MK Dons fans make their feelings known after their side’s winless run extends to four league games, having lost away at Wigan.
The Latics ended their three-game losing run with a 3-1 victory, Jensen Weir getting two goals (36′, 74) and Max Power adding to it (48′). Lewis Collins got a consolation for Milton Keynes.
After the final whistle, Some MK players made their way over to those in the away end and faced the anger coming from their fans.
MK Dons fans were fuming last night…
Bit over the top considering they’ve just been promoted. pic.twitter.com/cMThu5rtjN
— The 44 ⚽️ (@The_Forty_Four) September 3, 2026
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MK Dons’ Paul Warne said: “Massive credit to Wigan. They thoroughly deserved their win. But we knew what they were going to try and do. We knew that they were like a really fit young side and in fairness we just sort of struggled with their energy a little bit first half.
“I thought and we could have been two down at half time. We definitely rode our luck and they’ve played well in all their games but just haven’t been able to score. And then tonight they scored two screamers, and then we, yeah, I just think we were below the standards I think we accept. And like I can accept losing. I’ve said it all the time. I don’t get too emotional on defeats. It’s about you know the next game straight away. Look, can we bounce back? But realistically, if we are going to get to where we want to go to, I just think we… our simple things weren’t great today. I didn’t think we we had much um intensity on the ball as much as I would like. I mean, I know we had parts. I know we had loads of in fairness, loads of opportunities to score and we only managed to take one. But just feel like we had a lot of missed tackles and and that’s what disappoints me. Like bad performances I can take and it’s on me. I take full responsibility obviously, but it’s not really how I want to see my team play. So, we’ve got a lot of thinking to do between now and Saturday.”
Interviewer: “I guess speaking of Saturday, the kind of the advantage here is it’s such a short turnaround now to the next game. Is that a positive thing to just move on and just get to the next match?”
Gary: “Yeah, possibly, you know, obviously after a game I get interviewed, I’ve just been speaking to the players. I’ve just shown them the third goal, which was disappointing and we’ll get in the morning and we’ll show them all the things we’re disappointed with.
“And then, you know, we’ve got some, you know, decisions to make because we need to play better to win at Wycombe. I saw them play last night and they were unlucky against Sheffield Wednesday. So, look, we’re not going to turn up at all places in this league and everyone’s going to be like, “Oh, you’re a good team. You’ve got really good players.”
“We have to perform and and collectively tonight we didn’t have enough intensity in our play. I’m not trying to get too clichy here, but I just didn’t think we did. And in moments, second half, like we could have got a second or third goal. And even at 2-0, I still believe we’d get back into it, but the third goal sort of took the game away from us in the end.
“I know Aaron came on and scored a good goal and there was an improvement to our second half, I say. However, we conceded two goals, so you know, the improvement wasn’t enough to win the game. Is it maybe even too simplistic to say that when you come up a level like the club has, you have to be on it every week. Any team can beat any team when you get promoted. Yeah, true. that is true.
“However, if we would have played with the lack of intensity out of possession, I think it’s fair to say last season we’d have had the same problem. Like the simple things are and non-negotiables. for well I haven’t seen the data so I get all like fitnessy on it but the running the tackling is a given and I just didn’t think tonight we had enough of that and I don’t like to say it but I feel like we had a bit of complacency which hopefully after a significant defeat like this will be knocked out of the team and like I said you go back to the drawing board so to speak.
“Look there was good things obviously there was and and I know that we’re judged by what happens in both boxes. Tonight they, like I said, they scored two great goals. We had a couple of really good guilt edge chances late on that a couple of set piece that looked like they were going to hit the net, but they didn’t.
“And unfortunately, if that’s the case, you take your punishment. But I just didn’t think take the boxes out of it. I just didn’t think we were as sharp to the second balls at all, which is more disappointing. I think people don’t miss chances on purpose, but the intensity of play is what comes down onto me and the and the coaching staff and that’s something that we need to address going into the game on Saturday, I think.”
Gary Caldwell said to Latics TV: “We got our rewards for a good performance, and we’ve not had that for the first three games. The longer that goes on, obviously the pressure builds, but from start to finish, I thought we were outstanding tonight.
“We dominated the game in the first-half, and we should have been out of sight at half-time, but we weren’t. Then we got the goal early in the second half, and then I thought we were very good in periods before tiring a little bit and sitting in.
“However, the pressure of getting the win is there, which is understandable, but you could see how much the players wanted it. We’ve now got to be better in the closing periods, but some of our play in the first 60 minutes was sensational.”
Here’s the social media reaction as MK Dons fans make their feelings known after winless run extends to four league games…
@bardell_monty: Shocking, charlie goode can’t pass for shit so fed up of watching him fumble every pass and never put it at feet. Liam kelly played such a good pivot last year, barlaser wants no part of the ball in that area. Means we have to go down the wings which will never work with bramell
@franchise_mk: Refund every fan that went tonight.
@RyanDawson1818: The gap between defence and the 2 strikers is too big, nothing in the middle linking play, players look like they don’t actually know what patterns of play they’re supposed to be creating
@shaunmulhern95: Really poor performance but that result has been coming for weeks. This is the wake up call we needed in my opinion because tactically we are all over the place. #MKDons
@AjMau1997: Fair play to the fans that travelled tonight. They have been let down by the manager and the team. Performances MUST improve. As @StanleyUTF has already said we have looked second best in 6 out of 8 halves of football if the club/owners are wanting a promotion push this season.
@MK1Podcast: Embarrassing from #mkdons tonight. Carrying the same tactics from a 80% possession Leicester to Wigan is a major problem and shouldn’t be overlooked, even this early in the season. The club have signed top class midfielders for this level, use them properly
@UtfStephen: Abysmal performance, absolutely abysmal. We’ve been poor for 3 weeks, but that was another level. Has there been a few overreactions amongst the fanbase? Definitely. It’s 1 loss, continue to back the lads, especially with the importance of a few fixtures soon. #COYD 🤍
@LukePayneMusic: Well that wasn’t great… Midfield were too deep when they should’ve been pushing up and they were too high up when they should’ve been sitting deeper, and the whole not closing anyone down on the edge of the box thing can’t run in this league. Fundamental lessons to be learned
@pearcyyy: After the Norwich game, I said the midfield lacked energy & movement & nothing has changed. Last season we played two 8s & a 6: Gilbs/Wiles/Collar/CLE with LK. Wintle & Barlaser can’t be in the same midfield; they’re both 6s. Drop one or move to 4231 #MKDons #COYD
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