Milton Keynes Dons owner Pete Winkelman defends Wycombe ticket allocation
- Published
Pete Winkelman is hoping MK Dons can reach the Championship for the second time
MK Dons owner Pete Winkelman has defended their decision to provide 2,000 tickets to Wycombe for the second leg of their play-off semi-final.
The Dons lost 2-0 at Adams Park on Thursday, and will try to overturn the deficit at Milton Keynes on Sunday.
Stadium MK has a capacity of more than 30,000 but Winkelman says having 2,000 away fans at the game is in line with English Football League regulations.
"This is about sporting advantage," he told BBC Three Counties Radio.
"Just because we have a big stadium it isn't there to be of benefit to everybody else.
"It's very clear that in the play-offs, it's about home advantage. We finished third, which means we have our home game last and we want to keep that sporting advantage because it really matters to Milton Keynes that we go up."
There has also been criticism that the travelling Wycombe fans will not all be seated together at Stadium MK but Winkelman said the decision was for health and safety reasons, with away fans all being seated in the upper tier.
Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday, who meet in the other League One semi-final, have also made only 2,000 tickets available to away supporters.
"I've made sure in conversations with Rob (Couhig), the owner of Wycombe, that the 2,000 tickets will all be available to fans," he continued.
"Normally the allocation for players' tickets and staff come out of that 2,000 - we've added that on top to make sure we're completely and utterly fair.
Speaking ahead of the first leg, he said: "When it was third against fifth (during the season), Wycombe only brought 1,500 to us so we've got no problem with the amount of tickets we've made available.
"We're giving more tickets to Wycombe fans than anybody else is getting in these play-offs and significantly more than we are able to take to Adams Park.
"I'm confident I am doing the right thing for my football club because I want my players and my manager to have the very best chance on Sunday."
Wycombe are hoping to win promotion just 12 months after being relegated from the Championship, while MK Dons are looking to return to the second tier for the first time since 2016.