No-one is guaranteed a starting spot for MK Dons, says Kelly

Liam Kelly is under no illusions that he is a guaranteed pick for MK Dons every week just because of his relationship with Scott Lindsey.

Both Kelly and Dons defender Laurence Maguire were a part of Lindsey’s Crawley Town side which secured promotion from League Two last season, with the pair making the move to MK1 in the summer.

Lindsey’s arrival a few months later, replacing Mike Williamson at the helm, has seen a dramatic upturn in fortunes for Dons, dragging them to the sharp end of the table, having taken over with the side in 19th.

Competition in the squad is fierce at the moment, with 34 different players already given game time under the new boss. And nowhere is more competitive than in the centre of the park where Kelly plies his trade.

With options all around him, Kelly said even though he is more familiar with Lindsey’s demands, it is not a given that he gets into the starting line-up, especially after seeing the likes of Newcastle United loanee Joe White and Kane Thompson-Sommers start to stake a claim for the same roles while he was out injured.

“At the moment as a player, you know you have to go into every training sessions as competitive as you can be,” Kelly said. “For myself and Loz, even though we've played for the gaffer, it doesn't mean we're going to play every week like we did last year. We have to work as much as anyone else.

“Especially in midfield, the competition has been really good, maybe the best I've seen.

“Joe White and Kane have played recently and been unbelievable. Whitey has never played there before and showed his quality. We're lucky to have someone like that. And Kane got his first start and took it like he's played 100 games there. I was excited to see that, but I had to work hard to get back into the team.

“You've also got MJ (Williams), TC, and me. And then there's the boys who can play higher up - Gilbs, Wearney and Tommy Leigh. The competition is so good, and it has helped us.

“It's a good thing for the whole squad because if one person can't play, someone else comes in and quality stays the same.”