Dean Lewington: MK Dons captain to take interim charge of side

Dean Lewington was a member of the inaugural MK Dons side in 2004-05

MK Dons have put captain Dean Lewington in interim charge while they search for a new manager, but the left-back does not want the job on a full-time basis.

The League One side are without a boss after Russell Martin left to become head coach at Swansea on Sunday.

Lewington, 37, has made 807 appearances for the club and is the longest-serving player in the English Football League.

"He's a leader - he's an extremely good person that this group look up to," said sporting director Liam Sweeting.

Asked if Lewington was in the running for the permanent manager's job at Stadium MK, Sweeting told BBC Three Counties Radio: "I would say no because he's told me no. He's made it clear that he's a player and he wants to play.

"[But] for him to step in and to lead this group in the interim, we're in really good hands."

Sweeting said the process to appoint Martin's successor "will take as long as it takes", with their opening league game at Bolton on Saturday.

Swansea are believed to have paid MK Dons around £400,000 in compensation to secure Martin's services, though Sweeting says the club's "preference" is to not go after another manager already in work.

"We have to be careful with that because it's caused us a few problems, so I wouldn't want to put another football club in that, but MK Dons to me is the priority."

Analysis - 'Fans hope Lewington can galvanise team'

Luke Ashmead, BBC 3CR sports presenter

Cliche it might be, but it's been a real rollercoaster week for Milton Keynes Dons.

With summer additions to an already decent squad, a young hungry manager and fans that were excited to be watching their team after so long away from live football, the air of positivity around Stadium MK was understandable.

But from Friday things took a very different turn. The club's manager, who had asked the fans to trust his process when he took the role, was not only leaving, but leaving just a week before their first league game.

Players who had signed for the club, staff, those who run MK Dons and every single fan, have been left hurt, angry and with little appetite to trust any process if it involves being in this position.

The process to move forward has begun though and recruitment of a new man to guide the club towards the Championship is well under way.

The hope from the fans at MK Dons is that the players, disappointed as they might be, can be galvanised by their legendary skipper Dean Lewington and show that however real the process off the pitch might or might not have been, the process on the pitch starts with them.