Boss thinks the FANS need to up their game
Rovers game felt like a reserve team fixture
Paul Ince has urged the crowd at stadium:mk to be the 12th man after suggesting the atmosphere against Bristol Rovers was like a reserve game.
He wants the Dons' home to become a cauldron of noise to make it more intimidating for visiting teams. And he has challenged the supporters to make their voices heard at home to Macclesfield in the FA Cup first round on Saturday.
"I said this on Saturday – I think sometimes in games like Bristol we had 10,000 fans there and sometimes if we haven't started off well then the crowd need to get us going," he said.
"I just think there wasn't that atmosphere on Saturday, it was more like a testimonial game or a reserve match.
"Most of the time it's just down to us to get the crowd going. But sometimes – like I have said before – the crowd can really become the 12th man and that wasn't the case against Bristol.
"We all need to come together when things are not going well."
The tie on Saturday will see Ince face the club that gave him his first break in management. He took over at Macc just over three years ago with the struggling outfit rooted to the bottom of the Football League and seven points behind their nearest rivals.
The former England captain famously led them up the table to safety, where he was then spotted by Pete Winkelman who made him Dons boss.
Ince remembers his time at Moss Rose fondly and says he was gutted to draw his old side.
"I am disappointed because either us or Town are going to go out of the cup and we want teams like Macclesfield and Milton Keynes to get to the third round for the revenue it brings.
"You want to try and get to the third round to draw one of the big clubs as it would really help our cause or Macclesfield's cause."
Ince had particular success in this competition with the Silkmen before, getting them to that lucrative third round stage where they earned a real plum draw.
"We were lucky, we drew Chelsea and we even had them at 1-1 at one stage and it was a great day out.
"We were never going to win the game but we earned a few quid, which helped the club move forward a bit.
"I obviously want to go as far as possible again but I'd be a mug to say we are going to win the FA Cup. That is not going to happen but if we can get to the third or fourth round and draw a couple of decent sides that is our ambition."
Meanwhile Macclesfield boss Keith Alexander admitted he's hoping for an FA Cup surprise.
"The Cup throws up shocks and we'll be going down there trying to be on the right end of one of those shocks," he said.
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Weather for Milton Keynes
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: East
