On Saturday, for the second time this season, two brothers will go head-to-head in a Sky Bet League 1 game involving the Dons.
Goalkeeper David Martin will, this weekend, line-up against his brother Joe (pictured below, left) when the Dons make the trip down to Kent to take on Gillingham at Priestfield Stadium.
Like the duel between Sam and George Baldock back in August, Martin has never faced his sibling in a professional match before and admits it’s something he was looking forward to as soon as it was confirmed that Joe’s Gillingham would be joining the Dons in League 1 this year.
Speaking ahead of the game, the 27-year-old goalie said: “There’s been a big build up ever since they got promoted. We’re really close and when we’re sitting on the coach after games we’ll ring each other and see how things are going and find out how the other got on. We’re total opposites, though; it’s like getting blood from a stone from him whereas you can’t shut me up.
“All the family is looking forward to it and it will be great to play against him for the first time. My Dad’s trying to be a bit careful and not say too much in front of us, we’re all just being professional about it.
“It’s made it a little bit more interesting that Joe scored on the weekend, so it will be one to watch, but hopefully once the game’s started it’ll be just like facing any other opponent.”
Although Saturday’s game will be a memorable one for Martin, personally, the former Tottenham Hotspur trainee is keen to stay focused on helping Karl Robinson’s side take another valuable three points from a Gillingham outfit, who are managed by former Dons manager Martin Allen.
“I just missed Martin (Allen) by six months as I’d already moved on” he added. “Lewie was obviously here with him and he said it was a good time at the Club. I played against
his Dons for Accrington Stanley and his teams are always difficult to beat. Gillingham are a big side and so it will be an interesting game.”
In order to help the Dons earn only their second away League victory of the season this weekend, Martin will be looking to keep his first clean sheet since that win on the road at Sheffield United.
Martin, though, understands that conceding the odd breakaway goal, as the Dons have done in recent weeks, is just something that comes with the exciting football the team are playing at the moment.
“This year the Gaffer and Gary have changed a lot of things. We’re not sitting back on our 18 yard box and allowing teams to break us down, we’re going for teams and that’s the only way you’re going to get promoted.
“You need to be defensively sound too, yes but you need to score goals. I understand the way Gaffer wants us to play and by doing that we are going to stretch the pitch out and concede the odd breakaway goal like we did on Saturday.
“This side’s different to this year in the sense we are being a little bit braver and that’s what the fans want to see, it’s entertaining. We’re a lot more entertaining this year and I’m thoroughly enjoying it.”
Tickets for this match will be available from the kiosk at thecentre:mk until 7pm on Thursday 3rd October and until 5pm on Friday 4th October from the Box Office at stadiummk.