The ex-Dons defender now pulling the strings for French side Valenciennes

When discussing former MK Dons players taking backroom jobs, Paul Mitchell may be the first person to come to mind.

The once midfielder is now plying his trade as the sporting director at Newcastle United, but there is another ex-Dons man making moves in the boardroom - Ben Chorley.

The former centre-back was a part of the Wimbledon team to make the move to Milton Keynes in 2003. Sticking around at the National Hockey Stadium, Chorley earned his role as captain of the side, and helped them to avoid relegation in 2005. Danny Wilson offered him a new two-year deal but the pair could not repeat the miracle of their final-day survival a year later, suffering relegation to League Two.

Despite being a regular for new boss Martin Allen at the start of the following season, the ex-Brentford manager transfer listed Chorley, and he swiftly joined Gillingham on loan before leaving Milton Keynes at the end of the season, having made 91 appearances for Dons, scoring three goals.

His career then saw him play for Tranmere Rovers, Leyton Orient, Portsmouth and Bromley before hanging up his boots in 2018.

Not willing to leave the game entirely though, Chorley became chief scout for Swindon Town where he would gradually build his reputation behind the scenes, earning a promotion to director of football in 2021, but would resign from his role a year later.

While Chorley would spend a year out of the game, he was working alongside Sport Republic, a London-based sport investment company who are the majority shareholders of Southampton.

The company entered negotiations to buy French second division side Valenciennes in the summer of 2023, and took over, placing Chorley in position as director of football. But Les Athéniens’ 19-year spell in the professional leagues in France came to an end last season when they were relegated to the Championnat National. They currently sit sixth under Chorley’s watch, where they maintain a working relationship with Southampton.