MK Irish vs Aylesbury United Preview

Milton Keynes Irish will continue their search for their first league win of the season when they welcome Aylesbury United to Manor Fields this weekend. 

After three successive home league defeats this season, MK Irish have had to wait seven days for their next competitive fixture, after being knocked out of the FA Cup by Arlesey Town at the Preliminary Round stage. 

It has been far from an ideal start for Terry Shrieves’ side in Step 4, but the manager was adamant that “you have to work hard to earn the rewards at this level” after their first home loss of the season and the side are still yet to find the positive result to get the ball rolling in the Southern League Division One Central. 

Milton Keynes Irish face an Aylesbury United team that have only picked up one point this season and a win would allow the home side to climb out of the relegation places and as high as 15th in the league, leapfrogging their opponents in the process. 

The most recent encounter between these two sides came in 2024, when MK Irish beat Aylesbury United 3-1 in a preseason fixture, which saw Mason Spence score a brace before JJ Meadows added a third for the Irish. 

This looks to be the first competitive fixture between the two sides after MK Irish secured promotion to Step 4 last season and this feels like the perfect opportunity for the Spartan South Midlands League winners to get off the mark this season. 

Our weekend opponents are managed by Dave Tuttle, who took over as caretaker manager in 2024 before taking on the side permanently after a positive spell at the club. The former Tottenham Hotspur defender managed his side to a 15th place finish last season and he will hoping to lead his team higher in the 2025-26 season.

Aylesbury United picked up their only point this season when they drew 0-0 with Leverstock Green on gameweek one but they are fresh off the back of a 3-0 loss to Marlow, who were relegated from Step 3 last year. 

The side were formed in 1897 and it seems that they have a permanent fixture of the Southern League Div One Central ever since they finished as runners-up in the Spartan South Midlands League in the 2012-13 season. 

This will feel like a must-win fixture for both teams, who are eager to push away from the relegation places in the Southern League Div One Central and pick up their first win of the season. 

Milton Keynes Irish will face off against Aylesbury United on the 23rd of August at Manor Fields with kickoff at 3pm and Terry Shrieves will be hoping that his side can finally get off the mark and push on to have a positive first season in Step 4.