The midfielder had numerous high-caliber options to consider but ultimately chose his MK Dons coach.
Former MK Dons midfielder Luke Chadwick praised coach John Gorman as the best he ever worked with during his career.
Chadwick, who previously played for Manchester United, West Ham United, and Norwich City, spent five and a half years at Milton Keynes before moving to Cambridge in 2014.
Describing his time at Stadium MK as the most consistent period of his career, Chadwick, who won the Premier League with Manchester United in the 2000/01 season, also credited Gorman as the coach who got the best out of him.
Gorman served as assistant manager to Karl Robinson, joining MK Dons in 2010. With a wealth of experience from his time at Swindon Town, Tottenham, and with the England national team—where he worked alongside Glenn Hoddle during the 1998 World Cup—Gorman became a highly respected figure at Stadium MK. He announced his retirement at the end of the 2011/12 season after the Dons’ unsuccessful play-off campaign against Huddersfield Town.
Luke Chadwick played nearly 250 games during his five-and-a-half years at MK Dons | Getty Images
Gorman’s influence on Chadwick, who transitioned from a winger to a central midfielder during his time with the Dons, was significant.
“I played under some great managers, but when it comes to coaching, that’s a really good question,” Chadwick shared in a TikTok video. “Steve McClaren was a very good coach at Manchester United, and Carlos Queiroz brought a different approach when he arrived. The club enjoyed great success with both of them.
“But the best coach I ever worked with was John Gorman at MK Dons. He’s one of the best people I’ve met in my life. He was an exceptional coach and a wonderful person who supported me a lot as I was nearing the end of my career in Milton Keynes. He’s the best I’ve worked with.”