Romelle Donovan
Young man in football kit
Donovan in 2023
Personal information
Date of birth (2006-11-30) 30 November 2006[1]
Place of birth Birmingham,[1] England
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Birmingham City
Number 49
Youth career
2013–2023 Birmingham City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– Birmingham City 7 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:19, 30 December 2023 (UTC)

Romelle Donovan (born 30 November 2006) is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for EFL Championship club Birmingham City.

Life and career

Donovan was born in Birmingham,[1] and joined Birmingham City's youth system at the pre-academy stage.[2] 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.[1] 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.[3]

Donovan took up a two-year scholarship with Birmingham City ahead of the 2023–24 season.[4] 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."[4] He was included in the party for the first-team's pre-season training camp in Spain in July 2023.[5] Still only 16, he began the season as a regular in Birmingham's under-21 team,[6] 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."[6] Eustace named Donovan among the substitutes for both of Birmingham's 2023–24 EFL Cup matches, but again he remained unused.[1]

When Wayne Rooney took over as manager in mid-October 2023, he brought Donovan in to train with the first team[7] 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.[1][8] On 30 November 2023, his 17th birthday, Donovan signed his first professional contract, to run until June 2026.[2]

Career statistics

As of match played 6 January 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Birmingham City 2022–23[1] Championship000000—00
2023–24[9] Championship701000—80
Total 701000—80

    References

    1. 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.
    2. 1 2 "Blues' Romelle Donovan turns pro!". Birmingham City F.C. 30 November 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
    3. ↑ 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.
    4. 1 2 "Blues Academy announce first-year scholars". Birmingham City F.C. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
    5. ↑ "Romelle Donovan: I see it as a challenge". Birmingham City F.C. 11 July 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
    6. 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.
    7. ↑ 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.
    8. ↑ 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.
    9. ↑ "Games played by Romelle Donovan in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
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