Ex-Everton, Man City & Wolves star opens up on son’s development at Blackpool

The former Everton, Wolves and England defender has been a regular viewer of Donovan when he’s been in action for Blackpool’s development squad this season.

The winger, who made the move from Salford City last summer, will now be hoping to push on and get himself on the fringes of Blackpool’s first-team.

Donovan has already had a taste of first-team life having trained alongside them under Stephen Dobbie in recent weeks and his Dad believes that sort of exposure will prove invaluable.

“It's going to take time,” he told aceodds.com.

“But again, in the greatest respect to Blackpool's situation, for him and the younger players, I don't think it's a negative thing that they got relegated. I think that propels them. Whether they are ready or not, who knows?

“But I think it kind of forces the hand of the club, potentially, to bring them and make them train and have to be in and around the dressing room. So that can only help their development as young men, but as players as well.

“I'm excited for him. I try not to be a coach. I try to be a dad as much as possible. But there's going to become a time when we need to think about how this is going to play out and what it takes to be a professional.”

While featuring regularly for the development squad this season, Donovan has also spent time out on loan in non-league with Bamber Bridge.

While the winger’s spell initially got off to a promising spell, he found game time hard to come by towards the end.

“I thought he started off well. It went well at the start, he was playing, performing and contributing,” Joleon added.

“Then I think towards the end of the loan, he wasn't in the team and he wasn't getting the minutes. Whether that was a decision based on his performances, who knows.

“But he's still young and I've worked in development football, so regardless of him being my son or not, I know that younger players are inconsistent.

“Also wingers take longer and forward players potentially take longer to understand and develop, so I think it's been a great learning curve for him.

“He's enjoyed it, he's played with men and showcased that he can, which is what I believe is the best thing.

“He's also done well and been exposed to first-team sessions at Blackpool so I think. It was the right move for him at the time and it's going as well as I would have hoped so far.”

The development squad has enjoyed an impressive debut campaign under Dobbie this season, having been formed last summer to provide a vital bridge between the Under-18s and the first team.

The Seasiders finished second in the league table but claimed some silverware in the form of the Central League Cup thanks to a penalty shootout win against Wigan Athletic in the final.