17 November 2023 , 11:00
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Max Dean endured a baptism of fire after swapping Leeds United for a League One dogfight with Milton Keynes Dons back in January.
The talented 19-year-old was offered the opportunity to make his mark in senior football by former MK Dons head coach Mark Jackson: the same man who had nurtured Dean in the youth ranks at Elland Road.
But Jackson was sacked just months later after the Dons succumbed to relegation, with Dean making just a handful of cameo appearances. It was far from the ideal start.
"Looking back, it was [tough]. Coming in to a side fighting relegation, there's a lot more pressure than maybe coming in somewhere where you're mid-table," Dean tells Mirror Football.
"It's a lot more competitive; people's lives are on the line so they have to give everything. I had to adapt quickly to that, because the Under-23s is a bit more about understanding football. I've had to learn on the spot but I've enjoyed it."
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Fast forward six months and Dean is enjoying the best run of his senior career so far with the Dons, who are finding their feet with a new progressive playing style courtesy of new head coach Mike Williamson.
After plundering four goals in five games, Dean is the latest recipient of the EFL Young Player of the Month award; an accolade previously won by the likes of MK Dons alumni Dele Alli.
For Dean, who started his career at his boyhood club, Everton, at the age of 5, this recognition is vindication for his decision to take a leap of faith. Failure to earn scholar terms with his beloved Toffees stung but, by his own admission, a change of scenery was welcomed. It was time to move on.
After a two-and-a-half year stint in the youth ranks at Leeds, Jackson reached out to offer the youngster the opportunity to join him at MK Dons; an offer that was too enticing to turn down.
Dean scored four league goals in five games for MK Dons last month (Pete Norton)"I knew Jacko [Mark Jackson] from Leeds and was sad to see him leave. He did a lot for me at Leeds and gave me this opportunity here, so I thank him for everything."
He opened his account for the Dons with a brace against Barrow on his second senior league start. That feat was marred, though, by the latest and most calamitous of collapses. That led to the departure of Graham Alexander, who lasted just 16 games in the MK Dons hotseat. There is already cautious optimism that a similar fate will not befall his successor.
Williamson, formerly of Newcastle, won plenty of plaudits at non-league Gateshead for constructing the sort of expansive, free-flowing football team normally associated with clubs in the upper echelons of the English pyramid.
The 40-year-old's arrival has been a breath of fresh air for Dean, who Williamson has deployed ahead of seasoned EFL operators such as Mo Eisa. Williamson's pedigree as a top defender has even given Dean fresh insight into his own game, too.
MK Dons appointed Mike Williamson as their new head coach last month (Mark Fletcher/MI News)He adds: "I've sat down with the gaffer quite a bit going through clips to try and understand the position as much as I can. The gaffer has shown trust in me and that's given me confidence. But I'm also learning from those other players who play in the same position as me each and every day. They're role models for me, because every one of them has got different attributes that I can take and learn from.
"He [Williamson] has been around and knows everything about football. When we've sat down he's touched on a slight movement and said, 'As a defender myself, I wouldn't have liked this, so do this'. As soon as I hear that from a top defender, I'm sound, because if that affected you when you played then it's definitely going to affect other defenders now."
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Williamson's new progressive approach will give Dean ample opportunity to add to his goal tally, which currently stands at seven in all competitions, as the season progresses.
"I've really enjoyed it. The main thing [we try and do] now is dominate the ball. That tires the opposition physically and mentally, so it's been really good. We put a lot of trust into each other now on the ball and it's already paying off.
"I've already had plenty of chances and I could probably have had more goals. The lads are putting them on a plate for me and now it's up to me to put those chances away.
"Once you get one goal you want to get more, and you've already got the instinct so you feel even more confident. As a striker, you should always be confident."
Dean isn't in the habit of setting personal targets, and the Dons won't be getting carried away regardless of what the next few weeks bring ahead of a busy festive period.
"We've said that from the start, even though we've had a little blip. We're keeping our eye on the top-six and building game by game. There's no point looking past Christmas or anything like that, we've just got to focus on each game as it comes. When you start looking further away then you lose track of what's in front of you, but we're only looking upwards."