"This season has tested me": MK Dons loanee sums up difficult campaign
The loanee had a tough season at the wrong end of two different divisions
It was not the season Tommi O’Reilly expected, he has admitted after returning to Aston Villa from his loan spell at MK Dons.
The 21-year-old endured a difficult campaign away from Villa Park, battling at the wrong end of both League One and League Two in two different loan spells.
He spent the first-half of the season on loan at Shrewsbury Town, where he toiled in the drop zone for the side, then led by Gareth Ainsworth. After making 18 appearances, he joined MK Dons in the January window hoping to help the side in their push for promotion.
But the wheels came off Dons’ push for the sharper end of the table in dramatic fashion at the turn of 2025, with O’Reilly limited in his opportunities for first-team action, despite netting a consolation goal in his debut in the 2-1 defeat to Fleetwood Town in January - his only goal of the season.
Made to wait for his first start for the club, O’Reilly made 16 outings for Dons, only three of which were starts.
On his return to Aston Villa, O’Reilly posted on social media his evaluation of his season, admitting it was not what he had anticipated when things kicked off in August.
“This season tested me in ways I didn’t expect,” he said. “Grateful for every lesson and every moment. I’ve grown, and I’ll be back next season better than ever.
“Thank you to my teammates and everyone I met along the way.”