Dons midfielder Peter Leven is hoping to throw off the shackles under Karl Robinson this season and recapture the outstanding form of his maiden campaign at stadiummk.

The 26-year-old Scot was a restricted figure last term, forced to quell his attacking instincts to play a more defensive role in the team's engine room.

But after a host of impressive performances during pre-season, culminating in a late run to complete the scoring in the 5-0 rout of Rushden & Diamonds, Leven is showing signs of getting back to his swashbuckling best.

It was the kind of goal the former Rangers and Kilmarnock man made his trademark under Roberto Di Matteo during his debut season two years ago, and he hopes to fulfil a similar role under new boss Robinson.

He told MK Dons Player: "Hopefully having players like Didi (Hamann) and Stephen (Gleeson) around as holding midfielders will mean I can get forward as I like to do, create problems for defences and score some goals.

"The manager has told us that he wants everyone to play with free spirit, to go and express ourselves and enjoy our football, so that's what I'll be aiming to do.

Leven slots the fifth in Saturday's 5-0 win at Rushden.

"I'm prepared to do what's necessary for the good of the team, but I'm looking forward to being able to have an impact on games higher up the pitch again."

Leven, who misses the League 1 opener at Walsall on Saturday through a suspension carried over from last term, has drawn widespread praise from the Dons management team for the way he has conducted himself this summer.

Returning from the break leaner, fitter and mentally prepared for the challenge ahead, his monitored levels both in training and matches has been among the best in the group.

And Leven admits that approaching potentially the most profitable period of his career, along with disappointment of last season's 12th-placed finish, will be the driving force behind him in the next nine months.

He said: "I've tried to do a bit extra this summer to give it a real go this year because I've turned 26 now and would like to think I'll be hitting my peak this season. I've worked hard in pre-season so it's been going quite well.

"We under achieved massively last year. If you look at the squad and the players we've got, we should have done a lot better.

"You can blame injuries, you can blame suspensions and you can blame other things, but we underachieved and we have to make it right."