Exclusive: Ollie Younger on a dream Doncaster debut, leaving Sunderland, Lee Johnson and Turf Moor DNA | OneFootball

As far as debuts go, they don’t get much better than Ollie Younger’s for Doncaster Rovers.

The 22-year-old only signed for League One’s bottom side last Thursday but two days later he produced Terry Butcher-like heroics as, bandaged up after a blow to his head early on, he provided a man of the match display to help Rovers beat promotion-chasers MK Dons 1-0 at Stadium MK – earning his new side their first league away win of the season and a first clean sheet since December.

“It couldn’t have gone any better, I’ll be honest,” says Rovers’ new centre-back. “I was just going in to try and make an impression, try and help the team get something out of the game. It was a good team performance. Everybody put a shift in. They’re a good team, MK Dons, they’re up the top of the table, so it couldn’t have gone better, to be honest.”

The defender is under no false impressions of the challenge that faces him at Doncaster, however, with his new club bottom of League One and nine points away from safety.

He’s keen for his side to use the win against MK Dons as a benchmark and a foundation for success moving forward.

“We want to build on that now,” Younger explains. “We need to go into the next game trying to win, continue that into the games after because we’ve got a tough period coming up but I think we’re more than good enough to get points.”

Doncaster’s next five games are against top 10 opposition, including clashes with former club Sunderland, as well as Rotherham United and in-form Ipswich Town.

If they’re to come out of that run with some points, more backs to the wall performances will be needed from Gary McSheffrey’s side and Younger’s Turf Moor DNA should certainly help.

The centre-back may have made the switch to the Keepmoat Stadium from Sunderland but he is a product of the Burnley youth system and another off the conveyor belt of defensive talent that the Clarets have become renowned for under Sean Dyche.

It’s no surprise then that by his own admission, the 22-year-old loves defending and didn’t mind the blow to the head he took against MK Dons.

“You’ll always get 100% from me,” he says. “I love putting my body on the line, blocking shots, and stopping goals. That’s my pride, it’s my bread and butter – heading, tackling, all that sort of stuff.

“It’s really important for any defender to have the basics and I think Burnley drill them in really well. You can see that they’re renowned for centre-backs, especially under Dyche.”

But there’s more to his game than just that, thanks in no small part to his time at the Stadium of Light.

He continues: “When I went to Sunderland I added to my game in possession, which I think is evident to see for those that have seen me play.

“Maybe you couldn’t see that the other day because we were on the back foot and under the cosh a little bit but especially in a three at the back you could definitely see the abilities I have on the ball be brought out more.”

The move to Doncaster looks set to give Younger the chance to showcase his full range of talents and it was the prospect of regular first-team football that convinced him to leave Sunderland despite being on the fringes of Lee Johnson’s squad this season.

The 22-year-old’s only senior football in 2021/22 had come in the Carabao Cup and the Papa John’s Trophy but with the Black Cats now out of all three cup competitions, staying put would have meant more time on the bench.

He’s more than willing to admit what drew him to the Keepmoat Stadium was “the opportunity to play”.

“It’s a good club is Doncaster, everybody knows that. Yes, people might say that they’re down the bottom of the table but if you look at the team and the management staff, speaking to people, everybody knows we’re good enough to get out of it.

“It’s a positive place to be around but what drew me to the club was the opportunity to play. Obviously, being at Sunderland it’s pretty tricky to get into that team, especially for league games, because of the quality in depth they’ve got in terms of senior players.

“This is a good opportunity for me so when I found out they were interested I couldn’t turn it down.

“You get to an age where you do need to start playing and you want to start playing as well, if I’m honest, especially from my experience.

“I just wanted to play football so that’s why I left really.”

Though the two moves happened in quick succession, Younger’s departure was not linked to the Black Cats’ acquisition of Stoke City defender Danny Batth. In fact, it had been in the pipeline for some time and was only delayed after he tested positive for Covid-19.

Ahead of the window, he’d known that a move away from the Wearside club – be it on loan or permanently – was what he wanted but the enthusiasm with which Rovers pursued him made him feel that the Keepmoat Stadium was the right fit.

He says: “When you find out someone is very keen on you that just gives you a bit of a buzz anyway.

“To be honest, my mind was pretty much set straight away. Obviously, I did have to have conversations with Sunderland but they were really supportive to be fair. I think it’s just worked out best, probably for both parties.”

Having joined under Phil Parkinson in September 2020, the defender’s 16-month spell came at a transformative time for the North East club – with Parkinson replaced by Johnson and French billionaire-heir Kyril Louis-Dreyfus completing his takeover.

The centre-back admits he feels a sense of unfinished business following his Sunderland departure but looks back on his time with the Black Cats very fondly.

“I absolutely loved it there,” he says. “I’ll be honest.

“I think they had a really good group at Sunderland. They were all helpful but Bailey Wright and Luke O’Nien, in particular, helped me.

“I still speak to them even since I’ve joined Doncaster. They’ve kept in touch. Those two are both really nice lads and I learned a lot from them both. They were always there if you needed to ask them a question or you needed an arm around you or whatever but the whole group is good. They haven’t got one person who is a bad egg or you wouldn’t want to speak to.

“Opportunities were limited but every time I got on, I did well. The experiences of learning. I got to go to Wembley and be part of a team that won the Papa John’s Trophy. I know there weren’t any fans there but that was brilliant.

“Just being around the first-team dressing room and seeing actually how everything works, training every day, the build-up for matches – I think it’ll stand me in good stead for the future. I learned a lot and really enjoyed my time there but for my own benefit I had to move on, unfortunately, because I have to get the game time.”

It was Parkinson that handed Younger his professional debut – a Papa John’s Trophy clash with Fleetwood Town in November 2020 – but most of his opportunities at Sunderland came under Johnson and the 40-year-old coach had some very kind words to say about him when he left.

The feeling, it seems, is mutual.

“I really enjoyed working with him,” says Younger. “He helped me a lot. I think his attention to detail and work is second to none, I don’t think I’ve seen anyone better. His training sessions and stuff, I’m full of praise for him. I loved working under him.

“I think he’s got the players now, he’s bringing in the signings that will help him as it’s such a difficult league to get out of. I couldn’t see anyone else doing a better job than what he’s doing. I just hope this time they can get up!”

The 22-year-old will undoubtedly be keeping a close eye on how his former side get on at the top end of the League One table but his main focus will be on helping ensure Doncaster are successful in their battle at the bottom.

On a personal level, he wants to ensure he can stay fit and play as many games as possible but talking to him it’s clear how determined he is to help Rovers stay up – and that there is a real belief among McSheffrey’s squad that they can do it.

He says: “I think everyone in the group believes we can. It would be brilliant given the position we’re in.

“I know we’re down the bottom of the table but I can see from what the gaffer is trying to implement, from meetings and being around the place, that the big focus is to be positive.

“Everyone’s really focussed and there’s a big increase in belief now we’ve got a win. It’s a positive place to be around from what I’ve seen, I can’t speak for what it was like before.”

Fellow January arrivals Adam Clayton, Jonathan Mitchell, Kieran Agard, and Josh Martin will boost Rovers’ chances but if Younger can keep producing the levels he showed against MK Dons on Saturday then he will quickly become a firm fan favourite at the Yorkshire club.

He signed an 18-month contract on arrival, which in the defender’s own words is the ideal length for him to prove himself.

“It’s a good amount of time because if I’m playing and doing well then you’d like to think or I’d hope that I’d get a new contract there. It gives me the time to play the games this season and next season, which by that time could be anywhere up to 40/50 games if I play them all.

“It’s just a good platform to build on. Good to look at to make me work harder and earn another contract.”

There’s an acceptance that Doncaster is likely to be his biggest challenge yet but hard work has never been an issue for Younger, whose attitude in training was hailed by Johnson following his Sunderland departure, and he refuses to limit himself when it comes to looking ahead to the future.

Having been a Turf Moor season ticket holder from the age of five our chat eventually meanders to the topic of returning to the Clarets at some point in his career.

“Obviously to play in the Premier League would be great,” he concudes. “But to be honest I set my targets as high as I can. To keep doing the best that I can. It would be nice if I can play for Burnley but wherever I end up I just want to give 100% and try and get as high up in the game as I can.”

Where the future will take him is uncertain but what is clear is that the next challenge is Plymouth Argyle at the Keepmoat Stadium on Saturday.