First MK Dons goal was one of the most special for Kemp

"That was the plan, I was waiting for that game!" joked Dan Kemp after waiting nearly two years for his first MK Dons goal.

Etching his name into MK Dons folklore with a goal against AFC Wimbledon, it has been a long time coming for Kemp. While he scored 26 goals in his loan spells at Hartlepool United and Swindon Town in 2023, he has had to bide his time at his parent club.

And after ten minutes in his third game back in an MK Dons shirt, he was left with arguably his easiest career goal, tapping in from less than a yard out.

"It was unbelievable to get my first goal," he said. "It was one of the most special goals for a while for me, because of the significance of it. To score for any club is brilliant, but circumstances meant I've had to wait a long while for it.

"For it to come in a game like that, where it means so much to the fans and the club, it was a great feeling. Now I've got one, I feel like more will come, especially with the way this team plays. The win for the fans and everything going on with the gaffer as well, it was a perfect evening."

His goal was certainly a popular one amongst his team-mates, as well as the MK Dons supporters. Kemp's name has been on the tips of their tongues for most of the season given his exploits while on loan at Swindon Town earlier this season.

And given the reaction upon his recall from the County Ground and return to Stadium MK, the 25-year-old was he was flattered by the support he had while he was away, and on his comeback to the club earlier this month.

He said: "As a footballer, you sometimes try not to look at those sorts of things because you're concentrating on the matter at hand, but whenever my friends and family spoke to me, they were telling me about the reports, about the messages from the fans. It is really nice to hear, even when you're at another club.

"I'm really thankful, they've been great to me since I came back, I'm really hoping we can finish strong for them because I think we've got something special coming."