Thomas-Asante is ready to stand and be counted

He can't really remember when MK Dons won the competition back in 2008, but Brandon Thomas-Asante believes his performances in the Checkatrade Trophy will help make a name for himself at Stadium MK.
Brandon Thomas-AsanteBrandon Thomas-Asante
Brandon Thomas-Asante

The 17-year-old became a name on Dons fans’ lips during the pre-season tour of Ireland, and hasn’t looked back since: making his first team debut, scoring the winning penalty in a shoot-out and signing his first pro deal.

“The opportunity was the most important thing,” he said after having a helping hand in beating Peterborough 1-0 on Tuesday night. “At some clubs I wouldn’t have been offered that chance.

“You’ve got to have the character to push on and be confident and showcase yourself. I still think I’ve got a lot to show, but it has been a really good time for me.

Thomas-Asante scored the winning penalty against BarnetThomas-Asante scored the winning penalty against Barnet
Thomas-Asante scored the winning penalty against Barnet

“I’m really grateful to the gaffer. I’m learning as much as I can, he’s talking to me all the time, giving me pointers. I hope I can keep playing, score some goals and express myself.”

With chances likely to be limited in League 1, Thomas-Asante knows he has to take his chances when they come along, and though the Checkatrade Trophy may be the pantomime villain of competitions, he knew he had to make an impact.

He said: “The opposition were tough, so we had to be clever with it, but I’m still learning what I can do, when I can express myself and when I need to do the simple stuff. It’s all a learning experience.

“I think every opportunity is one to take, and in this competition it can be very competitive. There’s still a lot to take from it and days like today, you can really improve.

“I’m happy with the win, I think we’ve been doing well in the competition so I hope we can keep pushing on and getting results. I’m really happy to have been involved.”