So many links between MK Dons and Scotland they should be wearing tartan shirts! Also midweek roundup.

I am looking forward to MK Dons v Spennymoor Town in the FA Cup First Round on Saturday the 5^th November. On Tuesday night the two were both involved in league matches, in both cases their first dose of action since the FA Cup draw was made. The Moors travelled back to Lincolnshire this time to take on Grantham Town. The indefatigable Moors came back from 3-1 down with two late goals to claim a 3-3 draw. At the Stadium MK it also ended 3-3. The Dons were 3-1 up against Bristol Rovers going in to the final minute of the game but somehow contrived to concede two late goals and this match also finished 3-3. The Dons have yet to win at home in the league this season but thankfully their away form has been good and has secured them a place in mid table.

In my post on Tuesday I reported on a few Scots who have played for MK Dons and since the post I have received a plethora of additional links between MK Dons and Scotland from the contributors to the MK Dons facebook page. Thanks guys, MK Dons have such a strong connection with Bella Caledonia that they should be wearing tartan shirts! Here goes:

Connor Furlong: Earlier I reported that this young Scots midfielder is on the fringes of the MK Dons first team and he has already made two appearances for the first XI. Since the post Connor has been kind enough to provide me with a bit more detail concerning his Scots heritage (thanks Connor). 18 year old Connor was actually born in England but his family are all from Perth. He is a Rangers fan but I won’t hold that against him. Connor has represented Scotland at both under 15 and under 16 level and who knows if he continues to make good progress could play for the full Scotland team at some stage in the future. The national team could do with some creativity in the centre of the park. Connor is hoping to be involved in the big game against the Moors and that would be a great Scots link to the tie.

Young Scot Connor Furlong in action for MK Dons

Jack Hendry: I have discovered since Tuesday that there is another young Scotsman in the MK Dons squad. Take a bow Jack Hendry. Jack is a 21 year old Glaswegian defender who made his name with Partick Thistle. Good performances for the Firhill side earner Jack a move to Wigan Athletic. He is currently on loan at Stadium MK until the end of January and has thus far has had two first team outings for the Dons.

Jack Hendry from Glasgow: Wigan player currently on loan at Stadium MK

Gary MacKenzie: When I put out the request for Scots links to the MK Dons on the club’s facebook page, this guy was mentioned many many times in the replies. It would appear that ‘Gary Mac’ was something of a cult hero at Stadium MK. The big defender is still playing at the age of 31, currently plying his trade at St Mirren. The Dons signed him from Dundee in 2010 and over the next three seasons he made 63 appearances and scored 3 goals for the Milton Keynes team. He seems to be something of a ‘bad boy’ and after one red card for stamping his own manager Karl Robinson branded him a ‘disgrace’. One other dismissal during his time with the Dons was for head-butting, so he was certainly no angel. However, fans all over the world take to a loveable wrong-un. As far as I know no MK Dons player has been capped for Scotland while playing for the club. Colin Cameron and Alex Rae won their caps before joining the Dons. Gary MacKenzie came closest. He was in two Scotland squads during his time at Stadium MK but never managed to get on to the pitch and indeed never did win a full cap.

Scots tough guy Gary Mac in typical pose while playing for MK Dons

John Gorman: For two seasons from 2010-12 John Gorman was Assistant Manager to Karl Robinson at Stadium MK. John played for Carlisle United for many years, briefly for Spurs and finished his playing career in the USA. He is best known for his work as Assistant Manager to Glenn Hoddle. The pair first worked together at Swindon Town and later at Tottenham Hotspur. In between these gigs Gorman had a controversial stint as Assistant Manager of England between 1996 and 1999. I honestly believed that I would never see a Scotsman as part of the England management team in my lifetime … but it actually happened. In his last job in management this ‘always a bridesmaid’ character assisted the MK Dons to a place in the League One play offs.

Scot Gorman celebrates an England victory !

Peter Leven: Peter is another character who is popular with the MK Dons facebook gang. Leven, from Renfrew is now 33 years old but has hung up his boots to take up the role of Assistant Manager to Lee Clark at Kilmarnock. Peter actually cut his teeth at Killie playing for the Ayrshire men for three seasons between 2004 and 2007 before moving south firstly to Chesterfield and then to MK Dons in 2008. The attacking midfielder played three full seasons for the Dons, rarely missing a match and scoring 22 goals.

Popular Jock Peter Leven in action for the MK Dons

 John Paul McGovern: 36 year old Glaswegian midfielder McGovern started his career at Celtic but did not make the first team (funny that, a Celtic player having the same christian names as a Pope!). After a spell on loan at Sheffield United John Paul moved to Livingston to get regular first team football. Impressive performances for the West Lothian side paved the way for a move south to Sheffield Wednesday. After two seasons at Hillsborough John Paul signed for the MK Dons in 2006 and in his one season at Stadium MK appeared 47 times and scored 3 goals. McGovern has since played for Sindon, Carlisle United, Derry City, Ayr United and Stirling Albion. In his dotage he is still playing and these days pulls on the boots for Clyde in Scottish League Two.

A very young John Paul McGovern: Scottish Youth Cup winner with Celtic

Allan Smart: Perthshire born Allan was a man of many clubs. His most successful spell was at Watford between 1998 and 2001. His long of list of clubs included MK Dons. Allan had one season at Stadium MK, 2004-05. He appeared 18 times for the Dons and scored 4 goals. His major claim to fame in Scottish football folklore is that he played for Caledonian FC in the Highland League and then after the famous Invernesian merger he represented Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish League.

Scots Ex MK Dons player Allan Smart in action for Watford

 David McCracken: David is another Scotsman who had a single season at Stadium MK. The tall Glaswegian centre back made his name at Dundee United and arrived in Milton Keynes in 2009 via Wycombe Wanderers. In his time with the Dons David played 41 times and scored 1 goal. At the age of 35 David is still playing and is currently trying to help Falkirk gain promotion to the Scottish Premier League.

Ex MK Dons player David McCraken: Now wearing Falkirk colours

Simon Church: Simon Church is not Scottish he is Welsh. However, he deserves a mention here as he is part of a unique link between MK Dons and Bonnie Scotland. He represented both ‘Dons’ last season when he started the season with MK Dons and then later went on loan to the Aberdonian ‘Dons’. A half decent striker Simon signed for Dutch team Roda JC in the summer.

Welshman Church played for 'Dons' both north and south of the border

Nigel Quashie: Nigel possibly does not feature prominently in the memories of MK Dons fans. He arrived on loan from West Ham in 2009 and played 7 games and scored 2 goals. He can certainly claim to be Scottish because he won 14 caps for the national side between 2004 and 2006. Prior to his Scotland debut he had played for the England under 21 team on 4 occasions. On being called up for Scotland by Bertie Vogts the young Nigel made this lukewarm commitment: “I have never given up hope of playing for England but my grandfather is Scottish and I would be interested in playing for Scotland”. Not exactly the stuff to fill the Tartan Army with pride. However, goals and good performances change football fans minds – often instantly. Nigel scored his only goal for Scotland on the 30^th May 2004. I remember it well because I was there. I remember the date also very well as it was the date of the party to celebrate the Silver Wedding of my wife and Anne and I. With the preparations for the big party in full swing I absented myself (as you do) to nip off and watch the Scotland v Trinidad and Tobago friendly international. After Quashie scored in the 35^th minute the crowd struck up a rousing chorus of “Your not English any more” to the tune of Bread of Heaven.

'Your not English any more': Quashie brief spells with MK Dons and the Scotland team

There may be other Scots who have played for MK Dons and as I find them I will report them. Thanks again to all the MK Dons fans that have signposted me towards the players listed above. As the build up to the big match continues I will be keeping my eye out for other links between the two clubs an Bella Caledonia.

Both Spennymoor and MK Dons are in league action tomorrow as the build up to the big match on November the 5^th continues. MK Dons look for that elusive first home win against Southend and The Moors are away at Buxton. Return here on Sunday to see how they got on.