EFL’s longest-serving player to end 22-year stay at club in the summer after over 900 games
MK Dons have announced that their record-breaking legend Dean Lewington will leave at the end of the season.
Lewington made his club debut in 2003 when they were Wimbledon and followed them to Milton Keynes for their relaunch a year later.
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The left-back's 22-year stay with the Dons makes him the longest-serving player in the history of the English Football League.
However, MK Dons revealed on Monday that the 2024/25 season will be ahead of a summer departure.
A statement read: "The defender will stop playing for MK Dons at the end of the season and currently sits on an unbelievable 915 competitive appearances.
"Having been a professional footballer since the age of 18, Lewington will now look to take his vast experience of the game into coaching and has been working on his badges."
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They added: "Aside from his many footballing achievements Dean has perhaps more importantly always been cherished by MK Dons supporters and the city of Milton Keynes.
"Forever recognisable from the stands of both the National Hockey Stadium and Stadium MK, Lewington has been the face of the football club for more than 20 years, acting as a role model, spokesperson and ambassador for MK Dons.
"From moving with the club to Milton Keynes after making his debut for Wimbledon in 2003 to stepping up as caretaker manager on three separate occasions, he has represented his side in multiple ways and on countless occasions over the last 20 years."
Lewington's 915 appearances for MK Dons is the most for a single club in EFL history.
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He broke the record in December 2023 on his 771st outing to beat the 770 matches John Trollope hit for Swindon Town from 1960 to 1980.
The 40-year-old hasn't played for the club since November and is now set to transition into coaching.
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And after the announcement, he spoke to talkSPORT and revealed why he's decided to retire.
He said: "It's been hard getting up in the mornings for a while now.
"I just haven't really been involved this year. As a footballers, you want to play as much as you can, and it's not going to get any better as you get older.
"So, it's come to a point where I am thinking why keep going?
"The club are looking for a new manager, so it'll be a new start, and it just seemed like the right time to walk away."
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Lewington is now planning to go into coaching.
"I start my A [UEFA Coaching course] in May, and I have just been coaching as much as I can with various teams to get that practice in and work on doing that side of it."
Lewington won three promotions, and lifted the League Two title and Football League Trophy with MK Dons in 2008.
He became their Player of the Decade in 2014 and Player of the Year in 2021 before a PFA Merit Award last year.
Out of all 789 league appearances, Lewington has incredibly started in 779 of those.
His total of 815 matches in the EFL is the fifth-highest in history, with Peter Shilton topping the standings with 1,005 games.
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Lewington will be honoured at their final home game of the League Two season at Stadium MK on April 26 against Grimsby Town.
Dubbed 'Dean Lewington Day', fans will be able to celebrate the club legend's historic stay from their inception to the present day.
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