Robbie Neilson confirmed as MK Dons manager
Friday 2 December 2016 17:57, UK
Robbie Neilson has been confirmed as the new manager of League One side MK Dons.
Neilson leaves Scottish Premiership side Hearts along with his assistant Stevie Crawford, with the pair looking to improve the team's fortunes after a poor start to the season.
Karl Robinson left the role last month - he has since joined Charlton - and the Dons sit in a lowly 19th place as Neilson and Crawford arrive.
Last season, Neilson guided Hearts to third place in Scotland's top division and he leaves with them in second behind only reigning champions Celtic.
"I'm delighted," said Neilson, who will take over following Saturday's FA Cup second-round clash, ironically against Robinson's Charlton. Caretaker boss Richie Barker will remain in charge for that game at The Valley.
"It's great to be here and I'm looking forward to developing the club, developing the players and moving the club forward.
"The most important thing for me was picking the right chairman and the right club, and this was the right match at the right time - it's a club that's going places.
"Hopefully the fans are ready for the ride. We want to create excitement but, most importantly, win football matches. With the squad that we've got here, we should be winning football matches - our job is to help them do that."
Dons chairman Pete Winkelman added: "I'm hugely excited. Robbie has been on our list from day one - he's the most exciting young manager in the UK, by a country mile.
"Hearts are a good club. They didn't stand in Robbie's way and they made it possible. They worked with us to make sure it was as smooth as it could be, given that it's in the middle of the season.
"He was at a big club and he was doing well at a big club so we had to get our timing right. We wanted to make sure that we would get the right person for the job and I'm so pleased to be sitting here - almost within the time frame that I gave everyone - with the man I believe is going to take this Football Club forward."
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