Christmas football will not feel the same

Football over Christmas is one of the most eagerly anticipated periods of the season, but it won't feel the same this year.

Dons take on Bristol Rovers on Boxing Day at Stadium MK, before trips to Swindon Town on December 29 and then Rochdale on January 2.

The players' annual trip to the children's ward at Milton Keynes Hospital has also been postponed, though the players have contributed to buy presents for those on the ward.

With supporters unable to attend home game against Rovers this season, it will lose the impact of a game which Dons boss Russell Martin used to love as a fan.

He said: "I loved going to the Boxing Day games as a fan, after Christmas wearing your new shirt and getting down to the game and everyone is in a festive mood. It will be different.

"You could feel the difference in the three games we have fans for, it made such a difference to the feel of the game and the energy in the game. The fans felt much different to how it looks on iFollow too.

"It really hurts us not having fans in grounds, but we have to try and create our own atmosphere and drive. Hopefully we see them again before the end of the year.

"The vaccine is here and hopefully it gets spread really quickly and we can get people back and watching games safely. We're in tier 4, it's tough for a lot of people. But the way people were here, wearing masks, socially distant, I don't think it's a high level of threat watching football like that.

"People need us, their football team, that community, especially over Christmas. Football has a brilliant way of bringing people together, and making a difference to people's lives and unfortunately we cannot do that."