Donnelly, 36, enjoyed a glittering 20-year playing career which took him all the way to the Championship with boyhood club QPR and Swansea City, before taking in promotion winning campaigns with Aldershot Town and Wycombe Wanderers, right.
Now, he is looking to make his mark once again, this time from the manager’s hotseat after being handed his first boss’ job at Southern League new boys Northwood.
But the route in management was no smooth transition for the Hammersmith-born midfielder, who opted to take 18 months out from the game after a brief spell at Hayes & Yeading before starting his coaching career at then-Step 5 side Rayners Lane last season.
Ideology
“When I retired, I felt I just needed to take a backward step and recuperate,” Donnelly, who also enjoyed a glittering Non-League career with the likes of Farnborough and Havant, told The NLP. “Twenty years of playing took its toll.
“So I had a bit of time away from football and didn’t really go to watch any games.
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