You Can Put Your Shirt On Determined JJ

Hungry Heed ace seizes his second chance

- Lewis Williams

JJ O’Donnell has fitted a fair bit into his decade-long football career – he’s even had a spell as a kitman!

An FA Cup giant-killer with Luton Town, the talented left-sider looked set to fulfill his Football League dream until a freak foot injury came within a whisker of ending his promising career at the age of just 22.

Determined to stay in the game, O’Donnell put his two-and-a-half-year spell on the sidelines to good use as he took over kitman duties for Gateshead, the club which had by now stolen his heart.

Now, though, the 29-year-old is back with a shirt on his back as opposed to his linen basket – and he’s making the most of his second chance at success.

O’Donnell scored eight goals as the Heed battled for a route back into NonLeague’s top-flight this season but, more importantly, is just happy playing a part in a competitive environment again.

“My career has been full of injuries,” O’Donnell told The NLP. “You get a lot of lows in football and you don’t get many highs.

“This season my aim was to contribute more on the pitch. The goalscoring has been totally different for me – before this season my personal best was only two!”