Mike Williamson Appointed At MK Dons
Milton Keynes Dons have officially confirmed the appointment of former Newcastle United defender, Mike Williamson, as their new Head Coach.
The 39-year-old replaces Graham Alexander in charge of MK Dons’ first-team, after his dismissal on Monday morning with the Buckinghamshire-based club sitting in the bottom-half of League Two, having managed just four victories in their opening 14 matches.
Alexander was expected to mount a serious challenge for automatic promotion and a return to the third-tier after MK Dons were relegated last season, just a year after finishing third in League One.
Williamson, who started his playing career in 2001, is most well known for a six-year stint with Newcastle United, where he made 169 appearances for The Magpies, helping them gain promotion to the top-flight in 2010 and earning their Player of the Year award in 2014 when they finished in the top-half of the Premier League.
He joined nearby Gateshead in 2018 as a player before becoming their player-manager in 2019. Williamson leaves ‘The Heed’ sitting sixth and in the playoff places in the National League, playing an easy on the eye style of football, despite losing key players during the summer such as Adam Campbell to Crawley Town and Owen Bailey to Doncaster Rovers. He led Gateshead to promotion from the National League North in 2022.
The length of Williamson’s contract has yet to be disclosed but it has been confirmed that he will be joined by Ian Watson and Chris Bell, who were on his coaching staff at the Gateshead International Stadium.
MK Dons, who still retain players who have thrived in League One such as Mo Eisa, MJ Williams and Conor Grant, will now be expected to be propelled up towards the top end of the table. Williamson’s first game in charge will be in Lancashire against an Accrington Stanley side that were also relegated alongside MK, last season.
