Nonchalant Lewington unfazed by another approaching career landmark

We’re approaching another landmark in the books for Dean Lewington, and another shrug of the shoulders from the MK Dons skipper ahead of what could be his 900^th career game on Saturday. 

The 38-year-old is the longest-serving one-club man, is climbing the list of all-time Football League appearances makers and is edging ever close to that 1,000^th game, but it is all water off a duck’s back for him.

For as long as his landmark appearances have been drummed up at Stadium MK, Lewington has been nonplussed by the achievements in his career – his milestone matches at least – in favour of focussing on the inevitable next game.

Pulling on the shirt and the armband on Saturday against Cheltenham, Lewington will reach his latest marker which he treated in almost trademark fashion when he spoke to the media ahead of the game.

“They’ve been trying to replace me for the last 15 years so to get this far is not too bad,” he joked. “As you get older, especially with modern football, things have changed and I think I’m perceived as a bit prehistoric now.

“You have to keep on top of things, do what you can, and I’m doing well enough to be in the team.

“It has got to quite a big number now and that’s quite good I suppose.”

With every game such as the one on Saturday comes the inevitable question of retirement too – how much longer can and will he continue?

He said: “I don’t know really, it’s at that point where you don’t really look too far into the future. We’ll just see how it goes. At the moment, the way things are going, there are more pressing things on my mind than what happens at the end of the season, so we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

“They always say your body will tell you when it’s time, and I’m sure I’ll be no different.”