Ex Barrow and Stockport County defender Danny O'Donnell swaps Conference North for Australian adventure

By Steven Oldham

Former Barrow and Stockport County defender Danny O'Donnell's latest career move is a world away from unwanted Tuesday night trips in the Conference North.

O'Donnell now lives and plays his football in Australia for the Ballarat Red Devils, a team from Victoria that plays in the National Premier Leagues. This is the second highest level of football in Australia, which is split geographically due to the country's sheer size.

A Liverpool trainee, Danny has also taken in spells at Shrewsbury and Crewe Alexandra and it was a Gresty Road connection that helped kick-start his move Down Under in January.

"I was approached about the possibility to come and play in the NPLV for a new franchise called the Ballarat Red Devils by James Robinson - a former Crewe player and now the team manager.

We have a couple of mutual friends. The opportunity to play at a higher level, coupled with the facilities and coaching options, were enough to convince me to move halfway across the world!," he explained.

The 28-year-old holds a UEFA 'B' coaching licence which he hopes to put to good use in his time abroad.

The Red Devils have academy teams from U12 to U18 so he is hopeful of developing his off-field attributes in his time there.

Danny was still at Barrow when the opportunity arose but was pleased with the encouragement his then-boss Darren Edmundson gave him.

"I had a great working relationship with the Barrow gaffer and as soon as I told him of the opportunity he said go for it! It was tough to leave Barrow though as I was captaining them and we were on a fantastic run of form at the time," he said.

Leadership seems to come naturally to the centre back who also wore the armband at Edgeley Park and for Liverpool's under-18s.

Having signed up for a season with both him and his girlfriend on 12-month visas, Danny is taking it one step at a time but admits he would like to return home eventually.

He said: "My role is full-time as a player - the club arranged for me and my girlfriend to emigrate over on a year's visa, so, as anything in football it's good just to take it a season at a time!

I would like to come home at some point to finish my coaching education and degree course, but in the short term I am just trying to learn from the experience."

Danny in his new colours (thanks to Ballarat Red Devils for picture)

Ten games into the season, the Red Devils have made a slow start with three wins and lie 12th of 14 in the league. 

Unlike in England, the top tier of Australian football - the A-League - is franchised so there is no promotion or relegation. The main ambition for clubs at NPL level is to reach the national end-of-season playoffs by winning their state title. The playoff winners are then crowned National Premier Leagues champions.

When asked to compare the standard of football to back home, he diplomatically sits on the fence.

"The standard of football is difficult to compare to back home. It is a different style - much more focused on possession - although I will say the fitness levels I would say are higher out here," he said.

Having spoken about the present and future, it only seems natural to look back on his career to date.  What are his best and worst moments as a footballer?

"I have some great memories from my career so far. Being named in the World Club Championship squad for my boyhood club Liverpool was fantastic.  My first senior goal in the Football League for Crewe was a great buzz too - a last minute equaliser at the Gresty Road end against Gillingham.  Also playing at Anfield for Crewe against Liverpool in the Carling Cup is up there too!

One of the worst moments was when I was playing at Stockport County - the worst was having to watch the club relegated from the Football League from the sidelines with a broken ankle and my leg in plaster.  When I came back from that injury though I scored the winner against Ebbsfleet at the Cheadle End and that was my best moment there. 

That period definitely made me stronger as a player.  I was lucky enough to work under Ray Mathias who is a great man, and I learnt a lot about the tactical side of the game under Jim Gannon."

How long he stays in Australia remains to be seen, but it is unlikely to be the final port of call for the friendly Scouser.

You can follow Danny's progress in Australia via Twitter - @DODONNELL5

Football League will benefit from two former members going up from the Conference

By Steven Oldham

Conference champions Luton Town could break through the 100 point barrier in this weekend's last game of the season away at already-relegated Hyde.

Having already wrapped up the title and scored 101 goals, a three digit points total would be the perfect way to bookend their season (neatly against the bottom placed club).

It is the sort of romp to the championship that many have expected of Luton for several seasons since their relegation to non-league five years ago.

Few in the football world begrudge Luton their success, a famous old Football League name for nearly 90 years before their recent demise.

The battle to join them in League Two next season is far from over though with Cambridge United, Grimsby Town joined in the playoffs by two from FC Halifax, Gateshead and Braintree Town.

Reaching the playoffs is an achievement for any team - but it's even more impressive for Halifax and Braintree should they make it, who remain part time and have eclipsed bigger names such as Barnet and Wrexham this season.

In recent years, the Skrill Premier has become a bit of a graveyard for former Football League teams who've fallen on hard times.  As well as Luton, the likes of Cambridge, Grimsby, Wrexham, Lincoln, Hereford and Barnet have failed to bounce back in to the 92 in quick fashion.  Indeed, Hereford are in grave danger of being relegated once again sitting in the bottom four with one left to play.

This is why I'm glad this season two of the old names are set to contend for the second promotion slot.  Recent years have seen many clubs making their Football League debuts rising from the Conference, including Stevenage, Crawley, Fleetwood and Dagenham & Redbridge.

While these clubs are well-run, professional outfits who have earned and consolidated their places, they lack the Football League history of these clubs who have clashed many times over the years albeit in a higher division than they currently lie.

If Luton thought five years was bad enough, Cambridge have been attempting to rejoin the Football League since relegation in 2005.  Twice beaten playoff finalists, this will be the first time in five seasons they will be competing in the end-of-season showdown.

It is also likely the clubs already operating on professional status will stand a better chance of survival in League Two, rather than jumping from semi-pro to full time over the summer.  This would probably prove too big a leap for the part-timers in such a short space of time.

One pitfall of the bigger clubs leaving is the drop in attendances that will be felt by all Conference sides next season - none of the clubs in contention for relegation to the division attract as sizable a crowd as Luton.  While The Hatters may not think this is a good thing, their stay in non-league has boosted many club's bank accounts in recent years.

It's not a foregone conclusion that either Cambridge or Grimsby will make the final either - United have lost three straight games while Town tripped up against likely semi final opponents Halifax last week.

Putting the stats aside however I feel the Football League will be richer for having two of it's old members back next year rather than one.  Which one, should they reach the final, is anyone's guess.

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