MK Dons made their target of the top five in the South East Comination, so their ex-prison officer gaffer might give them some time off for good behaviour.
How did the club and particularly your team get started?
Milton Keynes Dons FC Ladies was formed back in the 2009/10 season, when Milton Keynes Dons FC Sport & Education Trust employed a full time Girls & Women’s Football Development Officer as part of their commitment and dedication to the female game – one of the initial targets was to launch a ladies’ section.
After having a successful Centre of Excellence for many years and establishing a need to provide a suitable exit route for female players aged 16+, the club built up the first ever MK Dons FC Ladies team and haven’t looked back.
The current squad is one that has seen many changes and developments to both players and coaching staff/ committee but has been built up since their establishment, with players from various backgrounds and playing experiences, including those that have played both in the Premier League and also Internationally.
Tell us some of your top nicknames and why players have them
Grandma – Nikki Tarrent.. despite only being 32 she is one of the oldest and gets reminded of this fact daily.
High Tempo – Leon Metcalfe (Coach). this is his favorite word and he lives life by this motto too.
Do you have a fairly settled team?
The beginning of the season saw lots of changes to the team, however we now have a core structure with some of the U-17 Girls Centre of Excellence players coming up next season – exciting times ahead.
How did the 2012/13 season go for you, what do you expect from 2013/14 and who are your biggest rivals?
In all honesty, last season was a frustrating one due to lots of injuries, one week we’d play the top team off the park and the next not perform. Despite this we achieved our objective and finished in the top five. Next season we are aiming for promotion and would love a bit of a cup run, so watch out.
Our biggest local rivals are Luton Town who, may I add, we beat on the three occasions we played them this season, including the 1st Round proper of the FA Women’s Cup.
Tell us a top fact about your team:
We always have to wait until the opposing team have done there team talk and ‘hand raise’ before we can do ours.
Who is your captain and tell us a bit about her (nickname, background, what she’s good at and not good at)?
The captain is Hannah Barrett, ex-Arsenal, Chelsea and Irish international. I’m sure she has many nicknames we don’t know about but ‘HB’, ‘Biz’, and Barrett are ‘on pitch’ names. She’s a very talented creative attacking midfielder who can also play defence ‘reluctantly’. She’s good at dancing on the ball and not very good at dancing on a night out.
What about your coach/manager – are they serious, funny, good/bad and why?
The ‘Gaffer’ (John Dyer) is an ex-prison officer who is into horror films and played drums in a punk band – quite a picture I’m painting here – however, he is secretly a ‘nice guy’ who has bags of enthusiam and drive for the club.
Tell us a funny moment the team shared:
The funniest moment was when our whole kit went see-thru in the rain and some of the girls were wearing lairy pants!
Who is the team’s jock (the fittest) and who is the joker?
The Jock is a tough one, I’d like to think that I (Tripoli Whitney) am up there with the fit ones but maybe ask me that again after pre-season. I think I am the only one, however, that managed to injure myself fairly badly running to the gym for a training session!
Charley Wright is the secret joker, she will ‘hide’ things and normally drop in a cheeky little comment when you least expect it…. watch her!
Does the team/club have an unsung hero?
Tammy Scrivens is a very experienced centre back, who has played in the Premier League and on a game to game basis will put her body on the line for the team, normally stopping and blocking everything thrown or kicked at her!
Who is always first to the bar/on the dancefloor on a team/club night out?
Emily Mann is normally the instigator and a very persuasive one!
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