v 
BLUES
Blues boss Steve Tilson, very happy with the clean sheet against the Cobblers, will have to make some defensive decisions.
Adam Barrett and Dan Harding are both now back from one match suspensions and Tilly said: "It's something for me to think about but it's a game we're looking forward to now. We worked tremendously hard to beat Northampton and, while it's going to be even harder at MK Dons, there is no reason why we couldn't get anything there."
I would seriously consider keeping Francis as a centre half as he went on to have his best game of the season but I'm sure Tilly will revert to type. However, Grant should remain instead of Betsy. The midfield looked tighter as Macca had his best game since his return from injury.
The Blues have no new injury concerns but are waiting on the fitness of striker Francis Laurent who missed the Boxing Day clash through illness.
Northampton match winner Junior Stanislas wants to see his present side keep picking up the points. Speaking to the Southend Evening Echo Junior said: "The run we had been on had been a bit of a concern but we're pleased to have ended it and hopefully now we can go on from here. MK Dons will be a real test for us because they are flying at the moment but we have nothing to lose and will go there feeling more confident about ourselves."
As for his goal the loanee from West Ham continued: "I had one just before the goal which I didn't catch right but I knew the second one was in once it left my boot. It was great to see it go in and it was made even better by the fact we got the three points."
| 1 | Leicester City | 22 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 21 | 12 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 41 | 18 | 48 | +23 | ||||
| 2 | Milton Keynes Dons | 22 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 26 | 12 | 15 | 1 | 6 | 46 | 23 | 46 | +23 | ||||
| 3 | Millwall | 22 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 32 | 25 | 43 | +7 | ||||
| 4 | Scunthorpe United | 22 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 24 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 18 | 13 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 42 | 28 | 41 | +14 | ||||
| 5 | Oldham Athletic | 22 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 24 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 15 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 41 | 26 | 40 | +15 | ||||
| 6 | Peterborough United | 22 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 24 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 16 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 39 | 27 | 40 | +12 | ||||
MK Dons defender Miguel Angel Llera is suspended after his sending-off in the 2-1 Boxing Day win at Bristol Rovers. Captain Dean Lewington (ankle) is unlikely to play while Danny Swailes (Achilles) and Florian Sturm (groin) miss out.
A FootyMAD report on the Rovers game and the team that finished it with player markings.
Down to ten men for the last hour MK Dons still had too much in their tank for a struggling Bristol Rovers side. The record shows they owe their three points to an own goal by Byron Anthony but their all-round superiority put them a class above their opponents. The dismissal of Spanish defender Miguel Llera for two bad tackles which brought yellow cards might have disturbed a lesser side. But they simply moved Jude Stirling from full-back into a more central role, made a tactical substitution which sacrificed top scorer Sam Baldock and got on with the game. Rovers had been alerted to the danger the Dons can create from high crosses, particularly from corners, but the opening goal came that way as they failed to defend Peter Leven's 13th-minute flag kick. Aaron Wilbraham, celebrating a two-and-a-half year contract extension, drew away from his marker to net with an unchallenged header from four yards out with keeper Steve Phillips stranded at the other post. With crisp clean passing the Dons should have drawn away but were stunned to see their lead disappear inside a minute as Jo Kuffour pivoted on 30 yards to fire a goal over Willy Gueret's head. Kuffour was the only Rovers player to give the visitors much trouble but his lively running received little back up from 18-goal striker Ricky Lambert who was hardly able to get into the game. Llera's first card came when he caught Craig Disley in the face while his second was for a high tackle on Kuffour. Rovers' defence was never comfortable and errors by Anthony, on his return to the side, and David Pipe came close to allowing the Dons to score more goals. The own goal came just short of the hour mark when Anthony stooped to a fierce cross from Jemal Johnson on the left and headed it in at the near post. Roberto Di Matteo's side have now won nine of their last ten games, while Rovers have managed three-point hauls once in nine. |
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PREVIOUSLY (Including v Wimbledon)
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REF
The man in the middle is Chris Sarginson from Staffordshire.
FIXTURES
Sunday, 28 December 2008; (all 15.00 kick-off unless stated): Cheltenham v Peterborough, Colchester v Leyton Orient, Hartlepool v Crewe, Huddersfield v Scunthorpe, Leicester v Hereford, Millwall v Yeovil, Northampton v Bristol Rovers, Oldham v Carlisle, 13:00, Stockport v Leeds United, 12:00, Swindon v Brighton, Tranmere v Walsall.
BET
Milton Keynes (7/10) Draw (11/4 ) Southend (9/2)
Sunny but very cold at 3c's.
It is two tiered, with on three sides having a large lower tier being over hung by a smaller upper tier. The West side of the stadium is slightly different, with the seating areas in the upper tier being replaced by the Director's Box and executive and corporate hospitality areas. Unusually the concourse areas at the back of the lower tier see directly into the stadium, so there is what seems a noticeable gap between the lower and upper tiers, where the concourse is located.
Away fans can buy tickets on the day by gates 3 and 4. All fans are searched on entering the stadium and flags are not allowed in unless they come with their fire certificate!
The stadium also has electronic turnstiles, so no paying at the gate here! You have to put your ticket (which has a bar code on it) into a slot reader and a green light will signify that one can enter. This should be done speedily as the revolving turnstile will then come up behind you and whack you on the backside, which has left some fans rather bemused. Programmes are bought outside the stadium.
Best bogs in the football league apparently.
TRANSPORT
For information on getting to the game by all forms of transport including times, prices and maps, go to Last Call to Milton Keynes: www.thelittlegazette.com/news/loadsngl.asp?cid=EDW4
For the best pubs to visit and grab something to eat go to Last Orders in Milton Keynes: www.thelittlegazette.com/news/loadsngl.asp?cid=EDW8
HISTORY
On 28 May 2002, despite over a year of fan protests against the idea, the Football Association authorised the move to Milton Keynes. Although there have been club relocations in the UK, there had never been such a relocation of a professional club within the English pyramid system, and this move attracted widespread criticism. Those who interpreted the League decision as American-style sports "franchises" gave Wimbledon the disparaging title "Franchise F.C.". At the behest of the Football Supporters Federation, the fans of other teams boycotted games against the club and crowds dwindled to non-league levels. On 5 June 2003, Wimbledon went into financial administration with debts of more than £20 million.
During the 2003-04 season, Wimbledon F.C. was run by the administrators and many of the team's players were sold. At the end of a dismal season, the club was relegated to League One (the new name for the Second Division). During the summer of 2003, the National Hockey Stadium was converted for use as a football stadium, and in September 2003, Wimbledon F.C. moved into the National Hockey Stadium in Milton Keynes. In spring 2004, to ensure that the idea of permanently basing a football team at the proposed stadium complex became a reality, Winkelman bought the near-bankrupt club from the administrators, although the owning of the club was never the original intention.
In 2008, the club claimed their first items of silverware, winning the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final 2-0 against Grimsby Town in front of over 55,000 fans at Wembley Stadium. In May 2008, the club lifted the League Two championship trophy after winning League Two and gaining promotion to League One for the 2008-09 season.
After bringing two trophies to stadium:mk at the end of the 2007-08 season, Paul Ince terminated his contract with the Dons to take over Premiership club Blackburn Rovers, (where he himself has been sacked to be replaced by Sam Allardyce), whose manager, Mark Hughes, had recently departed to Manchester City. Ince's place was taken by former Italian international midfielder, Roberto di Matteo, in his first managerial position. He was unveiled as the new Dons boss on July 3, 2008. Dons captain Keith Andrews left the club to join former manager and Wolverhampton Wanderers team-mate Ince at Blackburn on August 28th 2008. Left-back Dean Lewington was named his successor. It is notable that Lewington is the only squad member remaining of the original Wimbledon team who came to MK in 2003.
(Thanks to the all the usual suspects for their help with this article.)