With what turned out to be a successful summer transfer window, manager Karl Robinson signed forwards Benik Afobe[2] and Will Grigg[3] on loan from Arsenal and Brentford respectively, as well as former loanee Samir Carruthers from Aston Villa on a permanent deal.

[4] Following a 3–1 home victory over rivals AFC Wimbledon in the first round at the beginning of August,[5] the club were handed a lucrative second round League Cup draw at home to Manchester United.

Against all odds, the Dons won the tie 4–0 through goals from Grigg and Afobe against a United team which included established Premier League players David de Gea, Javier Hernandez, Shinji Kagawa and Danny Welbeck.

[9][10] At the end of the January 2015 transfer window, academy graduate Dele Alli was sold to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur for a club record fee in the region of £5m plus add-on incentives and arrangements which included Alli being loaned back immediately for the remainder of the campaign.

With Preston in second place on 89 points and MK Dons in third on 88, Preston faced relegation-threatened Colchester United and only needed to match or better the Dons' result against already relegated Yeovil Town to ensure promotion.