The two teams meet at Stadium MK this weekend in the first round of the FA Cup.
It’s not a fixture that Ryan expects or believes will be of much use right now.
“The truth is that the club I supported as a child won’t come out on Sunday,” he says.
“The club, in essence, died when it left the Premier League. [in May 2000]”.
It has been 12 years since the first meeting between MK Dons and AFC Wimbledon in the FA Cup, which MK Dons won 2-1.
There were 15 further matches between the two clubs, with MK Dons winning eight times to AFC Wimbledon’s four wins and four draws.
AFC Wimbledon sealed a powerful 3-0 victory when the two teams met in their League Two match at Plow Lane in September.
They are separated by two issues and five parks in the table, although AFC Wimbledon have three games in hand after postponements due to flooding at Plow Lane.
“Rivalries are rivalries. There’s a uniqueness to it that you won’t find anywhere else in world football,” says BBC 3 Counties Radio presenter Luke Ashmead, who was once a reporter and commentator for MK Dons.
“It’s just mild hatred between the two clubs. Both sets of fans have to tolerate it, there’s no emotion there and it’s not a fun rivalry.”
