The fickle nature of football showed in the week between a 5-1 defeat and a 2-1 win

The fragility of football management is something Paul Warne knows all too well.

The MK Dons boss was waiting for his first league win on the clubs return to the third tier heading into Stadium MK on Saturday morning, prior to the game with Luton Town. Having seen his side well beaten by Reading a week earlier in a 5-1 drubbing, discontent from some quarters of the fanbase had started to get louder.

One fan even told Warne anything other than a win over the Hatters would result in his sacking.

Fortunately the 2-1 lifted Dons out of the relegation zone, giving fans a bit more optimism heading into back-to-back away games at Blackpool and Stevenage this week, both of whom were beaten 2-0 on Saturday.

With the mood and weight lifted after beating Luton, said the fickle nature of football was never more on display than it was in the 90 minutes separating kick-off and the full-time whistle.

“I understand how football is now more than ever,” he said. “If you win, you’re heroes, if you lose, you’re not.

“I had a fan say to me ‘good luck today, I hope you win. If you don’t you’re getting sacked’ and I was like ‘Ok, I appreciate your kind comments!’

“Within any season, there is good, bad and medium form, and that’s what we’ve been on to be fair. After the 5-1 drumming last week, it shows the character of the dressing room to come back against good opposition, who have the same ambitions as us, and to come out on top.”