INTRODUCTION
MK Dons, like all last season’s promoted clubs from League One. have found life in the Championship a steep learning curve so far.
They arrive at Griffin Park on Saturday, for Dean Smith’s first game in charge of the Bees, 19th in the table – sandwiched in-between the other new boys in Preston and Bristol City – and only one point above the relegation zone.
Their main problem this season has been goalscoring. A team who found the net 101 times in 46 league games last term has only scored 15 in 18 Championship matches – the joint third-lowest total in the division.
Four of those goals came on the opening day of the season at Rotherham and another three were scored against Blackburn but they have also drawn a blank on eight occasions and scored a solitary goal in each of their other eight fixtures.
By contrast, their goals conceded total of 24 is far from being the worst amount in the league so it is clear to see where their problems have been.
After two wins in their first three league games, the Dons embarked on a seven-game winless run including a sequence of five straight defeats.
A draw and win followed but since then they have lost four of their seven matches – although their last two outings have resulted in draws at home to Fulham (1-1) and at Wolves (0-0).
DEAN SMITH v MK DONS
Dean Smith had a reasonable record against MK Dons during his time as Walsall manager.
The sides met nine times during his reign at the Banks’s Stadium – with Smith’s side winning four and drawing two of the encounters.
He took four points off them last season – with a 3-0 win in Buckinghamshire and 1-1 home draw – and did the double in 2012/13, although the Dons won both clashes in the 2013/14 campaign.
WE’VE MET BEFORE
Brentford and MK Dons have met regularly over recent seasons and last year was the first time our paths had not crossed in five campaigns.
We have a very good record in Milton Keynes – only losing one of our eight league games in the town – and have done almost as well at Griffin Park, where we have won four and drawn two of our eight league meetings.
The last time we met was in our promotion season of 2013/14.
A 3-1 home win in the final game of 2013 was set up by goals from Clayton Donaldson, Marcello Trotta and Sam Saunders before ex-Bee Lee Hodson replied.
The return on Easter Monday was a 2-2 draw, which happened after we had already clinched promotion.
We looked set for another victory thanks to a two-goal lead given to us by James Tarkowski and Donaldson – but their strikes were cancelled out in the last 10 minutes by Stephen Gleeson, with a penalty, and Izale McLeod.
Few of the travelling Bees army of 3,368 complained however as the promotion celebrations continued in the away end.
IN CHARGE
Karl Robinson is the third longest-serving manager in the country – behind Arsene Wenger and Exeter’s Paul Tisdale – having taken over the Dons in May 2010.
He is the longest-serving boss in the Championship by more than two years – ahead of Hull’s Steve Bruce, who arrived at the KC Stadium in June 2012.
When he took over from Paul Ince at the age of 29, stepping up from the assistant manager role, he became the youngest manager in the Football League.
Robinson took the Dons to the play-offs, where they lost in the semi-finals, after fifth-place finishes in each of his first two seasons and after two top half placings, he finally led them to promotion last term after they finished runners-up to Bristol City.
Robinson’s playing career was cut short by injury while a YTS player at Swindon.
He went on to work in Liverpool’s academy for eight years before Ince, who he met at Anfield, brought him to Milton Keynes as first team coach.
The pair also worked together at Blackburn before returning for a second spell with the Dons.
OPPOSITION VIEW
Karl Robinson has said he is delighted for Dean Smith that he has been appointed as the Bees’ new manager.
He told his club’s official website: “It’s great to see Dean Smith go in there. He’s a tremendous person, a real good football person and he’s somebody who I’m sure the players will respond to straight away. I saw him at the game (on Monday) and I wished him luck.
“Sometimes when a new manager goes in there is an upturn in form because they are replacing someone who hasn’t done well but that’s not the case at Brentford. The players played out of their skin for Lee (Carsley) so we’re hoping there’s not much more to come from them.”
Robinson, who has had some awkward afternoons in TW8, told the Milton Keynes Citizen that he wants to try to ensure the Bees are attacking the Ealing Road end in the first half, rather than the second as usually happens.
“We want to turn them around and have them kicking towards us in the second half,” he said. “Hopefully we win the toss and we’ll try and upset the apple cart – but I think I’ll do that just by walking into the stadium!
“We’ve had some real ding-dong games there. We’ll have to stifle them in the first 20 minutes.
“Their stadium is a unique draw because of the intensity of the crowd. It’s one of the most intimate grounds in the country. You can certainly hear what everyone says to you…
“I can’t wait to go back. It’ll be an afternoon we’re all looking forward to.”
Meanwhile goalkeeper David Martin told OneMK that he is hoping his side can start winning again after drawing their last two games.
“If we can go three unbeaten against Brentford then that would be great and hopefully we can turn a game into a win which would do great for you,” he said. “We don’t want to get too scared looking at the table at the moment.”
SQUAD NEWS
MK Dons have only used 22 players so far in the Championship and four of those – goalkeeper David Martin, captain Dean Lewington and his fellow defenders Anthony Kay and Jordan Spence – are ever-present.
Another defender Kyle McFadzean has only missed one match while Carl Baker has been involved in all of them – but half his appearances have come as a substitute.
Other regulars have been in midfield with Diego Poyet, who has made 15 full appearances, and Samir Carruthers, who has started 13 of his 16 league matches – the same number as ex-Brentford loan striker Dean Bowditch, while his fellow front man Simon Church has started 50% of his 16 matches.
Bowditch, who scored twice in nine appearances for us during a loan spell in League Two in the 2008/09 season, is the Dons’ leading league scorer with three goals but Carl Baker has four in all competitions.
Midfielder Ben Reeves is unlikely to make the squad for Saturday, but is on the road to recovery and back in training after suffering a calf strain at QPR at the end of October.
Defender Joe Walsh and striker Simon Church are both recovering from knee injuries while Matt Upson is getting over a calf problem and Dale Jennings should be back in training next week.
IAN WESTBROOK
@ianwestbrook
Drinking in Brentford
For Dons fans coming down, you are probably aware there are plenty of pub options pre-match and all are most welcoming. Colours are fine and there is no ‘bouncer culture’ on the doors of our boozers – not yet anyway. All fans are welcome and most fans usually cite Brentford as their favourite away-day which we’re quite proud of.
As is etched in common folklore , there were four pubs around the ground until a few weeks ago – unfortunately one closed down to leave only three now. The Griffin is closest to the away end (like 30 secs walk) and is very popular with away fans – but also very very busy. The New Inn is on the other side is also popular with away fans. The Princess Royal is the other option (The Royal Oak was the one that closed down).
Other pubs slightly further afield for the more creative amongst you include (and this is by no means a definitive list) the … The Globe (Windmill Rd) is the Beesotted fanzine main pub – a very friendly pub indeed. The other boozer is The Lord Nelson (Enfield Rd) – both incredibly friendly and cosy away-friendly pubs and 30 seconds walk from each other .. frequented by ‘away fans in the know’. Boro fans and Bees fans had one hell of a party before and after the match in both these boozers (despite us losing)- and The Plough (Northfields Ave – 1 minute walk from the tube) in Northfields is a decent stop-off if you are coming by tube to Northfields before making your way down to the ground (normally stopping off at The Globe and Lord Nelson en route on the Northfields pub crawl).
Easily the best way to Brentford is to get the Victoria line from Euston and then change at Green Park for the Piccadilly Line to either Northfields or South Ealing (35 mins).
Northfields is preferred by fans in the know as it has a decent pub crawl run on the way to the ground (Plough, Lord Nelson, Globe). South Ealing has one posh pub en route that doesn’t really like football fans so we won’t even give it a mention here. It’s 20 mins walk from either South Ealing OR Northfields to the ground or you can get the E2 bus from Northfields or 65 bus from South Ealing for the five-minute journey.
Some fans prefer to take the tube to Vauxhall then get the overground to Brentford mainline station. Depending on your connection time, this could be a slightly longer route as you could be waiting for up to 15 minutes for a train and the train takes 26 mins to Brentford. Including your connection from King’s Cross this journey could take you the best part of an hour as opposed to under 40 minutes (plus the journey to the ground).
If you do take this route, there is also a pub right by Brentford station always referred to as … er … the Pub by Brentford station.
For ale head to the Magpie and Crown pub on Brentford High Street. The Royal Horseguardsman can probably hold 15 of you at a push. The Brewery Tap is a cosy boozer by the river. And if you are super adventurous, get off at Kew Bridge and visit the brand new boozer One Over the Ait right on the river – beside the bridge. Great views over The Thames. It’s around 15 minutes walk to the ground from here.
There are loads more too. A quick Google search and you’ll find them all. There are many many more too if you have a look around.
Parking is pretty easy away from the ground going up towards and over the A4 Great West Road (ie. North) via Ealing Road or Windmill Road.
