Dean Lewington has described the surreal experience of moving with Wimbledon to Milton Keynes, a journey that defined his 21-season career. The MK Dons legend, who made 917 appearances for the club, reflected on the controversial relocation and its lasting emotional impact as his former side prepares to face AFC Wimbledon.
Lewington was a product of Wimbledon's youth academy and made his senior debut in April 2003. Just months before that, the Football Association had approved a proposal to relocate the club to Milton Keynes. By September 2003, Wimbledon played their first match at the National Hockey Stadium in their new city, officially becoming MK Dons the following season. "It was really surreal," Lewington said. "We trained in Milton Keynes a few times, but we were still training in London during the week, and then we came up for that game."
"It was all a bit strange," he recalled. The move prompted a section of disaffected Wimbledon supporters to form AFC Wimbledon, creating a rivalry that persists today. Lewington, however, stayed with the relocated club, becoming its defining figure through moves to Stadium MK in 2007, a League One title, an EFL Trophy win, and spells in the Championship.
A lasting legacy
His remarkable longevity saw him rack up 820 English league appearances, placing him fourth on the all-time list. He also had three spells as caretaker manager before retiring last year. Despite his deep connection to MK Dons, the defender admits the events of 2003/04 remain complex. "I’m from the local area, [Wimbledon] was my local club," Lewington said. "It still doesn’t entirely sit comfortably, what happened."
He acknowledges the anger the move generated, drawing a parallel with how Milton Keynes supporters would feel if the club was uprooted today. Lewington views the current landscape as one where both clubs have forged distinct identities. "Now [MK Dons has] found its own feet and its own identity and AFC have found theirs," he explained, describing the relationship as akin to "a father of two sons."
That familial rivalry is set for another chapter this week as AFC Wimbledon host MK Dons in League One. The Dons head into the fixture seeking their first win of the campaign, currently sitting 20th in the table with five points from six games. Their recent form shows four draws and one defeat from the last five, including a 1-1 result against Peterborough last time out. The squad will be looking to build momentum and climb the standings as they handle this challenging period.
More detail at The Mirror
