Harry Pell says he is already looking forward to next season – believing a change in diet and routine on the training ground will translate into a promotion challenge next year.

AFC Wimbledon were held to a disappointing 0-0 draw by strugglers Bristol Rovers at Kingsmeadow on Saturday, which hardly suggests a major surge in fortunes is on the way.

But the Dons midfielder firmly believes good times are just around the corner because of improved preparation for match days.

“You look around the changing room and the training ground – changes to the food and things like that - and I think the club's moved on a hell of a lot,” Pell said.

“It's changed from when I first arrived. We've got a bigger selection of food and the gaffer makes sure there's protein shakes, things like that, to look after the boys.

“Recovery is very important too and all the staff are really tuned on about how players are feeling and the recovery they need to progress.

“We still need a few more points to be safe but you look around the dressing room and I'm very confident. We've got too much quality [to go down]. Confidence is high.

“We want to get this season over and done with, get safe and move on to progress next season. I think we've laid good foundations since the start of this year.”

Pell added: “We started the season very strongly and expectation grew but for whatever reason, we haven't picked up the points. We had a patch where we didn't do so well.

“Teams at the top tend to not play well and still pick up points and we've struggled to do that. We have to learn how to do it.”

The 22-year-old has not managed to hold down a regular starting place of late, but impressed in his first full 90 minutes for a while and he thinks there was much to be happy about at the weekend.

“I haven't played for a while so it was nice to get 90 minutes under my belt and hopefully do myself proud,” he said. “I thought I did OK.

“I started the season very well but then the goals dried up and I found myself out of the team, but I'm just really happy to be back involved now.

“I think we did all we could [on Saturday]. We worked all week on attacking play and creating chances and I think we just need to work on putting more of those chances away.

"On another day, I think we could have won that game quite comfortably.”