Stockdale bolsters MK Dons’ backroom staff

Robbie Stockdale has joined Mark Jackson’s backroom staff at MK Dons, taking up the role of Assistant Head Coach.

The 43-year-old former Scotland international leaves Hull City, where he was first team coach, to take up the role at Stadium MK.

With an extensive playing career, Stockdale made more than 250 appearances for the likes of Middlesbrough in the Premier League, Rotherham, Hull and Tranmere Rovers.

Stockdale has experience not only of first-team coaching, but was caretaker manager Sunderland on several occasions between 2015 and 2018, and was manager of Rochdale from July 2021 to August 2022, where he helped keep the side in League Two.

“I am very happy to be here,” he said. “I have had several opportunities since leaving my previous job but this is the one that felt right for me.

“After speaking with Mark, it’s clear we have similar ways of seeing the game. I’ll be looking to support Mark and help the Club by offering my experience and my ideas, having been fortunate enough to work under some top international managers during my career.

“I watched the game last weekend against Lincoln City and I could tell right away that we have a strong identity. The challenge now is to improve, get some results and move up the table.”

Speaking on the appointment, head coach Jackson said: “Our paths have never crossed and in a short space of time, we've gotten to know each other in a short period of time. When I've spoken to him, that connection has become stronger which led us to be in a position to move forward with him.

“He's got a vast amount of experience working with top managers at different clubs, and he's been a manager himself so he knows the pressures we're under, and we're clear on how we can help each other.

“He's a fantastic addition to our team, it's a really strong fit.”