MK Dons on track for impressive League Two promotion omen as Paul Warne hails ‘perfect day’

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MK Dons had a five-star performance against Cheltenham on Saturday as Paul Warne’s side continued to demonstrate their promotion ambitions this season.

The Milton Keynes outfit have been back in the fourth tier for three seasons since their relegation from League One, and are looking to improve on last campaign’s calamitous 19th place finish.

Ex-Derby County boss Paul Warne – who got the Rams promoted to the Championship in 2024 – took over as the permanent replacement for Scott Lindsey in April and has had a summer to work with the MK Dons players, bringing in experienced stars such as forward Callum Paterson, who left Sheffield Wednesday this summer.

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After drawing 0-0 with Oldham on the opening day, beating Barrow 2-0 and then beating Cheltenham 5-0 on Saturday in League Two, the Dons have earned themselves a promising omen in terms of their promotion hopes this season.

MK Dons won promotion the last time they went three unbeaten in opening three league games

After their demolition of the Robins at Stadium MK, MK Dons have gone three unbeaten in the league for the first time since the 2018/19 season.

That was the last time they were promoted from League Two up to League One, with another Paul, Paul Tisdale, managing them to a third place finish.

MK started that season by beating Oldham 2-1 away, seeing off Bury 1-0 and drawing 0-0 with Crewe.

They then drew 1-1 with Grimsby Town, before going on a run that didn’t see them lose until September 22, when they fell to a 2-1 defeat against Lincoln.

This time round, MK next face Crawley Town at Broadfield Stadium on Tuesday night as Warne’s side look to overtake Crewe and Chesterfield at the top of the table. It’s likely the Dons boss will ask for more of the same judging off his post-Cheltenham comments.

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Paul Warne praises MK for clean sheet streak

Former Rotherham boss Warne was thrilled to see his side keep another clean sheet in the league.

MK Dons are yet to concede a league goal under him, with this now being their longest clean sheet streak in the top four tiers with a run of seven games.

He said: “It’s really pleasing. Another clean sheet, which was always a fear that the longer the game went on that if they get a chance and score, we’d be disappointed if we lost our clean-sheet record today.”

Warne was also pleased with his side playing ‘more like [his] team’ thanks to their added pace.

“We just moved the ball forward really quickly and made really positive passes forward to create chances,” he continued.

“It looks a little more like my team as we’ve got pace in it. I always want to try and play forward, put crosses in, get touches in the penalty box and shots. That’s how I want to play and how I think the modern game should be played.

“We’ve got a really good athletic group and, in the way the scoreline went, I had full trust in my bench so could make changes and give players a rest to go again. It was a pretty perfect day – no injuries, no issues and players coming back.”

When Warne was brought in at Stadium MK, the club announced his arrival by stating it was ‘a significant appointment’ demonstrating ‘the club’s unwavering ambition to attract a head coach of Paul’s calibre while in League Two’. Both MK and Warne will be hoping to get another promotion under their belts together.