When Stevenage boss Revell saved a penalty and a point for MK Dons

When Alex Revell hung up his playing boots (for the second time) in 2020, he did so with 679 games played, 155 goals to his name, and one penalty saved.

The striker was well-travelled by the time he arrived at Stadium MK during the January transfer window in 2016. With Dons beginning to flail in the Championship, lacking goals and experience in their ranks, Karl Robinson nabbed the striker on a short-term deal from Cardiff City until the end of the season.

He swiftly became a regular in the side, with his work-rate, effort and mentality on display quickly making him a favourite amongst the supporters. Demands for a new contract to be offered to him were growing louder as the season wore on, and never more so than after the 1-1 draw with Preston North End on his day ten years ago.

Dons had already dropped into the bottom three in the Championship by the time they headed to Deepdale on Saturday April 16, 2016, knowing a win would be huge in their quest for survival. But four trips to PR1 has ended in stalemate, and Dons were heading there six without a win and off the back of four straight defeats.

Revell was named on the bench, and could only watch on as Jermain Beckford netted the opener for the Lilywhites after just six minutes, lifting the ball over American keeper Cody Cropper, who was in for injured David Martin.

Dons would draw level nine minutes into the second-half through Nicky Maynard, pouncing on some poor defending from Preston’s Paul Huntingdon.

Revell would replace the goal-scorer midway through the second-half, but rather than making an impact at one end, he would make it at the other.

With nine minutes to go, Cropper would come racing out to prevent Eoin Doyle from rounding him, clattering into the Irishman, offering referee Stuart Atwell precious alternative but to award a penalty and to send the keeper off.

Just four minutes earlier though, Dons had made their third and final change, bringing on Carl Baker for Jordan Spence, meaning reserve keeper Charlie Burns was left stricken on the bench as the visitors faced a penalty from Joe Garner - recently spotted by Dons fans in the 1-1 draw with Oldham on Easter Monday.

Garner, who had fired in 27 goals the previous season, was surprised to look up though and see none other than Revell now donning the purple keeper shirt and gloves, formerly of Cropper, to face the penalty and the remainder of the game between the sticks.

Guessing right though, by diving uncouthly to his left, Revell etched himself into Dons folklore by denying Garner what would have been the winner. For his troubles, he cracked his head open on the post, only further adding to his legend.

Fast-forward a decade, now Stevenage manager Revell has his side on the brink of a League One play-off campaign, on the brink of returning to the division where he pulled off arguably his career’s strangest achievement.