Veteran Doncaster Rovers midfielder Tommy Rowe eager to learn as much as he can about game in twilight of career

The Doncaster Rovers midfielder will have much to offer in a second career in football – in whatever path he chooses. His thirst for knowledge and self-improvement is as strong as it was when he was an inquisitive teenager at Stockport County.

This is no long-in-the-tooth and cynical thirty-something ‘old pro’, but quite the opposite.

Rowe, who recently signed a contract extension with Rovers, told The Yorkshire Post: “I just love listening to people with knowledge and I am at a point now where the more information I soak in now will be better for my (playing) retirement years.

“I have had some very good managers. The first was Jim Gannon. When I first came into football 18 or 19 years ago and worked around Jim, his footballing brain at the time was above anyone I’d ever seen.

“We were doing video meetings and analysis meetings. We had lads who still at the time were having a bath and a coffee for a warm-up and there was that old-school mentality that they didn’t need to do warm-ups. But we’d also do analysis meetings on AC Milan’s formation and things. He was well ahead of his time.

“Then, there was Darren Ferguson with his influence on me and Lee Johnson – and the managers at Doncaster over the past few years have been fantastic.”

At the present-day Rovers, Rowe is also not short of individuals with knowledge to tap into.

Just as he soaked up information each day in his desire to broaden his knowledge and get better at Stockport, so he is still doing that at Rovers today.

Rowe, who turns 34 in September, continued: “I am always studying and listening. Steve Eyre (assistant at Doncaster) is a great example of someone who I am so excited to work with.

“He will probably make me a better footballer even at my age, but he’s a man with so much coaching wisdom. You’d be a fool not to listen to him and ask as many questions as you can.

“I have maybe seen the culture change and young players not ask as many questions as they should.

“I am driven. My son plays football now and I am part of academy set-ups and doing coaching. I am also so interested in the business aspect of board levels and how organisations can be run better. The key for me is to listen and learn from (James) Coppinger and find out how the changes will be implemented in the squad.”

Described by Gary McSheffrey as someone who ‘drives the culture’ of the Rovers team, Rowe is a manager’s dream. Someone who sets the example every day in training and who will be leading from the front in the club’s quest to return to League One.

That happened for Rowe and Rovers in 2016-17 when everything memorably came together.

After a hard 2021-22, team-wise, which ended in relegation, his personal drive to turn things around again cannot be doubted.

He added: “I speak about this a lot to friends. How do you do it? Do you just forget about it. But you can’t, you have to use it to drive you and come in every day and give your all.

“You must take ownership and make it right for the fans, each player. That’s what we work for.

“I’m very grateful for the club’s belief in me. They showed complete faith to get the deal done. It was a conversation led by them initially.

“After my injury (late last season), I played for a few games where I was in a lot of pain, but still producing. Eventually, I could not kick a ball, but they appreciated what I have gone through. That is why this club is special.”