Don Donovan
Irish footballer and manager
About Don Donovan
Lived 1929 – 2013 (aged 83). Don Donovan was an Irish association football player and association football coach.
Daniel Christopher "Don" Donovan (23 December 1929 – 26 September 2013) was an Irish professional football player and manager.
Career He was a right back who played for Everton and Grimsby Town. Donovan joined Everton in 1951 from junior football in Ireland and went on to play 187 times for The Toffees scoring just twice. In August 1958, he was transferred to Grimsby Town for a fee of £5,000 where he played until 1964 before becoming player manager of Boston United. He was a huge success at Boston, winning League titles in each of his three seasons with the club.
At international level, he represented Republic of Ireland five times at senior level making his debut in November 1954
His son Terry Donovan was also a professional footballer who went on to play for the Republic of Ireland, and his granddaughter is Keeley Donovan, the weather presenter.
Death Donovan died on 26 September 2013.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Don Donovan's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Don Donovan's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Don Donovan?
Irish footballer and manager (1929-2013)
When was Don Donovan born?
Don Donovan was born on 23 December 1929 in Cork.
When did Don Donovan die?
Don Donovan died on 26 September 2013.
What was Don Donovan's occupation?
Don Donovan was an association football player and association football coach.
What nationality was Don Donovan?
Don Donovan was Irish.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Don Donovan. https://biography.guide/don-donovan/
MLA: "Don Donovan." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/don-donovan/.
Chicago: "Don Donovan." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/don-donovan/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:24 UTC