From a regular last season to on the fringes of the side this term, it has been a tough start to life in League One for Jack Sanders

Following the highs of last season, Jack Sanders admitted there was an air of frustration in him as he was left out of the MK Dons side on their return to League One.

The centre-back played a big role in last season’s promotion winning side, making 39 appearances, picking up an EFL Team of the Season spot as well as being voted into the PFA Team of the Season by his fellow players.

But this season, pickings have been slim for the 27-year-old, limited to just three starts in the ten League One games, something which the defender has had to adapt to.

“It has been frustrating.” Sanders admitted. “Last season, I couldn’t have had a better season. I got a couple of personal accolades, but the team going up was completely above all of those.

“You want to go into a new season with confidence and hitting the ground running but that didn’t happen. That’s football. You hear it all the time, never get too high and never get too low. I had that high last season and it was the ultimate high, so when I was out of the team at the start of this season, I couldn’t get too low.

“I wasn’t playing, that’s the gaffer’s decision but all I could do is train as hard as I could every day, make sure my gym work was good, do extras, and try to ensure that when my time came, I was ready.”

His first start of the season came against former club Wigan Athletic but resulted in a miserable 3-1 defeat on his old stomping ground, while he has come back into the side against Luton and Blackpool following an ankle injury for Curtis Nelson.

Each time he has been handed the opportunity though, Sanders said he has been ready and waiting, making sure that, behind-the-scenes, he has been doing everything he can to ensure he would be up to speed when called upon.

He said: “I got a chance against Wigan and that won’t be on my highlight reel. It was a tough night. When you come into the team, you hope to get a result so when you don’t, it doesn’t always reflect well.

“In the meantime, I’ve not been playing but I was doing everything I could to make the manager aware I was ready to play. I’ve stayed as fit as I can be, I’ve had a lot of chats with the sports science team. Even down to the things like the runs after a game. It’s tough because you’ve not played, and this season we’ve not been getting the best results, and it’s hard because you obviously want to be playing.

“You’ve always got to keep your standards high and do it to the best of your ability because one week you might be out of the team, and the next you’re playing.

“The centre-backs here knew I was chomping at the bit for my chance, just as I know they’ll want it back. My standards have to remain high, I have to do what I can to stay in the team.

“I was doing what I could do in training, I was doing extras that might help me, and I feel like in the last few games I've settled back in well and started to get my confidence back. I still think there’s more to come from me, and I’m eager to get there.”