Robbo urges Dons to defy the critics

After controversy swept through the club last week as a result of Samir Carruthers’ Cheltenham Racecourse indiscretions, the manager feels Dons have learned who their friends are by some of the flack thrown in their direction.

And with some in the football world tipping them for an immediate return to League 1, trouble over finding land for a training ground and the club’s controversial beginnings, Robinson feels his side are fighting against the tide.

“A lot of people don’t want us in this league, but we’re going to do our damndest to make sure we are,” he said.

“We got a lot of critics at the beginning of the season, saying we weren’t good enough to stay up.

“A lot of people have tried to dig things up from the past, looking for things to have a dig at.

“We have to be bigger and stronger than ever before. We know what we have to do.

“We know we’re not getting any local support in the training ground saga, we know in certain media circles we don’t get any support.

“Some pundits have come out and criticised Samir, though they’ve done worse.

“It’s amazing how people take the moral high ground when they’re away from a situation, but shy away when they’re involved.

“It was a difficult week in certain elements, but not overly so because of the way we dealt with it.

“We didn’t hide, we were very honest with our stance externally.

“Samir could have been protected, but we didn’t want to be foreseen like we were hiding.

“Samir took responsibility and the way we handled it were excellent.

“It was a very unique week. It has only made us closer. The players are certainly more together, and there’s tremendous belief.”