Paul Warne has given his opinion as to what it will take to get MK Dons promoted from League Two this season.
The Buckinghamshire side have looked renewed since the former Derby County manager took charge of the club, and are now firmly in the mix for promotion as one of the form sides in the fourth tier.
Magic Number Revealed
Speaking to the MK Citizen following the Dons’ win over strugglers Newport County, Paul Warne gave his verdict as to the chances of promotion at Stadium: MK this season.
“I’m not too concerned about what the other teams do, we just have to keep winning. If we win eight or nine games, we give ourselves a good chance.
“The lads are desperate to get into the top three, I think we’re only two points away from than now, and if we win on Tuesday night, we could be second.
“There are still 15 games after that. You don’t get promoted in February but you do set yourself up nicely.”
The pendulum firmly swung in favour of Warne’s men on Saturday, with Swindon Town collapsing to a disappointing defeat against Shrewsbury Town, while Notts County drew with league leaders Bromley.
They face another easy test on paper in the form of Crawley Town on Tuesday night, managed by former Dons boss Scott Lindsey.
Can Warne Get MK Dons Up?
Paul Warne has been the spark that Milton Keynes needed at a time when they looked to be floundering in League Two.
Mike Williamson and Scott Lindsey’s appointments in previous seasons failed to capitalise on the pre-season potential their squads had, and last season saw them sink to new lows with a 19th-place finish.
Warne has come in and got the basics right, relying on proven experience with former players from the Championship like Ben Wiles and Curtis Nelson to guide the rest of the squad forward, and that has paid dividends with the team being the top scorers in League Two.
While some major tests will come in their way, most notably over the next couple of weeks against Walsall and Cambridge United, MK Dons should feel confident in matching their manager’s target of nine more wins.
That might not be enough to secure promotion on its own, but if they can extend that by picking up points in those remaining games, they could be a hot favourite for a top-three finish.