Boss defends Kelly after MK Dons fans cheer his substitution

Interim head coach Ben Gladwin leapt to the defence of Liam Kelly after MK Dons supporters cheered when he was substituted in the 4-2 defeat to Fleetwood Town on Saturday.

The 29-year-old, like most in the side, has failed to live up to expectations this season since signing in the summer. After playing a huge part for Crawley Town last term, Dons fans were eager to see Kelly pull the strings again, but have seen him product just three assists and one goal in 32 league appearances since his switch.

Back in the side on Saturday following Joe White’s ankle injury against Carlisle United last week, Kelly played a part in Danilo Orsi’s opener in the first-half, but was ironically cheered by the home fans after Dons made a disastrous start to the second-half, withdrawn when Fleetwood netted their third on the hour mark.

Defending Kelly, a former team-mate from Crawley, Gladwin said: “Kells loves football and cares a lot, and tries his hardest every single day. He's a beautiful human. I don't love to hear it, but I understand it.

“I understand where it comes from with the fans, not just with Liam, it happens at all clubs. I've been booed before, and cheered when I've come off.

“It's our job as a team to give the fans what they want, something to get excited about. Naturally, they are disappointed at the moment, I get it.”

The home supporters also grew increasingly frustrated with their team’s insistence to play short-corners rather than putting a ball into the box from a set-piece, booing the players for opting to make the pass instead.

Addressing the boos, Gladwin added: “I get that. By that point, all our thought processes had gone out the window. A lot of the stuff was not what we practiced. I understand the fans' disappointment.”

There has been precious little for Dons fans to cheer at Stadium MK this season, winning only eight of their 20 games at MK1 this term. And after picking up a win over Cheltenham a week prior, and another point on the road at Carlisle in the week, Gladwin felt the players had the chance to give the home fans something to be positive about.

He added: “I felt we had the opportunity to show the home fans the corner we've turned. I thought we had as well, in the first half-an-hour. But we have no excuses. There is no hiding from today. We have to learn and move on.”