backed up with performances on the grass.
Pete Winkelman has said goodbye to MK Dons in an interview where new chairman Fahad Al Ghanim has laid out plans after buying the club.
The two made statements on the day when it was confirmed that a Kuwait-based consortium has purchased Milton Keynes Football Club and the greater Stadium MK group.
The takeover, which is the first since MK Dons were founded in 2004, was announced on Friday (09/08) the day before the first game of the new season.
In a statement on the MK Dons website, Winkelman said he felt the time was right to pass the club on and that he was convinced Al Ghanim was the right person to take the club forward after spending time with him in the past year. He also paid tribute to staff he has worked with in his time with the club.
He said, “MK Dons are 20 years old this year and throughout that time we’ve been on a rollercoaster of highs and lows that we have all come through together.
“From winning the League Two and EFL Trophy double in 2008 and promotion to the Championship in 2015, to developing the most successful hotel and events business in the region, we have been able to bring some unforgettable experiences to Stadium MK and Milton Keynes.
“Equally, we have faced difficulties navigating global events such as the financial crash in 2008 and, more recently, the Covid pandemic, where we not only survived but were able to host the first live sporting events in the country.
“However, what has become clear to me in recent years is that while I am so proud of Stadium MK and the sustainable business we’ve created, it can only support the development of the Football Club to a certain level, without separate and significant investment.
“Over the last year, I have been able to spend time with Fahad and he has convinced me that he brings the passion, determination and ambition to see the club participate at the highest level and has the resources to help it do so.
“It is, therefore, time for me to step aside and put the custodianship of the club and the wider business into new hands.
“There are so many people to thank who have shared this journey, supporters, managers, players, and of course all our incredible staff. I’m also hugely thankful to all our brilliant club partners and sponsors for their unwavering support over the years.
“Finally, I would also like to sincerely thank my family for giving me the strength to lead the club for more than two decades. It has been a joy and an honour to be part of the unrelenting effort that created both MK Dons and Stadium MK and I step away reassured this legacy will continue to contribute to our wonderful City of Milton Keynes for the foreseeable future.
“I’m sure I’ll see you at a game soon. Come on you MK Dons!”
The club’s new Chairman Fahad Al Ghanim made his own statement outlining plans going forward, and that he was aiming to help the club build on it’s current position.
He said, “As Chairman of the group and on behalf of Deputy Chairman Hamad Almarzouq, it is with immense pride that I can now introduce myself as the new Chairman of Milton Keynes Dons football club and the wider Stadium MK group following my acquisition of the business from Pete Winkelman.
“I know this will come as a surprise to many of you and represents a great change as Pete has led MK Dons since the club’s inception 20 years ago.
“Let me be the first to reassure you that my ambition is to build on the fantastic foundations already here in Milton Keynes, and to take MK Dons to the next level, both on the pitch and off it.
“You will I’m sure have many questions about what will change at MK Dons, and the first thing to tell you is that nothing will change in the short term, no one will be made redundant, and the structure of the business will fundamentally remain the same. Our first focus will be on strengthening the first team squad to give the club the best chance of promotion this season.
“I fully believe the team are in a great place, I’m not looking to disrupt the fantastic work done over the summer, if anything, I want to add to it.
“Over the coming months, there’ll be a chance to assess the club and its functions, before making additions where necessary to help the hard-working and dedicated staff already in place at Stadium MK.
“To the MK Dons supporters, who I look forward to meeting very soon, I know this new era will represent change, but it can only be successful with your support, so I ask all of you to stand behind the club as we enter an exciting new season this weekend!
“Finally, I would like to sincerely thank Pete Winkelman and his senior staff at Stadium MK for all their help over the last few months, and for the dignity with which they’ve represented themselves and the Milton Keynes Dons Football Club. Pete and his team have achieved much in Milton Keynes and I’m extremely grateful for the trust they’ve placed in me to continue their work.
“I’m excited to discuss further how we can shape our plans for the club, city and community, but in the meantime, I look forward to being at Stadium MK for the beginning of the season on Saturday.
“Best wishes, and come on you MK Dons!”
Local charity Willen Hospice has announced it will be holding a closing down sale at its shop at The Point in Central Milton Keynes throughout the whole of August.
The Willen Hospice shop at The Point opened in 2022 as a temporary retail opportunity for the charity. During this time, the shop has helped raise more than £500,000 for the charity alongside the other Hospice outlets based there.
Willen Select opened last year, and the charity’s online stores, eBay, Depop and Vestiaire Collective were also housed in The Point.
The charity have now confirmed that their services are now being relocated to their donation centre in Kiln Farm and that they will now be vacating The Point altogether.
The sale is on now and staff expect stock to move very quickly. Shoppers are encouraged to visit The Point store on Midsummer Boulevard to bag a bargain early. The sale will help to reduce stock levels, while also raising much-needed funds for the Hospice’s care and support services for local patients and their loved ones affected by life-limiting illness.
Leila Blaize-Smith, the Hospice’s Retail Commercial Manager, said, “We are very grateful to have had the opportunity to trade in a prime city centre location. The Point shop has given us so many opportunities, including transforming our space into a Gala Dinner venue for the evening and experimenting with a music shop, Off the Record, which was so successful that it was relocated to larger premises at Midsummer Place. Most importantly, the shop has helped us to raise vital funds for the Hospice so we can continue providing our specialist care free of charge for our local community, both at the Hospice and in patients’ own homes around the city.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank our incredible team of staff and volunteers at The Point store for their dedication and hard work over the years. This shop, and the significant amount of money it’s raised for the Hospice, wouldn’t have been possible without them.”
The closing down sale will last until the end of August.
MK Dons have been taken over after Pete Winkelman sold the club to a consortium based in Kuwait lead by Fahad Al Ghanim.
The takeover lead by Al Ghanim is of both Milton Keynes Dons Football Club and the wider Stadium MK Group, formerly known as the Inter MK Group.
The takeover sees Winkelman leave after over 20 years of involvement with the club, starting with the move that saw Wimbledon FC relocate to Milton Keynes in 2003 and rebrand as MK Dons in 2004.
Winkelman had run the club since 2004, taking the team out of administration and overseeing the team’s move to the 30,000+ capacity Stadium MK venue in 2007.
The announcement came nearly 20 years to the day since the club’s first game as MK Dons, which came on the opening day of the 2004/05 season on 7th August 2004 against Barnsley.
In a statement, MK Dons said both club and stadium group will be debt-free after the deal received EFL clearance to proceed.
The statement read, “After almost exactly 20 years at the helm, Pete Winkelman has today passed on the torch of leading Milton Keynes Dons Football Club and the wider Stadium MK Group to a Kuwait-based consortium led by Fahad Al Ghanim.
“The deal, which leaves the club and stadium group debt-free, has now been ratified by all parties following clearance from the EFL.
“Winkelman’s decision has not been taken lightly and is led by a desire to see MK Dons compete at the very highest level of English football, while also ensuring both the football and stadium assets remain together.
“Fahad Al Ghanim is an entrepreneurial businessman leading a Kuwait-based consortium. Fahad has worked across many sectors, including banking, investment, automotive and real estate and his family are the owners of Kuwait SC, one of the most successful football clubs in the Middle East.
“Fahad first attended a game at Stadium MK over a year ago and has since demonstrated a relentless determination to identify how he could help improve the club, as well as the capabilities to invest significantly in MK Dons and the City of Milton Keynes as a whole.
“The consortium has the opportunity to reignite a significant sporting dream for Milton Keynes, offering great hope and optimism for what the club can achieve in the future.
“In the short term, the new ownership group are keen to allow Pete Winkelman the moment he deserves to reflect on his legacy and say goodbye as Chairman to all MK Dons supporters this weekend.”
Rydell High returns to Milton Keynes Theatre this week with the UK tour of Grease The Musical.
This is a fresh version of the show based on the original 1971 Chicago production which came before the more familiar movie version so there are a few differences – the T Birds are the Burger Palace Boys and it’s Sandy Dumbrowski rather than Olson. It’s also possibly a bit edgier and grittier where the movie was toned down.
While there are no big celebrity names this time, the cast are superb with an outstanding professional debut from Hope Dawe as the perfect Sandra D, alongside Marley Fenton as Danny Zuko who manages to bring a real depth to the character.
There are some sensational dance routines with the entire cast perfectly in sync in some complex choreography, notably Greased Lightning and the dance contest scene. The pace is great with barely noticable scene changes and a constant string of familiar songs that sound great with the live band – although the Born To Hand Jive sequence lacks the extreme hand jiving of previous productions.
Joe Gash gives a great performance as radio DJ Vince Fontaine, with the perfect blend of slick and sleazy, and the understudies who are taking on many of the roles of the Pink Ladies and Burger Palace Boys do a great job.
From start to finish, it’s hard to fault this show and it’s easily the best production of Grease that’s come to Milton Keynes Theatre.
Grease is at Milton Keynes Theatre from Mon 5 Aug – Sat 10 Aug 2024
