'Outstanding': Portsmouth Wembley hero battles back from career low to become record breaker

A Pompey Wembley hero has resurrected his MK Dons career to claim a proud club record.

Craig MacGillivray’s time with the League Two outfit was on a downward spiral, finding himself well out of favour, having featured just five times as last season drew to a close.

However, the appointment of Paul Warne in April has dramatically transformed the former Blues favourite’s time at Stadium MK.

The new head coach has shown belief in the talents of the 2020-21 The News/Sports Mail Player of the Season, after predecessors had overlooked the 32-year-old.

And, having been restored to the first-team, MacGillivray has now posted six successive clean sheets, stretching back to April 18 during the 2025-26 campaign, and representing a club record.

The landmark was reached in Saturday’s 2-0 victory at Barrow, with Alex Gilbey and Callum Paterson scoring in the final 17 minutes to secure the three points.

At the other end of the pitch, however, MacGillivray has become the first goalkeeper to achieve six consecutive shut-outs since the club’s controversial inception as MK Dons in 2004.

MK Dons boss Warne: He comes for crosses - which I love

First-team head coach Warne told the MK Citizen: ‘They all deserve the praise. Craig has the gloves, he comes for crosses, which I love. He has been outstanding but he has marshalled a back line which goes throughout the team.

‘We want to defend as high a line as we can, press from the top so we don’t have to defend a lot. I’m not sure Craig even had to make a save today but that’s a collective effort.

‘Everyone should be really proud of the clean sheets, and it’s a good building block for success. If you don’t concede, you get at least a point and away from home, limiting chances is essential to success.’

Out of favour at MK Dons

After joining MK Dons in June 2023 and initially being a regular, MacGillivray was loaned to Stevenage for the second half of the 2023-24 season.

Returning to the Dons in the summer of 2024, he couldn’t break back into the first-team and, in February, suffered another blow when Connal Trueman was signed from Millwall as number one, despite just six league games in four years.

However, interim boss Ben Gladwin restored the Scot to the side following a 3-0 home defeat to Barrow in April, with incoming head coach Warne subsequently keeping him there for the final four matches.

Out of contract in the summer, MK Dons subsequently activated a clause to retain MacGillivray - and he has remained number one for the start of this season.

His run of clean sheets includes shut outs against Newport, Crewe, Grimsby and Swindon last term and now Oldham and Barrow in the current campaign.

Successful Pompey stay

During a successful south-coast stay after arriving in June 2018 from Shrewsbury, MacGillivray made 135 appearances, while saved Lee Cattermole’s penalty in the March 2019 Checkatrade Trophy triumph over Sunderland at Wembley.

He was also called up into Scotland’s squad on several occasions, without making an appearance. However, at the end of the 2020-21 campaign, Danny Cowley surprisingly released the keeper.

Despite having a club option, the Blues elected to let him leave, and he has subsequently featured for Charlton, Burton, Stevenage and, of course, MK Dons.

Your Next Pompey Read: Pompey boss' Marlon Pack selection admission as he faces anxious wait on scan results