'THIS IS MY BIG CHANCE TO SHOW WHAT I'VE LEARNED'

JOHN Doolan has learned plenty on his football journey – and he’s keen to use every scrap of knowledge to ensure that Accrington Stanley remain a Football League club.

- John Lyons

When long-serving former boss John Coleman and his assistant Jimmy Bell were axed in early March following a souring of relations with chairman Andy Holt, the latter turned to first-team coach Doolan to take the reins, initially on an interim basis.

It was a move that made sense on the basis that the Liverpudlian already knew all the inside workings of the club. A former Stanley played, he had been on the coaching staff for seven years and would maintain a level of stability at the Wham Stadium.

The 55-year-old also felt it was the right time to step up to the hotseat having packed plenty into his career already. After his playing days, he earned his coaching stripes in the Liverpool and Everton academies, worked from youth team to first team at Wigan, helped Hibernian win the Scottish Cup under boss Alan Stubbs and also worked with the former Bolton and Everton defender at Rotherham.

“It’s a new experience and I’m still learning every day,” he told The FLP ahead of yesterday’s game against Barrow. “It’s totally different – I’m a decision-maker now. It’s a challenge and I’m learning every day about myself and the players. I’m enjoying it – and it’s definitely more enjoyable when you win games!”

It’s given Doolan the chance to put into practice all the wisdom he has picked up from his football travels down the years.

“I’ve learned from watching and talking to managers along the way and I’ve taken bits from them all, but I also want to be my own boss,” he said. “People see how I go about things and that comes from being a student of the game.”