, MK Dons’ top 5 January signings of all time – Do you agree?

MK Dons’ top 5 January signings of all time – Do you agree?

In recent years, MK Dons have relied on January to save their season and or help them continue their push to go up or stay up. This year is no different, as the Dons look to bolster their squad ahead of a push for promotion in the second half of the season.

Liam Manning’s side sit 5th in League One and have already made four big signings.

Here, we reflect on some of MK Dons’ best January signings from years gone by…

5. Ethan Laird (loan)

Laird joined the Dons on loan from Manchester United for the second part of the 2020/21 League One season. He made an immediate impression as a substitute in an FA Cup third round tie with Premier League side Burnley and went on to make a total of 25 appearances for Russell Martin’s side.

His defensive abilities and attacking work rate made him a crucial part of the MK Dons side that rose from a relegation scrap to a late-season playoff fight.

4. Harvey Barnes (loan)

Barnes went on to achieve great things in the Premier League with Leicester, winning the FA Cup and competing in Europe with his boyhood club.

However, his first taste of first-team football came with MK Dons, spending the 2016/17 season on loan with the club.

Barnes made a quick impact on his MK Dons debut as a substitute, scoring against local rivals Northampton Town in a 5-3 victory at Stadium MK. He went on to make 21 Dons appearances and scored six goals as the Dons climbed the table to finish 12th under Robbie Neilson.

3. Matt O’Riley

O’Riley was released by Fulham in summer 2020 after he rejected a new contract at Craven Cottage. He spent the next five months training with the Dons before finally signing a contract in January 2021.

He joined for a very minimal compensation package and was a crucial part of the Dons’ midfield in the second half of the season. His creativity gave the Dons the scoring ability that they needed to pull away from the drop zone and make a late push for the playoffs. O’Riley set the League alight in the first half of the following 2021/22 season, earning him a big-money move to Scottish giants Celtic in January 2022.

2. Harry Darling

Darling joined the Dons for an undisclosed fee in January 2021 from League Two side Cambridge United. He has since become a regular, important part of MK Dons’ squad.

He is widely considered to be one of the best defenders in the albeit brief history of MK Dons. His solid stature and positioning in the MK Dons defence is crucial to them winning games and keeping attacking sides at bay. The Dons’ future captain in the making would certainly be a big loss for Manning’s side if he were to leave and would severely damage their promotion hopes.

1. Russell Martin

, MK Dons’ top 5 January signings of all time – Do you agree?

Martin joined the Dons as a player in January 2019, arriving on a free transfer from Walsall.

Having captained Norwich to three promotions and with several Premier League years under his belt, he was a vastly experienced addition to Paul Tisdale’s side, looking to gain promotion straight back to League One. He became a terrific addition, controlling the MK Dons backline and ultimately being the main difference in games as he single-handedly fixed a leaky MK Dons defence.

The Dons were promoted to League One however struggled to adjust to life back in the third tier, which led to the sacking of manager Paul Tisdale. Martin, who had held hopes of entering management, retired from professional football and became manager of MK Dons.

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