John Gorman to take over at MK DONS?..Ince Resigns

[No Gorman announcement but Paul Ince is out at the end of the season...Dirty, dirty team: Look at their bookings....

Guardian

Paul Ince to leave MK Dons due to budget cuts• Milton Keynes manager to leave club for the second time
• 'I don't feel it will be possible to take the team forward'
(1)Tweet this (8)Press Association guardian.co.uk, Friday 16

The Milton Keynes Dons manager, Paul Ince, has announced that he will leave the club for a second time at the end of the season.

The 42-year-old rejoined the League One side last summer and was expected to mount a promotion challenge but a run of poor form has seen the Dons lose touch with the play-off places. Going into tomorrow's match with relegation-threatened Wycombe, the Dons are 12 points behind sixth-placed Huddersfield with four games remaining.

This morning's papers reported that the former England captain Ince was set to be sacked as part of a cost-cutting campaign at stadium:mk but he has now decided to resign. However he will stay on for the last four games of the season before leaving next month.

"Having discussed with the chairman the plans for next season, I don't feel it will be possible to take the team forward as I would have liked due to the budget cutbacks that he is going to have to make throughout the club," Ince said.

"I have enjoyed my time as MK Dons manager, will take some great memories from both my spells here and would like to thank those associated with the club for the support I have received."

Ince guided the Dons to the League Two title and a Johnstone's Paint Trophy win in his first spell in charge before leaving to take charge of Blackburn in June 2008.

However, he lasted just 17 games at Ewood Park before being dismissed and was rehired by the Dons chairman, Pete Winkelman, last summer.

Winkelman said: "Having increased our investment in the first-team squad this season to capitalise on the momentum Paul himself helped to create, we have felt it necessary to apply some prudence to next year's budgets throughout the club.

"These measures bring expenditure in line with the previous campaign and ensure that our resources are spent responsibly. Regrettably, Paul has made it clear that this decision would make it difficult for him to carry on and he has decided to step down as manager. This was entirely his decision."

The Dons started the season strongly but have lost their way in recent months as injury and suspensions took their toll. Ince was forced to field the 40-year-old coach Alex Rae during the 0-0 draw with Oldham in midweek and criticised a section of supporters after the game for booing his side off.

Ince's squad have picked up 122 yellow cards this season – 45 more than any other team – and Ince was handed a five-match touchline ban by the Football Association today for improper conduct. Four of those will be served this season.

www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/apr/16/paul-ince-mk-dons


MK Dons Official Site

PAUL INCE RESIGNS AS DONS MANAGER
Fri 16 Apr 2010

Milton Keynes Dons FC can today (Friday) confirm that Paul Ince has resigned from his position as first team manager effective after the final game of this season.

Paul said: "Having discussed with the Chairman the Club's plans for next season, I don't feel it will be possible to take the team forward as I would have liked due to the budget cut backs that he is going to have to make throughout the Club."

"I have enjoyed my time as MK Dons manager, will take some great memories from both my spells here and would like to thank those associated with the Club for the support I have received."

Dons Chairman Pete Winkelman said: "Having increased our investment in the first team squad this season to capitalise on the momentum Paul himself helped to create, we have felt it necessary to apply some reasonable prudence to next year's budgets throughout the Club. These measures bring expenditure in line with the previous campaign and ensure that our resources are spent responsibly.

"Regrettably, Paul has made it clear that this decision would make it difficult for him to take the club forward as he had intended and has therefore decided to step down as manager, this was entirely his decision."

"Paul has made an enormous contribution during his two spells with MK Dons, for which I would like to offer my sincerest thanks and best wishes for the future."

www.mkdons.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10420~2026681,00.html