We talk to an MK Dons fan this time and find out how Paul Ince will do in his first season as MK Dons manager.
Tell us a bit about your season last season firstly. Would you say it was a success or failure? Did you achieve anything throughout the season, and were the fans happy with the end result?
It was a mixture of both to be honest but I would say towards the successful end if I was pushed. As you know Martin Allen was appointed as our new manager after another relegation saw us land in League 2 with your good selves.
The season was success from my point of view for a couple of reasons –
1. we didn`t get relegated and we were right in the mix for automatic promotion right to the death, so that was exciting.
2. we really began to enjoy our football as fans. Scoring goals was as much as a problem as leaking them before, now we only have a problem with leaking them now!
So to answer that question – I believe we did achieve something last season
Obviously every close season sees players leave. Who left your club and were you happy with the decision to let those players go by your boss?
We had players go before we had a new manager. I think that was shocking as I am sure they could have fitted in nicely for us. Gary Smith in particular. He was a cracking player but Martin Allen didn`t renew his contract! Then Allen buggered off and it was to late!! I think we are going to miss Platt as well because last season he was immense, good luck to him.
So obviously, with players going out, some have got to come in. Who has come in for you, and do you expect them to do well? Tell us a bit about these lads?
To be honest the only official players to be signed so far this season have been Drewe Broughton and Kevin Gallen – the others are still on trial. Kevin had an impeccable career at QPR – and will remain a legend for them forever. He will score goals for us(if fit) and has a brilliant footballing brain to. So I`m looking forward to seeing more of him.
Drew has had his critics at every club he has played for, so I can only talk about what I have seen of him so far. He is strong and very powerful and a great target man. Drew and Leon knight have played a few games together and look good – but I`m not sure where he will be placed in the pecking order. We still have Wilbraham to come back from injury – he was played in midfield last year and I thought that was the best position for him.
Who are going to be your star players this season then? Who`s going to get the goals, and who`s going to stop them?
I think we are going to the best of Leon Knight now. He is the smallest forward I have ever seen except from those in my nephews U11 team! So when Martin Allen used him with his hoof ball tactics, it just didn`t work. Ince has the team playing football on the ground, and that suits Knights game, playing off a striker and getting in behind the defence with his pace. So I think he will be the one to score goals.
With regards stopping them, its Lewington again, other opposing fans don`t like him, but trust me, you would have him in your team every week if you could. ‘All we want is a team of Lewingtons….’
Season ticket sales help the club at the beginning of the season to stabilise the place and give it a bit of extra income. How many season tickets have your club shifted these season so far, and what do you expect the average attendance to be throughout the season?
Various rumours have gone from 3k – 6k but I`m led to believe that its around the 4.5k mark – up nearly 1.5K on last season I think. Again, because this is a new stadium, a new era for us – we will still attract people on the day. Obviously it depends on what the away team is but I would hazard a guess at around an average of 13k this season. I know this still leaves loads of seats for a 22k seater but the team will have to do there bit to so that it attracts more people
Tell us a bit about your gaffer and his backroom staff. Do the fans like the gaffer, or can you see him being out of a job after a run of bad results?
We have only seen the gaffer twice and one of them was yesterday! He likes to do stuff from the stands, certainly in the 1st half as he issues instructions from his mobile. He came down at half time against West Ham and obviously got a bit of abuse – but he took it well. A good warm up for Macclesfield perhaps!!!
Ray Mathias does all the post match interviewing and is very open, don`t get me wrong though Ince always takes time out to speak to the fans at training as well.
I think they are a good combination to be honest. I am more frightened of him leaving if we are doing really well by Christmas to be honest – we are a club in League 2 at the end of the day – so if / when a bigger attraction comes along, I am under no illusion he will be gone.
This question is split into two. What do you BELIEVE your club can achieve this season, and what do you HOPE your club can achieve this season?
I believe the club can get promoted next season and have great cup run as well. West Ham was no fluke you know!
I hope we get promoted automatically as champions with an average gate of 18K+ and Ince is still in charge to take us forward
Finally, whom do you expect to win the division, who do you think will go up with them and who do you think will be relegated?
I think Bradford are favourites along with Peterborough in all seriousness. Obviously with us in the mix as automatic aswell. Stockport put on one hell of a show in the 2nd half of last season so its going to be a close run thing I think this season.
Relegation, Dagenham and Morecambe – Sorry, I know that`s the obvious answer!
