The 2021–22 season was Milton Keynes Dons' 18th season in their existence, and the club's third consecutive season in League One. The club also competed in the FA Cup, EFL Cup and EFL Trophy.
The season covers the period from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022.
Managerial change On 1 August 2021, manager Russell Martin departed the club to take up the vacant managerial position at Swansea City, with the buyout clause in his contract activated. On 3 August 2021, the club announced captain Dean Lewington would take over as interim manager whilst a permanent replacement was sought.
A successor was announced on 13 August 2021, with Liam Manning being revealed as the club's first ever Head Coach.
Pre-season friendlies Milton Keynes Dons announced they will play friendly matches against King's Lynn Town, Chelmsford City, Bristol City and Tottenham Hotspur as part of their pre-season preparations.
WinDrawLossPostponed Matches +DateOpponentVenueResultScorersAttendanceRef13 July 2021 – 19:00King's Lynn TownAway3–1Twine (2), Watters17 July 2021 – 11:00Maidenhead UnitedAway3–1Trialist (2), Bird19 July 2021 – 20:00Chelmsford CityAwayP–P21 July 2021 – 11:00Coventry CityNeutral7–1Bird, Watters (2), Twine, O'Riley (2), Darling24 July 2021 – 13:30Bristol CityAway1–3Bird28 July 2021 – 19:45Tottenham HotspurHome1–3Freeman15,795
Competitions League One
League table
Results summary
Results by matchday
Matches WinDrawLoss
+DateOpponentVenueResultScorersAttendanceRef7 August 2021 – 15:00Bolton WanderersAway3–3Eisa, Twine, Boateng16,08714 August 2021 – 15:00SunderlandHome1–2Parrott9,83017 August 2021 – 19:45Charlton AthleticHome2–1Parrott, Eisa7,93921 August 2021 – 15:00Ipswich TownAway2–2Twine, O'Riley18,62228 August 2021 – 15:00Accrington StanleyHome2–0Eisa, O'Riley6,8164 September 2021 – 15:00Cheltenham TownAway1–1Boateng3,70411 September 2021 – 15:00PortsmouthHome1–0Robson10,82218 September 2021 – 15:00GillinghamAway4–1Twine, Kioso, Ehmer (o.g.), Watters4,11925 September 2021 – 15:00Wycombe WanderersHome1–0Parrott9,35528 September 2021 – 19:45Fleetwood TownHome3–3Twine (3)6,5642 October 2021 – 15:00Doncaster RoversAway1–2Kioso5,92716 October 2021 – 15:00Shrewsbury TownAway0–1 5,71119 October 2021 – 19:45Wigan AthleticAway2–1Kioso, Darikwa (o.g.)8,35123 October 2021 – 15:00Rotherham UnitedHome0–3 8,44830 October 2021 – 15:00Crewe AlexandraAway4–1Eisa, O'Riley, Kioso, Watters4,51213 November 2021 – 15:00Cambridge UnitedHome4–1Twine (2), Watters (2)9,90420 November 2021 – 15:00Burton AlbionHome1–0Watters9,77023 November 2021 – 19:45Sheffield WednesdayAway1–2Twine18,58127 November 2021 – 15:00MorecambeAway4–0Eisa, O'Riley (2), Darling3,7008 December 2021 – 19:45Plymouth ArgyleHome1–1Watson7,56611 December 2021 – 15:00Oxford UnitedHome1–2Boateng9,91426 December 2021 – 15:00Lincoln CityAway3–2Twine (2), O'Riley8,3281 January 2022 – 15:00GillinghamHome0–0 7,8918 January 2022 – 15:00Accrington StanleyAway1–1Eisa1,88011 January 2022 – 19:45AFC WimbledonHome1–0O'Riley7,66315 January 2022 – 15:00PortsmouthAway2–1Eisa, Corbeanu14,95822 January 2022 – 15:00Doncaster RoversHome0–1 7,22925 January 2022 – 19:45Burton AlbionAway1–0Twine2,17129 January 2022 – 15:00Wycombe WanderersAway1–0Twine7,3455 February 2022 – 15:00Lincoln CityHome2–1Darling, O'Hora8,7238 February 2022 – 19:45Fleetwood TownAway1–1Darling3,22712 February 2022 – 15:00Ipswich TownHome0–0 15,31119 February 2022 – 15:00SunderlandAway2–1Eisa, Wickham30,45122 February 2022 – 19:45Charlton AthleticAway2–0Watson, Kesler Hayden8,80726 February 2022 – 15:00Bolton WanderersHome2–0Eisa, Twine10,3885 March 2022 – 15:00Rotherham UnitedAway2–1Darling, Eisa9,7318 March 2022 – 19:45Cheltenham TownHome3–1Parrott (2), Eisa6,89412 March 2022 – 15:00Wigan AthleticHome1–1Darling11,19319 March 2022 – 15:00Cambridge UnitedAway1–0O'Hora6,3252 April 2022 – 15:00Shrewsbury TownHome2–0Eisa, Twine8,9845 April 2022 – 19:45Crewe AlexandraHome2–1Parrott, Coventry7,3159 April 2022 – 15:00AFC WimbledonAway1–1Parrott7,84116 April 2022 – 19:45Sheffield WednesdayHome2–3Parrott, Twine14,25219 April 2022 – 19:45Oxford UnitedAway0–1 9,68523 April 2022 – 15:00MorecambeHome2–0Darling, Harvie10,10130 April 2022 – 12:30Plymouth ArgyleAway5–0Twine (4), Darling15,644
Play-offs
Matches WinDrawLoss +DateRoundOpponentVenueResultScorersAttendanceRef5 May 2022 – 19:45Semi-final 1st legWycombe WanderersAway0–2 8,9878 May 2022 – 18:30Semi-final 2nd legWycombe WanderersHome1–0Parrott13,012
FA Cup
Matches WinDrawLoss +DateRoundOpponentVenueResultScorersAttendanceRef6 November 2021 – 15:00First roundStevenageHome2–2Darling, Watters2,86016 November 2021 – 19:45First round (replay)StevenageAway1–2 Darling1,876
EFL Cup
Matches WinDrawLoss +DateRoundOpponentVenueResultScorersAttendanceRef31 July 2021 – 15:00First roundBournemouthAway0–55,746
EFL Trophy
Southern Group C table
Matches
WinDrawLoss
+DateRoundOpponentVenueResultScorersAttendanceRef31 August 2021 – 19:00Group game 1Burton AlbionAway2–1Bird, Darling6905 October 2021 – 19:00Group game 2Wycombe WanderersHome2–1Boateng, Jules1,32026 October 2021 – 19:00Group game 3Aston Villa U21Home2–4Parrott, Watters2,68330 November 2021 – 19:00Second roundLeyton OrientAway0–0 9904 January 2022 – 19:00Round of 16Charlton AthleticAway0–1 1,653
Player details Note: Players' ages as of the club's final match of the 2021–22 season.
#NameNationalityPositionDate of birth (age)Signed fromSigned inTransfer feeGoalkeepers 1 Jamie Cumming GK Chelsea 2022 Loan 23 Franco Ravizzoli GK Eastbourne Borough2021 Free 33 Ronnie Sandford GK Academy 2021 TraineeDefenders 2 Tennai Watson RWB Free agent 2021 Free 3 Dean Lewington CB Wimbledon 2004 Free 5 Warren O'Hora CB Brighton & Hove Albion 2021 Undisclosed 6 Harry Darling CB Cambridge United 2021 Undisclosed 15 Aden Baldwin CB Free agent 2021 Free 21 Daniel Harvie LWB Ayr United 2020 Undisclosed 26 Jack Davies CB Academy 2020 Trainee 29 Kaine Kesler Hayden RWB Aston Villa 2022 Loan 31 Brandon Mason LWB Free agent 2022 FreeMidfielders 7 Matt Smith CM Manchester City 2022 Undisclosed 8 David Kasumu CM Academy 2017 Trainee 9 Scott Twine AM Swindon Town 2021 Compensation 14 Conor Coventry CM West Ham United 2022 Loan 16 Josh McEachran CM Free agent 2021 Free 17 Dan Kemp AM Leyton Orient 2022 Undisclosed 18 Hiram Boateng CM Exeter City 2019 Compensation 22 John Freeman CM Academy 2019 TraineeForwards 10 Mo Eisa CF Peterborough United 2021 Undisclosed 11 Theo Corbeanu RW Wolverhampton Wanderers 2022 Loan 19 Connor Wickham CF Free agent 2022 Free 20 Troy Parrott CF Tottenham Hotspur 2021 Loan 24 Jay Bird CF Academy 2019 TraineeOut on loan 4 Zak Jules CB Walsall 2021 Undisclosed 25 Brooklyn Ilunga LWB Academy 2021 Trainee 27 Lewis Johnson LW Academy 2020 TraineeLeft club during season 1 Andy Fisher GK Blackburn Rovers 2020 Undisclosed 7 Matt O'Riley AM Free agent 2021 Free 11 Charlie Brown CF Chelsea 2021 Undisclosed 12 Laurie Walker GK Free agent 2021 Free 14 Josh Martin LW Norwich City 2021 Loan 17 Ethan Robson CM Blackpool 2021 Loan 31 Peter Kioso RWB Luton Town 2021 Loan 36 Max Watters CF Cardiff City 2021 Loan
Transfers Transfers in Date fromPositionNameFromFeeRef. 1 July 2021 GK Franco Ravizzoli Eastbourne Borough Free transfer AM Scott Twine Swindon Town Compensation 13 July 2021 CB Aden Baldwin Bristol City Free transfer 20 July 2021 CF Mo Eisa Peterborough United Undisclosed 28 July 2021 RWB Tennai Watson Free agent Free transfer 21 January 2022 CF Connor Wickham 31 January 2022 DM Matt Smith Manchester City Undisclosed AM Dan Kemp Leyton Orient 18 March 2022 LWB Brandon Mason Free agent Free transfer
Loans in Start datePositionNameFromEnd dateRef.1 July 2021 LW Josh Martin Norwich City 17 January 2022 CM Ethan Robson Blackpool 17 January 2022 8 July 2021 CF Max Watters Cardiff City 30 December 2021 29 July 2021 CF Troy Parrott Tottenham Hotspur End of season 31 August 2021 RWB Peter Kioso Luton Town 18 January 2022 6 January 2022 RW Theo Corbeanu Wolverhampton Wanderers End of season 13 January 2022 GK Jamie Cumming Chelsea 18 January 2022 DM Conor Coventry West Ham United 31 January 2022 RWB Kaine Kesler Hayden Aston Villa
Loans out Start datePositionNameToEnd dateRef. 12 August 2021 DF Jack Davies Oxford City 21 January 2022 17 August 2021 GK Laurie Walker Oldham Athletic 24 August 2021 29 September 2021 CF Jay Bird Wealdstone January 2022 29 October 2021 GK Laurie Walker Aldershot Town 26 November 2021 FW Lewis Johnson Banbury United 25 February 2022 7 January 2022 MF John Freeman Chelmsford City January 2022 15 January 2022 CB Zak Jules Fleetwood Town End of season 22 February 2022 FW Brooklyn Ilunga Royston Town 23 March 2022 FW Lewis Johnson AFC Rushden & Diamonds
Transfers out Date fromPositionNameToFeeRef.30 June 2021 CF Kieran Agard Plymouth Argyle Released DM Jordan Houghton CF Cameron Jerome Luton Town Free transfer CF Joe Mason Cavalry Released GK Lee Nicholls Huddersfield Town LB Matthew Sorinola Royale Union Saint-Gilloise Compensation CM Andrew Surman Retired 5 July 2021 CF Sam Nombe Exeter City Undisclosed 14 July 2021 AM Scott Fraser Ipswich Town 26 July 2021 CM Ben Gladwin Swindon Town Free transfer 6 January 2022 CF Charlie Brown Cheltenham Town Undisclosed GK Laurie Walker Stevenage 11 January 2022 Andy Fisher Swansea City £400,000 20 January 2022 AM Matt O'Riley Celtic £1,500,000
Awards EFL League One Manager of the Month (September): Liam Manning EFL Young Player of the Month (October): Matt O'Riley EFL League One Player of the Month (November): Scott Twine EFL League One Manager of the Month (January): Liam Manning EFL League One Team of the Season: Harry Darling, Scott Twine EFL League One Player of the Season: Scott Twine PFA Team of the Year: Harry Darling, Scott Twine
References
External links