Football Season Guide

League 2

England

League 2

2022/2023

AFC Wimbledon

In

Chris Gunter (Defender, Charlton Athletic); Paris Maghoma (Midfielder, Brentford, Season-long loan); Josh Davison (Attacker, Charlton Athletic); Kyle Hudlin (Attacker, Huddersfield Town, Season-long loan)

Out

Zaki Oualah (Goalkeeper, released); Ben Heneghan (r) (Defender, Sheffield Wednesday); Cheye Alexander (sp) (Defender, Gillingham); Daniel Csoka (sp) (Defender, Zalaegerszegi TE); Darius Charles (Defender, released); Egli Kaja (Midfielder, released); Henry Lawrence (sp) (Defender, Chelsea, Loan ended); Jack Madelin (Defender, released); Nesta Guinness-Walker (sp) (Defender, released); Anthony Hartigan (r) (Midfielder, released); Isaac Olaniyan (Midfielder, released); Jack Rudoni (k) (Midfielder, Huddersfield Town); Aaron Pressley (Attacker, Brentford, Loan ended); Corie Andrews (Attacker, Torquay United); Dapo Mebude (sp) (Attacker, Watford, Loan ended); Derick Osei Yaw (Attacker, released); Terry Ablade (Attacker, Fulham, Loan ended); Tomas Kalinauskas (Attacker, Barnsley, Loan ended); Sam Cosgrove (sp) (Attacker, Birmingham City, Loan ended)

AFC Wimbledon finally fell through the League One trapdoor after several years of last-ditch escapes. The Dons failed to win any of their last 27 league matches, an appalling run of results that saw head coach Mark Robinson sacked and replaced by Mark Bowen. The gamble failed to pay off and following relegation Bowen departed and has been replaced by Johnnie Jackson. Jackson was sacked by Charlton Athletic following the end of a disappointing campaign and he faces a tough challenge as the Dons look to bounce back at the first opportunity. He has inherited a squad full of talented youngsters and will struggle to hold on to them. Winger Jack Rudoni has already left for an undisclosed club record fee to join Huddersfield Town and winger Ayoub Assal and striker Zach Robinson could be on their way before the transfer window closes in September. Experienced centre-back Ben Heneghan and midfielder Anthony Hartigan rejected offers of new deals with the former having signed for Sheffield Wednesday. There is at least some good news with influential midfielder Alex Woodyard having signed a new two-year deal. So far Jackson has made just two additions with experienced full-back Chris Gunter following him from Charlton Athletic and 6’9” striker Kyle Hudlin signing on a season-long loan from Huddersfield Town. Clearly there is still a lot of work for Jackson to do in the transfer window if the Dons are to competing at the top end of League Two this season.

Target

Play-offs. A top-seven finish doesn’t look particularly realistic at the time of writing but that will be their target this season.