NOW WE’LL GET IT DON AND DUSTED!
Second tier’s so close for Spence
DEFENDER Jordan Spence hopes to play his part in a “defining” moment for MK Dons today and seal the club’s first-ever promotion to the Champion-ship.
The Dons have enjoyed virtually nothing but success in the decade following their contentious formation by eccentric chairman Pete Winkelman.
However, they are yet to taste football in England’s second tier having come up short in the play-offs in three of the last six seasons.
They will avoid having to buy a ticket for that lottery, though, should they take more points than Preston this afternoon.
The Dons, a point behind Preston, play host to alreadyrelegated Yeovil at fortress stadium:mk while North End, unbeaten in the league since January 31, travel to 22ndplaced Colchester.
But Spence insists rather than feeling the pressure of an all-ornothing day, his team are relishing the chance to get over the line.
“We have never got carried away this year, win or lose, but it’s an exciting time and we hope this weekend is a defining one for us and this football club,” said the 24year-old.
“We’re looking forward to it. Last season petered out with ten games to go, the end to this season has seemed to come around quicker, which I think happens when you win.
“It’s nice to be in the mix.We set ourselves a points target and we’re pretty close to that – hopefully we can achieve it this weekend.
“We’ve been doing the right things from the first minute this season. We saw from the off what the team is capable of. We had a consistent spell, then had a dip, but even when things aren’t going well we have targets within the match and if we reach those then we will be close to winning most matches.
“Football isn’t black and white. It’s not, do this, do that and you’ll win. But if you practise doing the right things in the week, then at the weekend you will win more than you lose.”
Spence enjoyed two separate loan spells with the Dons last term, but made his switch from West Ham permanent in the summer having proved his worth.
And boss Karl Robinson will certainly have no regrets, Spence having become a mainstay in the back four which have kept 24 clean sheets this season.
Far from simply priding themselves on their defence and scrapping to victories, the Dons have been firing on all cylinders at the other end of the pitch too.
Will Grigg, Dele Alli and Benik Afobe – before his transfer to Wolves – have hit double figures this term, contributing to 96 league goals – the most in the Football League going into the weekend.
And Spence believes that balance shows his team are finally ready for a crack at the Championship alongside Bristol City.
“We’ve enjoyed it, you can’t not enjoy fighting at the right end of the table for most of the season,” added Spence, who has also spent time on loan at Leyton Orient, Scunthorpe, Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday.
“We’ve been solid this year, not just the back four, but the goalkeeper and the two that sit in front. What we’ve had in addition this year, though, is a cutting edge, so it helps us at the back when the boys are putting the ball in the net.
“We pride ourselves on the clean sheets we have kept. When we beat Leyton Orient 6-1 a couple of weeks ago, we were 5-0 up and we argued with each other that we conceded the goal.That’s the mentality and that breeds the quality of performance.”