My dad is a former England coach and top-flight star – now I have fourth most English league appearances in history

TONY BLAIR was Prime Minister, The West Wing was on TV and 18-year-old Dean Lewington made his senior debut for Wimbledon.

And 21 YEARS later the defender is still going strong.

Getty

Dean Lewington is still going strong after over 20 years[/caption]

PA

Lewington started his career in the fallout of Wimbledon’s 2000 relegation[/caption]

He is set to make his 939th appearance in a huge fourth-v-third clash when MK Dons host Mansfield today.

Lewington sits fourth in the all-time English league outings with 814 — a feat bettered only by England legend Peter Shilton (1,005), Tony Ford (931) and Graham Alexander (833).

Meeting for coffee in leafy Surrey, I asked what secret lay behind his astonishing career.

He laughed: “I wish I knew because I’d sell it for a few quid! Probably being happy and lucky with injuries.”

But for a man who turns 40 next month, there must be more to it?

Lewington said: “I caught the back-end of old-school football when there was the drinking culture.

“Yet I’ve been lucky to benefit from modern training methods and nutritionists.

“The diet is nothing in excess, fruit and vegetables, all good stuff and looking after yourself.”

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Although he technically stayed at one club, he made 32 appearances for Wimbledon before they controversially switched to Milton Keynes in 2004 — with pre-MK history officially relinquished to AFC.

Lewington started his career in the fallout of Wimbledon’s 2000 relegation from the Premier League and was in the team that moved to MK.

AFC Wimbledon were created, gaining EFL status, building a new stadium at Plough Lane, not far from their old ground, and now in the same division as MK.

Lewington, the only MK player left from the ‘old’ Wimbledon, said: “It was a baptism of fire — but lucky most of us playing then were youngsters who came through the youth side.

“Because of our age, we saw it as a good opportunity and didn’t worry about the side-effects.

“Hindsight is wonderful and no one would want to repeat what happened.

“But AFC have gone on and done well. There’s no animosity from me. I’m glad they’re doing what they’re doing but my focus is on MK.”

Lewington has played in all three EFL divisions — enjoying three promotions but suffering five relegations.

Last season’s drop into League Two came only a year after almost winning promotion to the Championship — following a heartbreaking loss to Wycombe over two play-off legs.

He said: “I’ve been relegated twice and promoted twice on the last day. It’s been a career in the lower leagues, so unglamorous — but a happy one.

“I’ve changed position slightly but was always a tall full-back, quite aggressive, composed on the ball, good passer.

“But I’m not overly athletic so that’s held me back.”

His career highlight was winning promotion to the Championship in 2015 under Karl Robinson with Dele Alli leading the way — prompting Tottenham to sign him for £5million.

And Lewington said: “After relegations from the Championship to League Two, we wanted to get back there.

“It took more than ten years but the club got into a positive place.

“We had Dele coming through, the youth team was producing and everything was on the up.

“Dele trained with us since he was 15. It was a pleasure to play alongside and see him fulfil his potential.

“Getting into the Championship felt like a chance for the club to establish itself. It didn’t work out but that brief moment was the best.”

‘I was told I wasn’t wanted and could train elsewhere’

The club were only in the second tier for a season, and two years after that they were back in League Two.

Lewington’s stay with MK came close to ending twice.

A swap deal involving Huddersfield’s Pawel Abbott in 2006 fell through when the Terriers man pulled out, and in 2017 Lewington was frozen out by ex-boss Robbie Neilson.

The latter was Lewington’s lowest moment. He said: “Neilson banned me from the club for about six weeks.

“I was told I wasn’t wanted and could train elsewhere. That’s when I thought, ‘Perhaps my time at MK is over’. But he got sacked and things changed.”

During that time, his dad Ray — ex-Fulham, Brentford and Watford boss and England No 2 — was invaluable.

He said: “With dad being in the game, I’ve learnt to realise it’s not personal. Managers try to pick their best XI and sometimes it doesn’t include you.

“You feel like they don’t know what they’re doing and the world is against you but they’re trying to do their best.”

His standout manager was current Southampton boss and former team-mate Russell Martin.

Roy Hodgson with with assistant Ray Lewington during their England daysNews Group Newspapers Ltd

He explained: “Russ believes in what he does 100 per cent. There’s no Plan B — it’s his way and you stick to it.

“Some managers, when hitting a tough patch, change things but not him. That’s what makes him effective.

“He took over when we were fighting relegation from League One.

“He changed us to complete football, which is the opposite of what teams usually do in those situations.

“It was a real risk but he believed in it. It’s like going back to your childhood, playing free-flowing football.”

His only regret is MK having not fulfilled chairman Pete Winkelman’s ambition to reach the Prem — or stay in the Championship.

But Lewington said: “The reality is it costs a lot of money to get in the Premier League now.

“When the club was formed, the gap between the top flight and the EFL was smaller.

“The stadium and infrastructure are there so if someone wants to take it on, it could definitely happen.”

So with his 40th birthday approaching, what does the future hold?

He said: “At some point I’ll go down the coaching route. But I’ll keep playing for as long as I can.”