Duff summer signings have sped up Dons’ drop down the table

Some of MK Dons’ summer signings have come up well short of expectation, Dean Lewington admitted as the dust continued to settle on Liam Manning’s sacking.

The club went through a huge turnover of players in the summer, with 14 leaving and 14 new players arriving at the club - a process spearheaded by Sporting Director Liam Sweeting.

But their fortunes have seen Dons go from finishing third last term, to sitting 23rd heading into the Christmas period - a spell which cost Manning his job as head coach at the weekend.

Lewington, who is taking caretaker charge of the club until a replacement is hired, felt there were numerous reasons as to why the club is in trouble this season, crucially some of the new signings not living up to expectation.

“We lost 14 players in the summer, and for some of them who have come in, it just hasn't worked for whatever reason,” he said. “Whether that's down to them not being the right fit, or something else. And some players haven't hit the levels we expect them to.

“When a player goes out there and makes a mistake, there's not a lot a manager can do about that. The gaffer had to hold the can for that, and sometimes it wasn't his fault and I think he felt let down by that.

“As a whole club, we have to take responsibility for that, there's no hiding places, everyone has to take an equal share.”

Lewington remained a regular during Manning’s 16-month tenure at the club, and said the former Lommel boss was popular amongst the players throughout his time at Stadium MK.

He added: “It was a difficult time after Saturday. People were low on Monday. Where we are in the league, morale is low anyway.

“And with the manager going as well, he was a popular figure and the boys respected and liked him, we were disappointed to see him go.”