Winkelman addresses Dons ownership and his Premier League dream

Pete Winkelman has conceded he cannot get MK Dons to the Premier League without additional financial help, but he will not be giving up control of the club and its surrounding businesses to just anyone.

In a week where Wigan Athletic - promoted last season from League One - are in more financial straits after failing to pay their players, Winkelman said of the countless offers he has of investment in the club, precious few, if indeed any, are from reliable and reputable enough sources for him to serious consideration.

Down the years, the Dons chairman has boldly claimed he could guide his team to the top flight, but admitted on Thursday he gave up on that dream a few years ago, now feeling becoming a solid Championship outfit would offer the club the best opportunity to attract appropriate investment.

However, with the club slipping into League Two for the second time in five seasons, he said even his reconsidered ambition looks a long way off.

“If I could sack myself, I would have done so,” he said. “But in all the time I've been in football, there are probably only three or four owners who have taken over clubs and you think 'they're a good owner, and I can see how they'll go and do well' in that time. All the others think there is money to be made in football.

“Of all the ownership changes over the last 15 years, how many of them would be appropriate owners in Milton Keynes? Not many.

“I get people every week coming to me telling me they can invest a couple of million pounds. But look at the team that got promoted instead of us last year - they've not paid their wages this year.

“The trouble is, this is my baby, and my legacy. I can only pass it over to someone that myself, the fans and the stakeholders can trust going forward. All the money we make in the businesses goes into the football.

“But until I can find someone who has much more wealth than me, that is prepared to invest that wealth and spend maybe £50 million to get to the Premier League, I'm not going anywhere, because I can't trust it.

“At the moment, it's my belief that you should not separate the football from the stadium and its other businesses. And this is a big business, £20 million a year, making profit and supporting football. I'm not giving that away, either.

“The problem we have being in the lower leagues is we're less likely to attract that investment than if we're in the Championship. When you're one step from the Premier League, it's more realistic. My entire focus has been on getting us to the Championship and getting us there for a few years.

“If someone came in tomorrow that could give us all the things I've talked about, I'd step down. Absolutely I'd sack myself, because it's not good enough to get relegated twice in five years, not with this infrastructure. But I'm real, I'm here, and I've got 650 people who need their wages paid. My model works for that. Will my model take us to the Premier League? I gave up on that dream a long time ago.

“But it's easier said than done.”