The wait for a league championship win goes on for the MK Dons head coach

After being the bridesmaid for a ninth promotion, Paul Warne hopes he will not live to regret MK Dons missing out on the League Two title.

Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Fleetwood Town was enough to leave the door open for Bromley to retake top spot on the final day with their 3-1 win over Walsall to lift the trophy at Hayes Lane at Dons’ expense.

Despite securing his fifth promotion success as a manager last weekend when Dons’ secured their League One spot, the illusive championship trophy continued to evade the former Rotherham and Derby boss.

Prior to Saturday’s game, Warne had never been within touching distance of a league title even during his playing days and though going up to League One is still the ultimate destination for Dons and Bromley, and indeed Cambridge United who wrapped up their immediate return to the third tier on the final day, the MK boss hopes this season’s near miss is not as close as he comes.

“It would have been pretty amazing to celebrate the title,” he said. “We achieved what we set out to do but I hope it doesn’t gripe me for the rest of my life. I’ve never had a title winning game before.

“We picked the same team that did so well in the last two games, we knew we’d have fatigue. But it’s a weird feeling. We celebrated promotion last week and then this week it does sting.

“And that’s a good thing because I don’t want to not care about it, but it’s important not to care too much.”

The Dons players slumped to the ground in disappointment at full-time after missing out on winning the league, but Warne said he was eager to help lift their mood in the dressing room.

He said: “Afterwards, I went around and shook everyone’s hand and thanked them for the season, they’ve all been brilliant.

“This promotion team will always be remembered and hopefully they will always be friends because of it. I’m still in contact with a lot of my team-mates I got promoted with, success does that, it brings you closer.”