COLCHESTER United target man Clive Platt, despite a dislocated left hand, is hoping to surprise his old club MK Dons in front of the Sky TV cameras on Monday evening.

Carl Marston

COLCHESTER United target man Clive Platt, despite a dislocated left hand, is hoping to surprise his old club MK Dons in front of the Sky TV cameras on Monday evening.

Platt would not have played against Tranmere Rovers last weekend, if that match had not been called off due to a frozen pitch, but he is desperate to play against his old team-mates.

MK Dons are flying high in second spot, having won promotion from League Two last season. Platt wants to halt their progress, at least for one evening.

“I've played against two of my other former clubs, Walsall and Peterborough, but I left them a long time ago and there weren't many old faces around,” explained Platt.

“But MK Dons will be different. A lot of my mates are still there, so this time it will be nice to see them.

“I should be okay to play. I actually dislocated the hand against Scunthorpe (0-0 home draw on December 20), after being booted on the back of my left hand, though I didn't know it until it swelled up later.

“I've had it pinned, and the wire is sticking out of my skin, so it doesn't look that great! But I've left it alone and I should be ready for Monday,” added Platt, who was employed as a substitute in the U's last match, a 1-0 win over Leyton Orient.

Wolverhampton-born Platt left the Dons to join Colchester for a then-�300,000 club record fee in the summer of 2007, but he has nothing but admiration for the Buckinghamshire club.

The 31-year-old is certainly not surprised to see the Dons making rapid strides up the Football League ladder, even though the club still has its fierce critics after effectively taking over Wimbledon FC in 2004. Wimbledon FC had moved up to Milton Keynes the previous year.

“I really admire Peter Winkleman (club owner). I've known him for a number of years, and he has always had the vision to get the club promoted up the league and to move to a new stadium, which they have done.

“Without Peter Winkleman, there would have been no Wimbledon and no MK Dons. We would have had neither of them.

“Some people didn't like it, but MK Dons emerged, and AFC Wimbledon are going strong. What we have is two clubs rather than have none.

“I believe that Peter (Winkleman) helped to make the best of a bad situation. The club shared my forward way of thinking as a player, and when I arrived they had a good manager in Danny Wilson.

“It was inspiring for me to go somewhere like MK Dons, with all their ambition. We always had the sense that we were making history, because we were in from the start.

“I think it's similar now at Colchester, because we have started a new era at a new ground, although of course Colchester United already has a fantastic history.

“It's a chance for us to prosper, and it's very exciting to be a part of it,” added Platt.

Tall striker Platt, who stands at 6ft 4ins, scored eight goals in 41 league appearances for the U's during their relegation season in the Championship. He has netted four to date this campaign.

But his performances have been improving, just as the U's have been making giant strides up the League One table. They have only lost one of their last seven league matches.

“We have come a long way since losing the home match to MK Dons,” insisted Platt, with reference to the 3-0 defeat on September 20, which was Geraint Williams' last match in charge,

“We were at the bottom of a slippery slope, and I hope that we are not yet at the top of that spiral. I think we are somewhere in the middle.

“Our overall performances have been improving, and the points have been coming.

“I'm happy with my form, although a few more goals wouldn't go amiss!” concluded Platt.