Tomlinson is ready to draw a line under MK Dons' disappointing season

No matter which way you paint it, MK Dons’ 2024/25 season has been a huge disappointment, according to Joe Tomlinson.

With aspirations of promotion last summer, keeping the side from slipping out of League Two in the other direction was not on the agenda, and certainly not with five different head coaches either.

And with the club set to finish in the lowest position it ever has, Tomlinson admitted the season has been one to forget.

“Unfortunately it didn’t go the way I thought, the way we all thought it would,” he said ahead of Saturday’s season finale with Swindon. “Coming off the back of last season and losing in the play-offs, pre-season I thought it would only go one way. I genuinely believed we’d push on from last year, but football is football.

“The performances weren’t there, but we were picking up point right up until Christmas. We had to keep believing but it just didn’t go well for us, the fans or the club. You never like to admit it, you always have a belief (that Dons could get promoted). It wasn’t until it was mathematically done that you rule it out.

“The managerial changes are also a pretty blatant sign that things aren’t going great. Having that many changes never helps. They come in, want to sign new players, get rid of certain boys, learn a new style. It's tough to find a rhythm and flow.”

With Paul Warne now at the helm, Dons head into their final game with three consecutive clean sheets, and a new air of positivity heading into pre-season. And despite making big claims this time last year, Tomlinson believes promotion is on the cards for the team next year.

He added: “It has been a tough roller coaster year, it has not been enjoyable, it has not been great. It has been very tough mentally and physically, I’ve learned a lot.

“We’re looking forwards now. We’ve got some hope, got some belief back and we want it to be a positive year. This is one of the most difficult seasons for everyone, so we need a break. But it is so good to have positivity going into the new season.”