Rejected boardroom invitation was a chance to ease tensions - Hart

Directors from AFC Wimbledon declined the opportunity to meet with the new regime at MK Dons ahead of this Sunday's FA Cup clash.

Fahad Al Ghanim and CEO Neil Hart had invited the Plough Lane board to the director’s lounge this weekend, but the invitation was turned down, much to the disappointment of Hart.

“I've never experienced that before in 24-years in football,” he said. “I've never know home and away directors not joining together in the director's box, it's an experience I don't really like but it is what it is - we can't really do any more with that.

“But who knows what the relationship will be in the future between the clubs. From our point of view, we want to be positive and move forwards.

“Just before I arrived, we played them at Plough Lane, and I know Fahad wanted to attend, but they were told they couldn't for a number of reasons, and they were surprised and put back by that. It's disappointing. I think we need to behave in a modern, connected way.”

He continued: “I'm well aware what happened historically between the clubs, but I have no emotional attachment to it, and nor does Fahad or the board. We're new, we're respectful and we acknowledge what happened, we acknowledge the past, but we're not emotionally attached to it.

“I don't mind rivalry, you have them all over the world. North London derbies, south London derbies, all the Lancashire derbies - Blackburn and Burnley's rivalry is fierce but the directors all come together, have lunch and shake hands. It's a surprise and a new one to me.”