New Doncaster Rovers winger Luke Molyneux eager to make upward progression at club

But football careers go in different directions and the Doncaster Rovers signing believes a few steps back after being released by Sunderland then a long-term injury at Hartlepool United have made him the player he is today.

That player is a 24-year-old winger who developed an eye for goal last season, scoring 12 for League Two Hartlepool having never previously got more than two in a campaign. One came in a Football League Trophy semi-final against Championship-bound Rotherham United which was lost on penalties.

Molyneux was partly responsible, Viktor Johansson saving his kick, but also the main reason the Millers were dragged the distance, causing so many problems running at Richard Wood the captain had to be substituted.

More important was that the youngster wanted to take the kick having scored in the shoot-out which put Pools back into the Football League nine months earlier. When interest from Milton Keynes Dons, third in League One last season, and Bristol Rovers did not firm up he opted for a League Two side he believes should expect automatic promotion.

Leaving home also appealed to the boy from Bishop Auckland.

With too few honourable exceptions (and Tom Anderson injured), the Rovers squad relegated last season lacked character when the going got tough.

“I want to get on the ball, I’m not afraid to make mistakes,” says a right winger who played across the Victoria Park forward line.

“I’ll never shy away from a penalty. I missed a couple last season and I was upset by it but it didn’t put me off taking another.”

Molyneux came through Sunderland’s academy at a similar time to late developer George Honeyman, who left Hull City yesterday. He had just turned 19 when they dropped out of the Premier League, and made his debut for a League One-bound crisis club. After a loan at then-Conference side Gateshead he was - speaking as someone who saw all his first-team football for Sunderland - harshly released.

“If I hadn’t been released from Sunderland, ended up in the National League with Hartlepool then worked my way back up, I don’t think I’d be the player I am today,” he reflects. “I’ve improved on a lot of things and overcome a lot to become a better person as well as a better player.

“It (being released by Sunderland) was a bit of a shock. I went out on loan that season to Gateshead and I felt there was no reason why Sunderland shouldn’t have kept me on. Luckily Craig Hignett at Hartlepool wanted me. I was enjoying it but I had a big injury and when I came back, Craig Hignett wasn’t the manager.

“Sunderland had a real good age group when we were 16, it was tipped to be the next best thing after Jordan Henderson’s but not a lot of players have made it through, which is quite mad. Ethan Robson’s just signed for MK Dons, there was George Honeyman and (Portsmouth’s) Denver Hume but not a lot are in the league or even playing football. I want football as my full-time job so I’ll just keep pushing on.

“I was confident I was going to make that step eventually but you always have doubts when you get released. Even when we got promoted from the National League, I didn’t know if I was going to be staying at Hartlepool because I didn’t play as much as I wanted.”

This summer it was Molyneux deciding the two should part ways. Initially, manager Gary McSheffrey thought he would miss his top target but soundings from goalkeeper Jonathan Mitchell, who made the same move in January, and his former Pools manager Graeme Lee, who played for Doncaster, won him around to the idea of South Yorkshire.

“The aim was always to play as high as I can and if I made the step to League One it had to be with a club that could keep me there,” he explains. “I feel this club is on the up and can help me get to League One. The (longer-term) ambition is to get to the Championship.

“Towards the end of the season (Mitchell) mentioned there were a lot of injuries to top players and they were pretty much all coming back now. There’s some top players that should be playing League One, Champ, and I feel if we can get everyone fit there’s no reason why we can’t be at the top.

“It’s a massive club to be in this league and really shouldn’t be. A couple of others shouldn’t either - Bradford and teams like that.

“I feel like we’ve got experience in the changing room and the club that has dealt with higher pressures than this. I feel like a lot of players will just thrive off that.”

You sense Molyneux is one.