MK Dons highly-rated National League manager

MK Dons have taken to appoint highly-rated National League manager Mike Williamson, who had been impressing in charge of Gateshead.

@rossgregory9 first tweeted about the news on Tuesday (17 October) morning: “Hearing Mike Williamson has taken the MK Dons job. Ian Watson going with him.

“Big blow for Gateshead. What an incredible job they’ve both done at the Heed with results and a brilliant style of play.”

Looks like Mike Williamson is off to #MKDons then

The odds were incredibly short straight away

Think it’s a superb choice from MK Dons. Perfect style and fit for them

Huge blow for Gateshead – especially as Watson is going too, who I would have said takes over 🤔 https://t.co/MtjADm51ce pic.twitter.com/0fagXvTIxj

— tomhwilliams23 (@tomhwilliams23) October 17, 2023

#MKDons are delighted to announce the appointment of Mike Williamson as Head Coach 🤝

— Milton Keynes Dons (@MKDonsFC) October 17, 2023

Mike Williamson was quickly installed as the early favourite to take over as MK Dons head coach, following the sacking of Graham Alexander, who departed on Monday after an eight-match win-less streak seeing the club drop to 16th in League Two.

Williamson, currently in charge of Gateshead in the National League, played for the likes of Torquay, Southampton, Wycombe, Watford, Portsmouth, Newcastle, Wolves, Oxford United and Gateshead.

He then took up management in the summer of 2019, before the 39-year-old had become a player-coach after Ben Clark was appointed manager permanently.

Williamson was appointed as player-manager of Gateshead on the 11th of June 2019 with Ian Watson as his assistant, after the club’s demotion to the National League North, with his side seeing 8th, two points off the playoffs, when the season was abandoned in March 2020 due to the Covid pandemic.

After picking up a maximum 12 points from four games in December 2021, seeing his side in the promotion picture, Williamson was awarded the National League North Manager of the Month, and in May 2022, the penultimate match of the 2021–22 season, a 2–2 draw with Chorley saw Gateshead crowned champions and promoted back to the National League, three years after being demoted. Williamson was later named National League North Manager of the Season.

Last season, he led his side to the FA Trophy final, losing to Halifax, and pulled off a late escape from the National League drop zone.

A stunning turnaround in form saw them put aside a points deduction to climb to 14th, just weeks after they sat in the bottom four.

Gateshead have gone on to received plenty of plaudits for their attractive attacking style of play under Williamson, scoring 34 goals, just two fewer than leaders Chesterfield, and are in the playoff places with 25 points from 15 games played.

Here’s how fans reacted with MK Dons keen to appoint the highly-rated National League manager…

@Kevsafc22: Huge loss for Gateshead that what a job he’s done.

@VineyMusic: Should be a really solid appointment and suits our style. And tbh not sure Robbo would have been a saviour at this point

@TheDB30: Footballs a shithouse at times. Don’t wish ill of Scarborough at all but Greening would definitely be my pick at the moment.

@Carmonte:
Big loss for gateshead
Shame it’s to the plastic club

@Lauren_Sadlerx: Suddenly I’m excited for football for the first time ina while. We go again

@DanHarvey74: A good match these two …. 😡🐍

@jordanoneill_99: Might cry about this one

@chrislowres92: Ah bollocks… happy fkn Tuesday everyone.

@Toykkaa: if this is true u gotta feel bad for gateshead, what a side they have been under him

@DanWrexham: That’s an unbelievable appointment from MK Dons

@TheLegionDon1: Get in you lovely bastard

@RBlack95: Absolutely sick

@KieronDay03: All of a sudden I’m looking forward to Saturday again

@MattyJHewitt: MK Dons are getting an incredible duo in Mike Williamson and Busted. A play-off finish, National League North title and FA Trophy final. There aren’t enough superlatives to describe their Heed tenure and both thoroughly deserve the opportunity. A massive blow but this squad is still special enough to finish the job and try and get a play-off finish.

@MarcSDuffy: It was always going to happen – what a job he’s done.

@JoshuaFNichol: Huge loss for Gateshead. Williamson has been with the club through tough times and has them playing some wonderful football in the National League this season.

@MarkCarruthers_: If, and as it stands it is if, Mike Williamson and Ian Watson are officially confirmed at MK Dons, they can be proud of all they have achieved at Gateshead. Overseen a remarkable journey with so many lifelong memories. In a different world to the one they took charge of in 2019. Replacing them will be far from and easy task but the Heed board have got so much right since they rescued the club and I am absolutely certain they would get this right too. The club has come so far under their guidance and it would be an attractive job for so many managers. There are so many positives for any potential successor. A talented squad full of great characters with an outstanding team spirit. A board pushing for similar and aiming to develop the club further and continue building. Firm foundations to build on on and off the pitch.