Dean Lewington will remain with MK Dons into a 19th season, the defender has revealed.
Lewington, who has made 852 club appearances, confirmed during The Awards 2022 that he has put pen to paper on a new deal to remain at Stadium MK and extend an association with MK Dons which dates back to the Club’s formation in 2004.
Speaking after being named the winner of the Chairman’s Award, the Club captain said: “I signed a one-year deal about a month ago but there were obviously more important things going on. But I’m not leaving, I will be here next season.”
Lewington, who took interim charge of the Dons’ first game of the season, has so far totalled 46 playing appearances this season while he led all Sky Bet League One players in total passes as well as progress passes.
The defender currently ranks 12th all-time in English football history for league appearances with 768. He needs three more to reach the Top 10.
A Wimbledon Academy product, Lewington made the move to Milton Keynes in 2003 and was a member of the inaugural MK Dons side in 2004/05. The ever-green number 3 has been a regular starter ever since, helping the Dons achieve three promotions, one EFL Trophy triumph and four play-off finishes.
The first promotion, from League Two in 2007/08, saw Lewington play 53 times in all competitions, including a successful appearance at Wembley Stadium in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final – the Club’s first ever trophy.
Lewington averaged 49 appearances per season in the next six campaigns before playing 49 games in 2014/15 as MK Dons secured their first promotion to the Championship. The captain scored twice on the final day, as the Dons clinched a top-two finish with a 5-1 win over Yeovil Town.
Despite managerial changes, and a shift in fortunes, in the years that followed, the 37-year-old has remained skipper throughout and in 2018/19, he led the Club to their third-ever promotion – featuring 49 times as MK Dons returned to League One at the first time of asking.
He has since added to that tally and could cap his 18th season as an MK Dons player by achieving a second promotion to the Sky Bet Championship via the play-offs.
