O’Hora lifts the lid on Martin’s controversial departure from MK Dons to Swansea City

As former MK Dons manager Russell Martin looks set to take over at Southampton, Warren O’Hora has lifted the lid on the days leading up to his controversial departure from Stadium MK.

Having guided the club to 13th in League One during the lockdown 2020/21 season, it was on the eve of the new season that Martin upped sticks and took his backroom staff with him to Wales to lead Swansea City instead as they sought out of the Championship.

In the week building up to Dons’ season opener - an away day at Championship side Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup - rumour was mounting about a potential approach from the Welsh side, who had parted ways with Steve Cooper late in their own preparartions for the new campaign.

After batting away the links, Martin led the side at the Vitality Stadium, but with the crowd turning on him and a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of the Cherries, Martin’s fate was sealed as he was confirmed at Swansea the very next day.

O’Hora, who played in the game, spoke of the strange atmosphere leading up to the game against Bournemouth and the mood in the immediate aftermath of the defeat, prompting the manager’s departure.

“We heard a little whisper that Russ was going to Swansea the night before,” he said on the One Up Top podcast. “We woke up the following morning and we knew something was up. He was a bit quiet, and it was all strange.

“We were playing Bournemouth in the cup the week before the season started, so it was the first game of the season, but we got hammered, and I mean hammered.

“The fans were chanting some nasty stuff about Russ, and we went back into the dressing room thinking it can't get much worse, he walked in and said he was going and taking his staff.

“We were all devastated. Don't get me wrong, the style was a bit of frustrating at times to watch, but to play in it was so good.”

A late-night phonecall

Martin was the man responsible for bringing O’Hora to Dons in the first place. Originally signing on loan in the summer of 2020 from Brighton & Hove Albion, the deal was made permanent six months later.

His first contact with Dons though came at around 10pm, with Martin calling the Irishman in for a medical the following morning.

“I didn't sleep at all that night!” O’Hora said. “Russ called me to come up one night, he said he needed me there the following morning and from there the rest is history! It was sad leaving Brighton, it's the best place in England for me.

“I was voted Young Player of the Year there, I had a really good year for the U23s but I knew I was never going to play there, they were starting to become the team they are now. So I was asking them to be allowed out on loan.

“I think if I'd have stayed and not played any first-team football, I'd have gone back to playing League of Ireland football and I couldn't do that with the responsibility I had then, looking after my family.”