No added pressure from MK Dons' new owners to secure promotion

Promotion out of League Two is MK Dons’ primary objective this season, but that has not been a mandate handed down from the new owners.

Fahad Al Ghanim and his Kuwait-based consortium took over the club last month from Pete Winkelman, and but for an opening message upon completing the takeover, and an appearance from chairman’s representative Moath Al Manayes at an MKDSA forum, the owners have remained relatively quiet publicly.

Prior to their takeover though, Dons had set out their stall to mount a serious challenge for an automatic finish to get back to League One this season. Sporting Director Liam Sweeting, speaking about the new ownership, said their focus, thus far, had been on the longer-term goals and ambitions of the club moreso than the immediate and short term ambitions.

A new training ground, improvements to the academy and a more stable base for the women’s team have all been mentioned as areas which the new owners want to get their teeth stuck into, while Sweeting said there is no added pressure from the higher ups to secure promotion this season, only the pressure they are putting on themselves to achieve it.

“We had a staff meeting on day one, and we spoke about the aim for the season being promotion,” he said. “The new ownership has picked that up. We're an ambitious group, we don't want to work in League Two all our lives. The focus has always been promotion. To their credit, they're not talking so short-term.

“The main thing they're focused on is infrastructure - what does the stadium need; what will improve the fan experience; the training ground. They were extremely clear about that, and it's moving now. Even if they didn't touch the recruitment, they are things that needed doing. It's absolutely right for that to be the focus.”

While the transition between owners is still finding it’s feet behind the scenes, Sweeting said the meeting he has had with them thus far have been very positive.

He continued: “If I wrote down everything they said, it would be everything you want to hear from a new owner in terms of continuity, their ambitions are all clear. There is no substitute for time though, and we have to build the relationships.

“This is the biggest chance the club has ever seen, regardless of the players coming and going, promotions and relegations. Because of that change, we have to understand each other now, and we have to build new relationships.

“The early signs though are that they are very good, personable and approachable and extremely ambitious people who have a plan for this football club. It's an exciting time.”