Dons boss in awe of Lewington's career longevity

The longevity of Dean Lewington’s career has astounded MK Dons head coach Paul Warne as he prepares to oversee the skipper’s final two games as a professional.

Warne lined up against Lewington plenty of times during his own playing career, before managing teams against the defender as he switched lanes to becoming a coach. The ex-Rotherham, Oldham and Yeovil man racked up an impressive 526 career games, but said he could not fathom getting close to Lewington’s 947.

With Dons marking Saturday’s final home game of the season against Grimsby as “Dean Lewington Day” the skipper looks set to make only his tenth appearance of the season, and his last at MK1 before hanging his boots up at the end of term.

Only at the club for a little over a week, Warne said Lewington’s impact on him reached longer than just his time in charge at Stadium MK, and said he has been in awe of the 40-year-old’s career to date.

“There are loads of facets that really fascinate me,” Warne said. “Not many people play solely at one club, and to play that many games as well. I played about 500 games, and I think that’s quite impressive. But to play nearly double that?! I was fit all the time, I played until I was 39, so that’s so impressive. To have the physical resilience for that is amazing, especially in the modern game.

“To play in all the leagues, to always have the number 3 shirt, no-one has disturbed his run in the team until this year really.”

He continued: “Mentally, that’s the biggest thing for me. To keep going, to play that many games when his body is in pain, to have defeats and pick himself up. I’ve seen him in team meetings and in training, talking to the younger lads and telling them where they should be is so impressive.

“He’s so humble too, which is a really impressive trait. He hasn’t lost his appetite for the game, he was in my office today asking about how we play at the back. That should be a 21-year-old knocking on my door asking that.

“If he was my son, I’d be really proud of him. Not just as a player but a human being, he’s the perfect person to have in the dressing room. He’ll be a massive miss to the team, I know how much the players think of him.”

Not fully revealing what role Lewington will play on Saturday for the visit of Grimsby Town, Warne hinted the skipper will be given a run-out, and said from his own experience it will be an emotional day for the stalwart.

Warne added: “I knew when I was playing my final game, I ran off the pitch, went up the tunnel, locked myself in the toilet and cried like a baby, I was heartbroken.

“He’s got an opportunity to play a part at the weekend, and to say goodbye to the fans who I know all really love him.”