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Staff profiles

MANAGER - KARL ROBINSON

Karl Robinson 640x480
Karl stepped up from assistant to manager of MK Dons in May 2010 and in his two seasons in charge at stadiummk he has won plaudits throughout the football world for the style of football played by his team and for reaching the play-off semi-finals two year in succession.

Liverpudlian Karl became the Football League’s youngest manager when he took to the helm of stadiummk, aged just 29 at the time of his appointment.

A promising prospect as a young player on YTS terms with Swindon Town, a serious back injury put paid to Karl's potential playing career before he moved into coaching.

Returning to his hometown, he worked for eight years in the Liverpool Academy under Anfield legend Steve Heighway, earning his UEFA B and A coaching qualifications during his time with the Premier League club and contributing to the development of a host of Reds starlets.

Among those he left a big impression on was Paul Ince, who established a relationship with Robinson during his time both playing for Liverpool and watching his son Thomas' rise through the Academy ranks. Following Ince's appointment as MK Dons manager in 2007, Karl would be subsequently brought onboard as first team coach.

Dons went on to win a League 2 and Johnstone's Paint Trophy Double that season, with Karl making a considerable contribution to the entertaining brand of football the side had become the side's trademark.

Upon Ince's appointment as manager of Premier League Blackburn that summer, Karl was among the staff to join him, again as first team coach. His ideas and methods were very well-received by Rovers' star-studded squad of players and, following Ince's departure later that season, new boss Sam Allardyce was quick to secure Robinson's immediate future. Having looked like potential relegation candidates for long periods, Blackburn secured a 15th-placed finish.

When Ince returned to MK Dons for the start of the 2009/10 season, the opportunity to step up to an assistant manager's role was too big for Karl, who had recently began work towards his UEFA Pro Licence, to turn down. He rejoined the Dons for the start of that season and again set about encouraging a brand of high-tempo, passing football that help guide the Club into promotion contention.

Having played a big part in the coaching of the team, Karl was thrust into an even more prominent role upon Ince's decision to resign from his post at the end of the season. Robinson effectively took charge of first team affairs for the final four games before taking the manager role on a full-term basis.

A two-year partnership with then-assistant John Gorman was a huge success as Karl’s philosophy of football was embedded into the way of life at MK Dons. Now with Mick Harford as his right-hand man and Ian Wright as a first team coach Karl will be hoping the 2012/13 season is finally the year to realise Dons’ Championship ambitions. 

ASSISTANT MANAGER - MICK HARFORD


Mick Harford 640x480
Appointed as Karl Robinson’s right-hand man following the retirement of John Gorman, Mick Harford brings a wealth of playing and managerial experience to stadiummk.

Sunderland-born Harford carved out a playing career with Lincoln City where he made 115 appearances in three years in which time he netted 41 goals. His form caught the attention of Newcastle United but the striker’s stay lasted only eight months before moving on to Bristol City and then Birmingham City.

Harford’s big break came in 1984 when David Pleat took him to Luton Town for a £250,000 fee. He became a fans’ favourite at Kenilworth Road as he notched up over 100 appearances for the Hatters during a six-year spell and was part of the side that beat Arsenal in 1988 to the League Cup.

After leaving the Hatters to move to Derby County, Harford rejoined Luton in 1991 but following their relegation from the top flight he made the switch to Chelsea.

In 1994 Harford made joined Wimbledon, via spells with Sunderland and Coventry City, during the Crazy Gang’s Premier League heroics. He was part of Joe Kinnear’s side for four years, playing the majority of games in midfield, and scored in his final game against West Ham United before retiring to take up a coaching role at Selhurst Park.

Harford followed Kinnear from Wimbledon to Luton Town to be part of the coaching set-up to help the Hatters gain promotion back to the Second Division. The duo departed in 2003 before Harford returned as a Director of Football during Mike Newell’s reign at Luton, he later rejoined Kinnear as assistant manager at Nottingham Forest.

His managerial experience took him to Swindon, Rotherham United, Colchester United and Queens Park Rangers before he was again returned to Luton Town.

Despite financial troubles, Harford took on the challenge at Kenilworth Road as Luton found themselves in League 2 with a 30 point deduction to contend with. His best hour came when Luton won the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in 2009 but the fight against the point deduction proved too great and the Hatters fell out of the Football League. He left Luton in October that year by mutual consent.

Harford was last seen at QPR as assistant manager, and then stepped into a caretaker role in 2010 until Neil Warnock was appointed on a permanent basis.

The 53-year-old has been chosen by Robinson as his trusty ally for the season ahead.

FIRST TEAM COACH - IAN WRIGHT

Ian Wright 640x480Capped 33 times by England Ian Wright is one of the greatest English strikers to have graced the Premier League and remains a legend of Arsenal Football Club.

Plucked from non-League obscurity at the age of 21 Wright was an unknown prospect when Crystal Palace invited him to Selhurst Park on trial and manager Steve Coppell took the gamble of handing the striker his first professional contract.

Wright quickly gained a reputation as a natural goal scorer as he finished his first season as Palace’s second-highest scorer before establishing a successful partnership with Mark Bright. In 1989 Wright netted 33 goals in all competitions to help the Eagles gain promotion to the top flight.

In 1991 international honours came Wright’s way when he was handed his full England cap by Graham Taylor, in the same year he reached 100 goals for Crystal Palace. His goal scoring prowess caught the attention of Arsenal and in September the Gunners paid a then-Club record fee of £2.5million for Wright’s services.

Wright’s career with the Gunners started with a bang netting in his debut against Leicester in the League Cup and scoring a hat-trick in his League debut against Southampton. On the final day of his first season at Highbury he completed a hat-trick to snatch the Golden Boot from Tottenham’s Gary Lineker.

In 1993 Wright was part of the Arsenal side to lift the domestic Cup double and he picked up the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1994. The Woolwich-born forward continued to show he was no flash in the pan as he scored in every round of the 1995 Cup Winners’ Cup campaign, except the Final. 

Wright’s time at Arsenal came to an end in the 1997/98 campaign, the year he became the club’s all-time record goalscorer – later surpassed by Thierry Henry – and his time at Highbury was capped off with a League and Cup Double.

He then enjoyed spells with West Ham United, Nottingham Forest, Celtic and Burnley before hanging up his boots in 2000 having scored 313 career goals in all competitions.

Now partaking in his coaching badges, Wright will offer a wealth of playing experience to Karl Robinson’s first team set-up.

GOALKEEPER COACH - PAUL HEALD

PH 640x480 properOne of the Club's truly great servants, Paul is one of few staff to remain from the Wimbledon era, having spent nine years as a player with the Dons after joining from Leyton Orient in 1995.

After hanging up his gloves as a player, Paul stepped into the role of goalkeeping coach but also spent time as a chief scout under Martin Allen during the 2006/07 season. Ever a popular member of the backroom staff, he has become an integral part of the Club's development since 2004.

Born in South Yorkshire in 1968, Healdy began his playing career as a trainee at Sheffield United before signing for Leyton Orient as a 20-year-old. He made 219 appearances during seven years with the O's, which also included loan spells with Coventry City, Crystal Palace, Sheffield Wednesday and Swindon Town.

He joined Wimbledon for £125,000 in 1995, becoming a core member of the infamous Crazy Gang, and remained with the Dons until the Club's move to Milton Keynes in 2003 and the subsequent emergence of Milton Keynes Dons a year later.

SPORTS SCIENCE & FITNESS - DAMIEN DOYLE

Damien DoyleDamien rejoined the Dons in July 2010, after new boss Karl Robinson targeted the 31-year-old Dubliner as his first choice to become Head of Sports Science, Fitness and Conditioning.

Having previously worked for the Club under Martin Allen's managerial reign three years previously, Damien relinquished his post at Wycombe Wanderers to return to Milton Keynes and become part of Robinson's revolution.

A knowledgeable operator and expert motivator that enjoys a great rapport with staff and players alike, Damien received a glowing recommendation from former Dons skipper Keith Andrews before Robinson added him to the backroom team.

He also worked with Allen at Brentford and Leicester City, either side of his spell with the Dons, and operated under both Peter Taylor and Gary Waddock at Wycombe before his switch back to the New City.

HEAD OF SPORTS MEDICINE - SIMON CRAMPTON


Simon Crampton head shot 12/13Blackpool-born Simon heads up the first team's medical department, managing a multi-disciplinary team that includes a wide variety of medical and health professionals - all of whom ensure the players recover as quickly and safely as possible following injury.
 
As the Club's head physiotherapist, Simon provides assessments, treatments and interventions on a daily basis, from the training pitch to matchday, and works closely with Damien Doyle on rehabilitation programmes that aim to reduce injury risks throughout the squad.
 
A Chartered Physiotherapist, Member of The Society of Physiotherapists and registered with the Health Professions Council, Simon has a BSc Hons degree from London Metropolitan University and an MSc from the renowned University of Brighton's School of Physiotherapy.
 
Joined the Club in 2006 as Head Academy Physiotherapist before being quickly promoted to the first team environment and developing the medical department as Head of Sports Medicine.
 
A puller of few punches in the banter stakes, Simon's unique take on events behind the scenes can be read in his matchday programme column - The Bootroom.

SPORTS THERAPIST - ADAM ROSS


Adam Ross head shot 12/13Now in his fifth season working with the first team, Aylesbury-born Adam is a product of the medical department's highly-competitive mentoring scheme, which offers work placements to carefully-selected applicants aspiring to become medical professionals.

Having completed over 200 hours of work experience during the third year of his BSc Hons degree in Sports Therapy from the University of Hertfordshire, Adam was offered a full-time position at the end of the 2007/08 season.

Adam is a Member of the Society of Sports Therapists.
 
Working under Paul Ince, Roberto Di Matteo and now Karl Robinson as part of Simon Crampton's medical department, Adam provides treatment and rehabilitation for injured players as well as aiding the recovery and well-being of the first team squad.