Kevin Donovan

Donovan started playing for Elland Athletic in the Halifax league as an 8-year old before he joined Huddersfield Town, training at the centre of excellence, at 16 he became an apprentice and turned professional in October 1989. He joined Halifax Town on loan during February and March 1992, before moving to West Bromwich Albion for £70,000 in October of that year. He made his Albion debut against Port Vale in the same month. Donovan scored in Albion's 3–0 win over Vale in the Division Two play-off final the following May at Wembley as the club clinched promotion. In July 1997 he signed for Grimsby Town for a £300,000 fee, joining up with his former manager at Albion, Alan Buckley. His time at Grimsby was arguably the best of his career. In his first season, he scored 21 goals to help the club win twice at Wembley Stadium in the Football League Trophy, and in the play-off final, in which Donovan netted the only goal of the game. However, Donovan failed to score a single goal in the following season for the club. Two more rather impressive seasons were spent at Blundell Park before Donovan confirmed the Grimsby supporters' worst fears and left to join rivals Barnsley. His time at Oakwell was mainly blighted by injury problems, and he experienced relegation with the club, and at the end of the 2002–03 season he was released by The Tykes. During his spell at Barnsley he scored once against Walsall in December 2001. Donovan was snapped up by Alan Buckley, who had managed him at…

Donovan runs a football school and coaches the junior side at Brighouse Town. He occasionally co-commentates for BBC Radio Humberside on Grimsby Town games.

West Bromwich Albion

Football League Second Division play-offs: 1993 Grimsby Town

Football League Second Division play-offs: 1998 Football League Trophy: 1997–98 Individual

PFA Team of the Year: 1997–98 Second Division Grimsby Town Supporters' Player of the Year: 1997–98