Remaining games will help pitch Dons to new signings

MK Dons cannot afford to take it easy in their remaining nine games this season as Russell Martin aims to use them as advertising for his summer recruits.

Having already made wholesale changes to his squad this season - with just three of the 14 players who played at Doncaster on the opening day kicking a ball for Dons on Saturday against Burton - Martin is expecting plenty more ins and outs this summer.

With Dons currently sitting top of the bottom half in 13th in League One, they are still in with a shot at the play-offs but rather than focussing on anything for this season, Martin says he is aiming to finish strongly to help his recruitment pitch for the summer, not only for new players but for those already in his squad who might be subject to interest from elsewhere.

"We're trying to plot and plan to finish strongly to convince our players this is the way to go and to convince some of them they're better off to stay here," he said,

"We want to prepare the team to keep improving and growing together, but we're also trying ot prepare and learn for next season; about the problems we'll face; what we need to help these guys; how we can sharpen up our processes in training; how we can get new players in summer quickly and get them to where the rest of the guys are.

"We want more of the same, to try and improve with a lot of work to do, some recovery time, but we'll keep driving on and improving for the next one.