Dean Lewington: MK Dons allow out-of-favour captain to train at Charlton Athletic
MK Dons captain Dean Lewington is training at fellow League One side Charlton Athletic after being frozen out of first team contention at Stadium MK.
The 33-year-old has made more than 650 appearances for the Dons and is currently the longest-serving player in the country.
However, he's lost his left-back place to summer signing Scott Golbourne this season and manager Robbie Neilson has already confirmed that he'll be allowed to leave the club on loan in January.
In order to get him up back up to match fitness, the Dons have allowed Lewington to train at Charlton where former boss Karl Robinson is currently in charge.
"Dean really believes that he should be in our first team and that he should still be playing in his position," MK Dons chairman Pete Winkelman said.
"Robbie (Neilson) believes he shouldn't be in our first team and everything comes from that. Do I make him stay here (at MK Dons) where he's obviously uncomfortable or do we take up Karl Robinson's very kind offer of allowing his ex-club captain to go and train at Charlton?
"He's going to have a month to get himself the fittest he's ever been in his life. At the end of the day, I back that decision.
"I know it's controversial - I know it doesn't particularly look good. But, you know what, it's got an old manager and us talking again, it's got Dean somewhere he's comfortable getting fit again, and it's got Robbie now concentrating on his own thing - so actually, everyone's a winner.
"It's a typical MK Dons solution. I know it's not normal, but it works for us, and most importantly, it works for Dean Lewington."
Charlton boss Robinson has ruled out signing Lewington in January and says he's only allowing the defender to train at the club as a favour.