Players must use derby day emotions positively, said MK Dons boss

Mike Williamson wants his MK Dons players to thrive off the hostile atmosphere which will meet them at Plough Lane tomorrow when they take on AFC Wimbledon.

After suffering defeat in the fixture last season, Joe Tomlinson said he is eager for revenge on Saturday, but Williamson was eager to focus instead on the job at hand rather than getting one over their rivals.

Having experienced some high-profile derbies during his playing days for both Newcastle United and Wolves, the Dons head coach said the mood of the fixtures like this brought out the best in him as a player, but they must stick to their game plan.

“Players deal with it how they deal with it,” he said. “It's a huge game, but ultimately we want to build on what was a very tough game at home against Walsall.

“I enjoy situations like this - I used to love playing in derbies like this. I used to really take the energy from the fans, good and bad, positive and negative. It really used to fuel me, whether it was Wolves vs Birmingham or Newcastle and Sunderland, it carries weight and passion.

“It's exciting. It's a hugely tough environment, but a hugely competitive game too. We all want to win the game because of the points, the momentum and we want to climb the table.

“A few of the lads in there experienced it last year and we'll use it it in the right way to make us better.”

While form can go out the window when it comes to heated games such as this one, Dons head to south London to take on an AFC Wimbledon side who have lost just once this season so far.

Getting dragged into a physical scrap in the game last season, Williamson is eager for his side to stick to their identity this time around.

The head coach continued: “They're doing well at the minute. They've had a good summer in terms of recruitment, they have an identity in the way they play. It's a tough place to go in general, let alone with the history and it being a derby. But all said and done, we know how painful it was last year so we've got a job to do.

“We want to go there, and make sure we're us. Come what may, we'll give everything and leave it all out there.”