There was a worry that Milton Keynes Dons would not be able to fulfil their potential in League One this season after Russell Martin's departure.

However, the appointment of Liam Manning has kept an identity at the club and has seen an aesthetically pleasing brand of football continue at Stadium MK even with Martin moving on to Swansea City.

Manning revealed some of his philosophy secrets when he spoke to The Athletic.

He said: "It is quite unique to League One.

"You don’t see many teams as extreme as we are. We want to control possession but with a purpose. We want to be aggressive with our block and with our press. We also want to be adaptable and unpredictable, so it’s not about doing the same thing over and over again."

MK are sixth in League One after 11 matches and have seen an impressive return on some of their summer signings at the beginning of the campaign. Mo Eisa and Troy Parrott, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, have shown their capabilities in and around the penalty area but none have been as eye-catching as Scott Twine.

The long range threat put together an outstanding 2020/21 campaign with Newport County and Swindon Town and is thriving even more in the fluid system under Manning. In combination with Ethan Robson and Matt O'Riley in central areas, MK are amongst the most watchable teams in the third tier.

The Verdict

Having a clear long term vision and making decisions and appointments that fit into that can accelerate the trajectory of a club immensely. MK Dons were battling for survival in League One before Russell Martin was appointed in 2019/20 and brought a new dawn to the side.

Manning appeared a bit of a risk having only managed Lommel in Belgium before arriving in Milton Keynes. But with solid foundations and a talented squad the 36-year-old has the Dons performing like a play-off bound team with the ability to compete with anyone in the division.

It will be interesting to see if other clubs look to mirror the strategy of MK Dons in the years to come with Manning's men looking Championship bound in the not too distant future.