Dave Penney was playing for free with Pontefract Colleries when he was given his big break in professional football at the age of 21 with Derby County. After a playing career with Derby, Oxford, Swansea and Cardiff, he hung up his boots with Doncaster Rovers and has made a sensational impact there as manager. In his two seasons so far, he was won two promotions – getting into the Football League via the play-offs last year and this season becoming the first team in the country to win promotion from Division Three
Has coming into football late helped you?
It gives you that extra enthusiasm I think – Ian Wright was another who came into the game late and you always sensed he loved being in football. I worked as a bricklayer for five years and it has probably given me a sense of security. I know even now that if things don’t work out I have a trade to fall back on. So many players and managers would be lost totally without the game.
I am a Castleford lad and I was 21 and playing for nothing at Pontefract Colleries when a scout called Ron Jukes recommended me to Arthur Cox. He signed me for Derby who were in Division Three at the time and we went all the way to the old First Division. The standard was a bit too high for me then, so I went to Oxford for £175,000. Then I moved to Swansea and captained them in a play-off final against Northampton. I went to Cardiff next but by then I was desperate to get back north, so I finished my career with Doncaster. And I’ve been there for the past six years, as player, caretaker-manager and now manager.
Sum up your management style
I think it is fairly relaxed, but that might have to do with us winning most games in the last two seasons! I do have a disciplinary code obviously, the players know not to be late for training or matches and to be disciplined on the pitch as well. But generally, if they adhere to that it is relaxed. Having just finished as a player myself two years ago, I know what the players require training-wise. It’s a case of keeping their minds active on the training pitch so they look forward to coming in every day.
Which of your rival managers has given you the biggest tactical headache this season?
We invariably play 4-4-2 so the biggest ask is if we have to change shape because the opposition are playing 3-5-2 or something like that. You tend to find if you score the first goal, they change shape and vice-versa. One match that sticks out is Darlington, managed by Mick Tait. We were on top so they changed from their normal 3-5-2 – and we couldn’t cope for some reason.
Which signing have you been proudest of?
Michael McEndoe and Leo Fortune-West have obviously been big factors this season but in some ways they were already the finished articles when we signed them. So I would say the best signings I have made have been our centre-halves. I got Mark Albrighton from Telford on a free and he has come on leaps and bounds since he joined us. His partner at the back Steve Foster was also on a free
How did you celebrate Tierney's golden goal last season to take you into the league?
I’ve seen the pictures of the play-off final on TV, I ran straight onto the pitch and jumped up and down with my assistants Mickey Walker and Baz Richardson and whichever players were nearest. It was about five minutes before I got to shake hands with the Dagenham manager Gary Hill. We went back to Doncaster for a big party afterwards, and then for a team holiday in Mallorca; we had planned that win or lose. We didn’t really expect to come into the Third Division and get automatic promotion, it just shows you how we’ve come on as a club and the strength of the Conference.
Can other Yorkshire clubs learn anything from Doncaster?
I was a Leeds fan as a boy and would stand on the terraces at Elland Road. I think the big point is that we are financially secure at Doncaster, we don’t owe a penny to anyone, while Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday have big debts. I think you need financial security off the pitch before you can start having regular success on it.
If money were no object, which player would you sign for next season?
Thierry Henry – any manager would have him, he is absolutely fantastic. He would score at least 50 goals in the Second Division next season, if he has scored three and four in his last two matches at Highbury, I don’t think Division Two would pose too many problems even if the service might not be quite as good as it is at Arsenal
Where do you think Chester will finish next season?
I think they will do quite well, I would say a play-off place is realistic. I wouldn’t want to put pressure on them and say they would go up automatically - we didn’t expect to do it ourselves this season. Chester though are strong defensively under Mark Wright, they are very hard to beat. We played them twice in the semi-final play-offs last season and both games were draws, we only got into the final on penalties. Yeovil beat us by 17 or 18 points but this season we are well ahead of them – it shows how we have pushed on as a club. I think Chester for the play-offs is an achievable goal.
Kevin Keegan is from Doncaster - has he been in touch with you?
I think it’s the first result he looks out for other than Manchester City and we got a fax from him after we went up. I know Kevin’s assistant Arthur Cox very well, he was the manager who gave me my chance in professional football so I meet up with both Arthur and Kevin. I had dinner with them before Christmas and Kevin was really pleased to see his hometown club doing well. Last season when we played at Chester in the play-off semi-finals, Kevin let us train at Manchester City.
Other manager you most admire?
You have to look at Arsene Wenger, he has the money but what impresses me is the players he has fetched through who you didn’t really expect to make it. Thierry Henry didn’t succeed at Juventus, you hadn’t really heard of Kolo Toure before he joined Arsenal. Arsene is fantastic at producing these sorts of players, doing that is harder than bringing in ready-made players for a lot of money. And the way Arsenal play their game is fantastic.
How the players address you?
The guys I played with still mostly call me Penns, but the newer ones tend to say Gaffer. It doesn’t bother me as long as they respect, which they do.
What is your motto?
I was never a particularly skilful player, I tell my players ‘If you work hard in training, it will transfer through to matches’.