The 2009–10 season was Milton Keynes Dons' sixth season in their existence as a professional association football club, and their second consecutive season competing in Football League One.

As well as competing in League One, the club also participated in the FA Cup, League Cup and League Trophy.

The season covers the period from 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010.

Season overview It was manager Paul Ince's single season in charge of the club during his second spell as manager. He had replaced former manager, Roberto Di Matteo who had moved to take over the manager's role at West Bromwich Albion. Ince resigned in April 2010 blaming proposed budget cuts as a reason for his departure. Ince's assistant manager was Karl Robinson who would go on to replace him as manager in May 2010.

Top scorer for the season was Welsh striker, Jermaine Easter who was Ince's second singing for the club, in July 2009. Also signed by Ince in July 2009 was former Chelsea and Watford goalkeeper, Stuart Searle who was signed to serve as back-up goalkeeper to Willy Guéret. Milton Keynes Dons finished in 12th position in League One, 20 points outside of the play-off positions. A long injury list and a poor disciplinary record undermined their chances of success. Although in fifth place and in the play-off places on Boxing Day, 2009, following a 4–1 win against Stockport County, they lost their next game, away to Huddersfield Town, and did not regain a place in the play-off positions for the rest of the season. They fell away badly from the league leaders towards the end of the season, failing to win any of their last 11 games. A season total of 236,663 people watched the team play their 23 home League One games giving an average attendance of 10,290 per match, the 7th highest in the league.

MK Dons reached the Third Round of the FA Cup before being beaten 2–1 in Milton Keynes by Burnley. Managed by Owen Coyle the creativity of Chris Eagles and the thrust in attack of Steven Fletcher were prominent features of the game. A goal from Fletcher and a penalty by Graham Alexander won the match with a single goal from MK Dons' Dean Morgan in response.

They played only in the First Round of the League Cup before being eliminated 1–4 by Swindon Town. The defeat was manager Ince's first since returning to the club. The opening goal for Swindon was a lob of the goalkeeper, Willy Guéret by Jon-Paul McGovern.

They reached the Southern Area Final of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy before being beaten 4–1 on aggregate by Southampton.

Competitions League One

Final table PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts10 Walsall 461614166063−36211 Bristol Rovers 46195225970−116212 Milton Keynes Dons 46179206068–86013 Brighton & Hove Albion 461514175660−45914 Carlisle United 461513186366−358 Source: Sky Sports

Matches WinDrawLoss +DateOpponentVenueResultScorersAttendanceRef8 August 2009 – 15:00Hartlepool UnitedHome0–0 8,96515 August 2009 – 15:00Swindon TownAway0–0 6,69218 August 2009 – 19:45Tranmere RoversAway1–0Ibehre5,74422 August 2009 – 15:00Colchester UnitedHome2–1Easter, Carrington8,63329 August 2009 – 15:00Exeter CityAway2–1Easter (2)5,3335 September 2009 – 15:00Huddersfield TownHome2–3Johnson, Easter9,77214 September 2009 – 19:45Norwich CityHome2–1Puncheon, Leven10,35419 September 2009 – 15:00Wycombe WanderersAway1–0Kouo-Doumbé6,12726 September 2009 – 15:00Leeds UnitedHome0–1 16,71329 September 2009 – 19:45Oldham AthleticAway1–2Brill (o.g.)3,6303 October 2009 – 15:00Brighton & Hove AlbionAway1–0Easter6,41910 October 2009 – 15:00WalsallHome1–0Easter8,91917 October 2009 – 15:00GillinghamHome2–0Easter, Wilbraham11,76424 October 2009 – 15:00SouthamptonAway1–3Puncheon21,38731 October 2009 – 15:00Bristol RoversHome2–1Leven, Puncheon9,71114 November 2009 – 15:00Charlton AthleticAway1–5Wilbraham17,18820 November 2009 – 19:45Southend UnitedAway1–2Baldock6,95724 November 2009 – 19:45Carlisle UnitedHome3–4Baldock, Chadwick (2)9,4591 December 2009 – 19:45MillwallAway2–3Easter (2)7,8835 December 2009 – 15:00Yeovil TownHome2–2Baldock, Leven8,96512 December 2009 – 15:00Leyton OrientAway2–1Morgan, Quashie3,95919 December 2009 – 15:00BrentfordHome0–1 9,52026 December 2009 – 15:00Stockport CountyHome4–1Easter, Quashie, Puncheon (2)9,66128 December 2009 – 15:00Huddersfield TownAway0–1 16,08616 January 2010 – 15:00Hartlepool UnitedAway5–0Easter, Liddle (o.g.), Leven, Baldock, Puncheon3,21123 January 2010 – 15:00Tranmere RoversHome1–0Puncheon9,43826 January 2010 – 19:45Colchester UnitedAway0–2 3,60130 January 2010 – 15:00Exeter CityHome1–1Baldock8,7406 February 2010 – 15:00Stockport CountyAway3–1Easter, Wilbraham, Townsend3,72013 February 2010 – 15:00Carlisle UnitedAway0–5 4,93020 February 2010 – 15:00Southend UnitedHome3–1Carrington (2), Townsend9,80123 February 2010 – 19:45MillwallAway1–3Wilbraham10,61027 February 2010 – 15:00Yeovil TownAway0–1 3,8446 March 2010 – 15:00Leyton OrientHome1–0Carrington14,3239 March 2010 – 19:45Swindon TownHome2–1Wilbraham, Tunnicliffe8,76413 March 2010 – 15:00BrentfordAway3–3Wilbraham (2), Easter5,20920 March 2010 – 15:00SouthamptonHome0–3 10,57027 March 2010 – 15:00GillinghamAway2–2McCracken, Easter5,4653 April 2010 – 15:00Charlton AthleticHome0–1 10,8695 April 2010 – 15:00Bristol RoversAway0–1 10,86910 April 2010 – 15:00Norwich CityAway1–1Wilbraham24,88813 April 2010 – 19:45Oldham AthleticHome0–0 8,52817 April 2010 – 15:00Wycombe WanderersHome2–3Wilbraham (2)10,56124 April 2010 – 15:00Leeds UnitedAway1–4Lewington25,9641 May 2010 – 15:00Brighton & Hove AlbionHome0–0 12,0238 May 2010 – 15:00WalsallAway1–2Powell4,772

FA Cup

Matches WinDrawLoss +DateRoundOpponentVenueResultScorersAttendanceRef7 November 2009 – 15:00First roundMacclesfield TownHome1–0Gobern4,86828 November 2009 – 15:00Second roundExeter CityHome4–3Baldock (2), Devaney, Easter4,8672 January 2010 – 15:00Third roundBurnleyHome1–2Morgan11,816

League Cup

Matches WinDrawLoss +DateRoundOpponentVenueResultScorersAttendanceRef13 August 2009 – 19:45First roundSwindon TownHome1–4Easter4,812

League Trophy

Matches WinDrawLoss +DateRoundOpponentVenueResultScorersAttendanceRef1 September 2009 – 19:45First roundDagenham & RedbridgeHome3–1Lewington, Easter (2)4,4136 October 2009 – 19:45Second roundSouthend UnitedHome2–0Doran, Carrington4,79210 November 2009 – 19:45Quarter-final (South)Northampton TownHome3–1Wilbraham, Baldock (2)8,88615 December 2009 – 19:45Semi-final (South)Hereford UnitedAway4–1Baldock, Puncheon, Wilbraham, Easter1,36720 January 2010 – 19:45Area final (South) 1st legSouthamptonHome0–1 7,9189 February 2010 – 19:45Area final (South) 2nd legSouthamptonAway1–3Randall29,901

Player details List of squad players, including number of appearances by competition. Players with squad numbers struck through and marked left the club during the playing season.

Transfers Transfers in Date fromPositionNameFromFeeRef. 1 July 2009 FW Jabo Ibehre Walsall Free transfer 14 July 2009 FW Jemal Johnson Free agent FW Jermaine Easter Plymouth Argyle Undisclosed 17 July 2009 GK Stuart Searle Free agent Free transfer 21 July 2009 MF Richie Partridge Free agent MF Mark Carrington Free agent 6 August 2009 DF Sol Davis Free agent 7 August 2009 DF Darren Powell Free agent 8 August 2009 FW Michael Bridges Free agent 28 September 2009 FW Dean Morgan Free agent

Transfers out Date fromPositionNameToFeeRef. 1 July 2009 GK Nathan Abbey Released FW Tore André Flo Released FW Ali Gerba Released FW Jemal Johnson Released DF Miguel Llera Released MF Alan Navarro Released 19 January 2010 DF Danny Swailes Released MF Richie Partridge

Loans in Start datePositionNameFromEnd dateRef. 4 August 2009 MF Jason Puncheon Plymouth Argyle January 2010 5 October 2009 FW Aaron Doran Blackburn Rovers 5 November 2009 24 November 2009 MF Nigel Quashie West Ham United 3 January 2010 14 January 2010 FW Andros Townsend Tottenham Hotspur 5 March 2010 11 February 2010 DF James Tunnicliffe Brighton & Hove Albion March 2010

Loans out Start datePositionNameToEnd dateRef. 4 August 2009 FW Daniel Powell Crawley Town September 2009 2 October 2009 MF David King Forest Green Rovers December 2009 26 November 2009 FW Jabo Ibehre Southend United 26 December 2009 19 January 2010 FW Jemal Johnson Stockport County End of season FW Jabo Ibehre

References

External links

Official Supporters Association website MK Dons news on MKWeb