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Preview: Grimsby v MK Dons
By: Kevin Dolan
Date: 03/11/2006
GRIMSBY Town welcome MK Dons to Blundell Park for the first time this Saturday desperate for three points to push themselves away from the foot of the table.
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Home > 2006-2007 Season > Previews > MK Dons (a) |
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MK Dons became a continuation of Wimbledon in the summer of 2004 after Wimbledon had relocated to Milton Keynes in September 2003. Wimbledon were relegated from the Premiership in 1999/2000 and lasted four year in the now Championship before being relegated again at the end of the 2003/04 season. The initial reasons behind the heavily criticised franchise were so that Milton Keynes had a football league team (other clubs had been approached) and due to Wimbledon’s recognised need for their own ground after ground sharing for many years. The venture, though, has done little to stop the rot that had already set in at Wimbledon.
With the club struggling in League 1, Stuart Murdoch was sacked in November 2004 and Danny Wilson had the almost impossible task of keeping them up. Incredibly he did, saving the club on goal difference, although they were ultimately helped by Wrexham’s 10-point deduction that relegated them instead. Last season was almost a mirror image with The Dons battling all the way to the last game of the season. However, they could not pull it off again, drawing with Rotherham who stayed up at their expense. After relegation, Wilson was sacked and the Dons surprisingly appointed Martin Allen who had just resigned from Brentford.
Allen’s appointment brought a much-needed boost to the club and MK Dons currently lie in 6th place, five points from the automatic promotion spots and eleven points ahead of Town. Their position is mainly down to their away form, gaining 14 points from a possible 24, whilst their home record is only two points better off than Town’s. Their away record includes impressive wins at Lincoln and Barnsley (Carling Cup) and they are the only team to return from Walsall with a point. Currently they are not in the best of form, winning only one of their last seven games and including a 5-0 home thumping from Tottenham in the Carling Cup. Like Town, they also exited the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in midweek with a 4-1 defeat at Brighton.
One time Town target Clive Platt has five goals to his name this season and has formed a solid partnership with Izale Mcleod. They are supported by ex-Stockport striker Aaron Wilbraham (left) who also has five goals. Jamie Smith, a right back who Crystal Palace once paid £1m for, joined from Bristol City in the summer; whilst another ex-Palace player, Australian winger Nicky Rizzo, has been struggling with injury all season and has been one of eight players recently put on the transfer list. Goalkeeper Lee Harper has joined on a three-month loan from Northampton in a bid to sure up the defence.
A former Derby trainee, striker Izale Mcleod (left) was picked up the by MK Dons in the summer of 2004 and has become one of the most sought after players in the lower leagues. A number of clubs have bid for him in the past year, but the player has rejected them on the basis that he wanted to play at a higher level; he is heavily tipped to be up for a big money move within the next year with Manchester City rumoured to be interested. He scored a commendable 18 goals in both of the last two seasons despite the relegation battles and has eight goals already this campaign. Only a poor disciplinary record, 2 red cards so far this season, has prevented him scoring more.
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This is the first time that the Mariners have met the MK Dons, although Town did have a decent record against Wimbledon who only won at Blundell Park once in their nine visits. P 18 W 7 D 7 L 4 F 35 A 29 MK Dons Head-to-Head (16th on The Opposition Ladder)
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Last Meeting | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The last time Wimbledon visited Blundell Park was at the start of the 2002/03 season. Despite recording a 6-2 win in the corresponding fixture only 5 months before, Town could only muster a goalless draw highlighting the scoring problems The Mariners had at the start of that season, scoring only once in their first 7 games.
MK Dons Team: Davis, Darlington, Willmott, Williams, Hawkins, McAnuff, Francis, Andersen, Nowland (Gray, 66), Shipperley, Agyemang
Grimsby Team: Coyne, McDermott, Groves, Chettle, Gallimore, Cooke (Barnard, 84), Coldicott, Pouton, Campbell, Livingstone, Rowan (Jevons, 83) Attendance: 4,625Â Â Report
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Click on the link for directions to Blundell Park (left).
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Admission Prices | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Click on the link for ticket prices to Blundell Park.
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This site is by the fans, for the fans, and we will consider articles on any subject relating to the Mariners whether it be related to current news, a nostalgic look back in the past, a story about a player, a game or games in the past, something about Blundell Park or football in general. Click here to submit your article!
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