Romelle Donovan

Last updated

Romelle Donovan
Romelle Donovan 2023.jpg
Donovan in 2023
Personal information
Full name Romelle Troy Donovan [1]
Date of birth (2006-11-30) 30 November 2006 (age 18) [2]
Place of birth Birmingham, [2] England
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Burton Albion (on loan from Birmingham City)
Number 49
Youth career
2013–2023 Birmingham City
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2023– Birmingham City 7 (0)
2024– → Burton Albion 6 (0)
International career‡
2024– England U18 2 (1)
2024– England U19 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:10, 12 November 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:09, 13 September 2024 (UTC)

Romelle Troy Donovan (born 30 November 2006) is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for EFL League One club Burton Albion, on loan from divisional rivals Birmingham City, and the England under-19 team.

Contents

Club career

Birmingham City

Donovan was born in Birmingham, [2] and joined Birmingham City's youth system at the pre-academy stage. [3] In early 2023, first-team head coach John Eustace included Donovan in the matchday squads for all three of Birmingham's FA Cup ties, but did not use him. [2] Had he taken the field, he would have become the club's second youngest debutant, behind Jude Bellingham but ahead of Jude's brother Jobe. [4]

Donovan took up a two-year scholarship with Birmingham City ahead of the 2023–24 season. [5] Under-18s coach Martyn Olorenshaw described him as "a creative midfield player with a strong left foot [who] loves scoring from distance with a strong playing personality." [5] He was included in the party for the first-team's pre-season training camp in Spain in July 2023. [6] Still only 16, he began the season as a regular in Birmingham's under-21 team, [7] whose coach, Steve Spooner, said: "With Romelle, when you play him wide he is a danger but if he doesn't see too much of the ball you want him on the ball. We put him in the ten role and he starts creating things and makes things happen", but he needed "to get better disciplined when the ball changes hands." [7] Eustace named Donovan among the substitutes for both of Birmingham's 2023–24 EFL Cup matches, but again he remained unused. [2]

When Wayne Rooney took over as manager in mid-October 2023, he brought Donovan in to train with the first team [8] and named him on the bench for his first match in charge, away to Middlesbrough. Again, Donovan was unused, but he made his Championship debut four days later, replacing Oliver Burke for the last few minutes of a 2–0 defeat at home to Hull City. [2] [9] On 30 November 2023, his 17th birthday, Donovan signed his first professional contract, to run until June 2026. [3] He finished the season with ten appearances, of which seven were in league matches. [10]

Burton Albion (loan)

Donovan joined League One rivals Burton Albion on 24 August 2024 on loan for the remainder of the season. [11]

International career

On 22 May 2024, Donovan made a goalscoring debut for the England U18s during a 4–2 win over Northern Ireland at St George's Park. [12] [13] He received his first call-up to the England U19s for friendly matches in Croatia in early September. [14] He made his debut for that age group in the starting eleven for the opening match, a 2–2 draw with Italy on 4 September in which he played the first hour and crossed the ball for Ethan Nwaneri to make the score 1–2. [15] He appeared as a substitute in the second game, a 1–1 draw against Croatia three days later, [16] and remained unused in the third. [17]

Career statistics

As of match played 12 November 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeague FA Cup EFL Cup OtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Birmingham City 2022–23 [2] Championship 000000—00
2023–24 [10] Championship703000—100
2024–25 [18] League One 0000000000
Total70300000100
Burton Albion (loan) 2024–25 [18] League One6010—2 [a] 191
Career total130400021191
  1. ↑ Appearance in EFL Trophy

Related Research Articles

Ryan Allsop is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for EFL League One club Birmingham City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Leko</span> English footballer (born 1999)

Jonathan Kisolokele Leko is a professional footballer who plays as a forward or winger for EFL League Two club Milton Keynes Dons.

Kyle Hakeem Edwards is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or left winger for EFL Championship club Oxford United.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlie Lakin</span> English footballer (born 1999)

Charlie Lakin is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL League Two club Walsall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beryly Lubala</span> Congolese footballer (born 1998)

Beryly Logos Lubala, commonly known as Bez Lubala, is a Congolese footballer who plays as a forward for EFL League One club Wycombe Wanderers. He previously played for Birmingham City, where he began his senior career, Crawley Town, Blackpool, from where he had loan spells at Northampton Town and Colchester United, and Burton Albion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Seddon</span> English footballer

Steven Jeffrey Seddon is an English professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Scottish Premiership club Motherwell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louie Barry</span> English footballer (born 2003)

Louie Mark Barry is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker and winger for EFL League One club Stockport County, on loan from Premier League club Aston Villa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jude Bellingham</span> English footballer (born 2003)

Jude Victor William Bellingham is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for La Liga club Real Madrid and the England national team. Known for his pace, dribbling, passing, and finishing, he is widely regarded as one of the best players in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geraldo Bajrami</span> English footballer

Geraldo Bajrami is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for EFL League One club Burton Albion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Odin Bailey</span> English footballer (born 1999)

Odin Ohray Bailey is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for EFL League One club Stockport County. Bailey started his career with Birmingham City, and spent time on loan at Gloucester City of the National League South in 2018, at Forest Green Rovers in the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons, and at Scottish Premiership club Livingston in 2021–22. After 15 years with Birmingham, he left for Salford City in 2022. He spent time on loan at Stockport County before joining the club on a permanent basis in January 2024. He has represented England at under-16 level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emmanuel Longelo</span> English footballer (born 2000)

Emmanuel Longelo Mbule is an English professional footballer who plays as a left back for EFL League One club Cambridge United, on loan from divisional rivals Birmingham City. Longelo began his career with West Ham United and played first-team football in the EFL Cup and the Europa League before joining Birmingham City, initially on loan, in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaide Gordon</span> English footballer (born 2004)

Kaide Gordon is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger or attacking midfielder for EFL Championship club Norwich City, on loan from Premier League club Liverpool.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Jebbison</span> English footballer

Daniel David Jebbison is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL Championship club Watford, on loan from Premier League club AFC Bournemouth. Born in Canada, Jebbison has represented England at the youth international level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Hall (footballer, born 2004)</span> English footballer

George Cardinal Joseph Hall is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL League Two club Walsall, on loan from EFL League One club Birmingham City. Hall has represented England at under-18 and under-19 levels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jobe Bellingham</span> English footballer (born 2005)

Jobe Samuel Patrick Bellingham is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder or forward for EFL Championship club Sunderland and the England U21 national team.

Adam James Wharton is an English professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Premier League club Crystal Palace and the England national team.

The 2023–24 season is Birmingham City Football Club's 121st season in the English football league system and 13th consecutive season in the second-tier EFL Championship. As with all members of the English Football League, the club's first team also competed in the FA Cup, in which they lost to Leicester City in the fourth round, and the EFL Cup, from which they were eliminated in the second round by Cardiff City.

Brandon Singh Khela is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL League One club Birmingham City. In 2022, Khela became the first British South Asian to sign a professional contract with that club. He spent the second half of the 2023–24 season on loan at Scottish Premiership club Ross County.

Ronnie Edward Stutter is an English footballer for EFL League One club Burton Albion, on loan from Premier League club Chelsea. He is an England youth international.

The 2024–25 season is Birmingham City Football Club's 122nd season in the English football league system and first season in the third-tier EFL League One since 1994–95. They finished in 22nd place in the 2023–24 EFL Championship, and were relegated after 13 years at that level. As with all third- and fourth-tier League clubs, the first team will compete in the FA Cup, the EFL Cup and the EFL Trophy.

References

  1. ↑ Wales, Keith (9 February 2024). "Why George Hall and Romelle Donovan are not in Birmingham City's new 25-man squad as trio included". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "R. Donovan: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 30 December 2023. Click on Domestic Cups for FA Cup selection.
  3. 1 2 "Blues' Romelle Donovan turns pro!". Birmingham City F.C. 30 November 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  4. ↑ Dick, Brian (28 January 2023). "Birmingham City 2–2 Blackburn Rovers highlights and reaction". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
    "Jobe Bellingham: Birmingham City debut for Jude's 16-year-old brother". BBC Sport. 8 January 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  5. 1 2 "Blues Academy announce first-year scholars". Birmingham City F.C. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  6. ↑ "Romelle Donovan: I see it as a challenge". Birmingham City F.C. 11 July 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  7. 1 2 Dicken, Alex (18 September 2023). "Birmingham City notebook: Jay Stansfield reveal, pivotal pair and Romelle Donovan excitement". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  8. ↑ Dicken, Alex (20 October 2023). "Wayne Rooney drops Romelle Donovan hint after ruthless first message to Birmingham City players". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  9. ↑ Dicken, Alex (25 October 2023). "Birmingham City player ratings vs Hull after Wayne Rooney's team are booed off". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  10. 1 2 "Games played by Romelle Donovan in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  11. ↑ "Blues' Romelle Donovan loaned to Burton Albion". Birmingham City F.C. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  12. ↑ Vassell, Zac (22 May 2024). "Report: England MU18s 4-2 Northern Ireland". England Football. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  13. ↑ "Romelle Donovan: Internationals". worldfootball.net. HeimSpiel Medien. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  14. ↑ "Romelle Donovan receives Young Lions selection". Birmingham City F.C. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  15. ↑ Veevers, Nicholas (4 September 2024). "Report: England MU19s 2-2 Italy". England Football. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  16. ↑ Drury, Adam (7 September 2024). "Report: England MU19s 1–1 Croatia". England Football. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  17. ↑ Drury, Adam (10 September 2024). "Report: England MU19s 2–3 Germany". England Football. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  18. 1 2 "Games played by Romelle Donovan in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.