Ex-Leeds United coach and Doncaster Rovers’ play-off hero in promotion battle with latter’s newest rivals

The 2002/03 promotion that followed is among his best memories in football, with Blunt now holding off the aggressive charge of a team who hope to rival Rovers in the future.

Blunt’s Dearne & District side are currently top of the Central Midlands League Premier Division North with 13 wins from as many matches.

That has given Dearne a nine-point lead over ambitious Doncaster City, although their closest rivals for the league’s sole promotion spot have two games in hand.

Former England youth international Blunt, who later coached Leeds United’s Under-18s and Under-23s, said: “I actually coached Jack McKay at Leeds, he’s a great kid.

"They are a good team, it’s made us up our level because they are that good.

"We know we can’t afford to lose.”

McKay was also on the books of Cardiff City and later represented Chesterfield and York, helping the latter win promotion back to the National League in the 2021/22 season.

He is one of several players boasting higher-level experience turning out for Doncaster City, who are run by his dad, former football agent Willie.

Blunt said none of his players, several of whom are still teenagers, have ever played higher than the eleventh tier, where the clubs currently find themselves doing battle.

A crowd of more than 700 watched Dearne beat City 1-0 at the Goldthorpe Recreation Ground in August.

Blunt, who represented Leeds in the Premier League prior to joining Doncaster, said: “Credit to Doncaster City for what they are trying to build, I hope it really works out for them.

"It’s a shame two teams aren’t going up. Every game at the minute is a cup final for us because we know they might not slip up.”

Blunt assembled a team largely made up of local lads alongside another ex-Rovers player, Mick Norbury – who has since moved on – when they arrived at Dearne over the summer.

A more professional approach saw strength and conditioning training introduced, something previously reserved for the professional game.

Blunt, who is still friends with Tim Ryan from their days together at Doncaster, said: “We are more than capable of stepping up to the next level and doing well with this group of players.

"We are trying to do things the right way. I know people haven’t perceived that and when I first came in I thought ‘they must be spending’ but we are not. We have a budget we stick to.”

Like many non-league clubs, the sense of community at Dearne remains central.

As part of a community day this Saturday Blunt’s friend and former England Under-18s teammate Emile Heskey will be the VIP guest for Dearne’s match against Rossington Main Reserves.

Blunt, who also coached Kalvin Phillips at Leeds, paid tribute to the work of his assistant Phil King and the club’s chairman Antonio Jamasb, as well as its volunteers.

He said: "I was brought up in the area. When I was approached in April I thought it would be really good to give something back to the community.

“The cub is just on my doorstep. It’s got that nice community feel that’s making it special.”