Lindsey's inability to back-up his bold MK Dons claims costs him his job

In an era of bold claims and strong words, the harsh realities of League Two football have cost Scott Lindsey his job at MK Dons.

Lauded for his demolition job when in charge of Crawley last season, Dons supporters barely saw a glimpse of the same play-off domination they had to endure last May, instead a menagerie of mood swings and performances.

Charged with being the man to lead Dons out of League Two at the second time of asking, he did not shy away from his and the club's intentions, and the belief in his own abilities.

Boldly claiming Dons were the biggest team in the league in November, and that he was not satisfied with sitting third after December's win over Chesterfield, many were on the bandwagon with him. With six league wins in a row too, it was hard not to believe the hype.

But when a rogue Robbie McKenzie shot wormed through the legs of keeper Tom McGill on December 14, the wheels didn't just fall off, they were sent flying onto the hard shoulder somewhere in Wales after a hopeless showing against Newport County. The 6-3 defeat, littered with errors, lethargy and head-scratching confusion highlighted just how far Dons were from what it would take. And it sparked the beginning of worse to come.

Players blamed for mistakes were dropped and scapegoated, rumours of ruptures in the dressing room began and performances suffered dramatically thereafter. Loss followed loss, only two more wins would follow in the subsequent three months as Dons plummeted like a stone. Third was not good enough for Lindsey, and the biggest team in the league was fast becoming the laughing stock as they dropped down into the bottom half.

Even the wins during that time were concerning. Beating Chesterfield again on New Year's Day threatened to start 2025 the right way and get things back on track, but it was a false dawn, and was ultimately backs-to-the-wall showing for much of the second-half, clinging on by the skin of their teeth.

The only other win came against Harrogate, but needed Alex Gilbey's goal of the season contender in stoppage time to salvage a win they so nearly threw away barely 90 seconds earlier.

The air became thicker at Stadium MK as the run went on, moods were low, paranoia was high and focus began to fall on everything else wrong with the club, all the while the football remained aimless, without purpose.

The January window added Lindsey's targets, the likes of Jay Williams and Danilo Orsi who both helped him to promotion last season, but even their signings have not dragged Dons out of the mire.

Saturday's defeat to Colchester was the straw which broke the camel's back. When things aren't going right, games like that happen. An improved, but not great, performance was on the cards, a point and a clean sheet ready for a massive week when they play two relegation scrappers.

But a penalty decision, harsh or not, with four minutes to go, converted by an ex-Don, and a stoppage time red card summed up Lindsey's tenure: it started well, but quickly spiralled out of control.