"I don't have all the answers": Humble Gladwin will lean on the coaches around him

Everyone has been scratching their heads wondering why things have not clicked at MK Dons this season, and Ben Gladwin is no different.

The 32-year-old has been a part of the first-team coaching staff since October when he joined Scott Lindsey’s backroom from Crawley Town, watching on as Dons struggled on the field, going through their dismal run since the start of December - the run which ultimately cost Lindsey his job.

With a squad tipped by many to be fighting for automatic promotion, Dons have fallen a long way short of those expectations, sitting 17th in the table with just 13 games left to play this season.

“It happens in football sometimes,” Gladwin said. “Building squads and putting players together sometimes just doesn't click immediately.

“It's our job now to find a solution, some clarity and understanding when they go on the pitch, how they can hurt the opposition. We've got to get those messages across as quickly as possible.”

Though only Lindsey and fellow coach Carl Laraman have departed the club, assistant head coach Jamie Day and goalkeeping coach Steve Hale remain as back-up to Gladwin, something he hopes will give the players a sense of familiarity while he introduces his own ideas to help the side out of their mire.

He said: “We all had really good relationships with the players, so hopefully there is some fresh ideas but some stuff that will carry over as well. We'll look to find the right blend to take the pressure off the boys, help them perform a bit better, and get some results.

“I've got enough humility to know I don't have all the answers so I'm going to lean on everybody around me so much. The support I've had has been and I'm excited to see where it will go in the next few days.”

And with familiarity in mind, Ian Watson has also returned to the club, having acted as assistant head coach under Mike Williamson for a year before they left for Carlisle United.

Gladwin and Watson met a few weeks ago after the ex-Blackburn Rovers man heard positive feedback from the players about their former coach, and said he had no qualms in bringing him back into the fold in the aftermath of Lindsey’s departure.

He continued: “We connected a few weeks ago completely separately to talk about football because people kept telling me we'd get on really well. Everyone speaks so highly of him, and working with him on the grass today, you can see why. He's amazing.”