Liam Ridgwell: Why I owe Doncaster boss Sean O'Driscoll
LIAM Ridgewell has much to thank tomorrow's opposition boss for - he gave him his break in football.
Doncaster Rovers manager Sean O'Driscoll took Ridgewell to Bournemouth on loan in 2002 from Villa.
And his experience at the Cherries prepared him for things to come.
"It was a good footballing lesson for me," said the centre-half, who made five appearances for the Cherries as a teenager.
"I enjoyed it down there, and Sean was a good manager.
"I know how he sets his teams about, Doncaster will be a decent side, a decent footballing side as well.
"He's quite a quiet man. I don't know what he's like at Doncaster now, they will probably say different!
"But he was a quiet, mellow man at Bournemouth, although he didn't mince his words when he had to."
Current Doncaster players Brian Stock and James Hayter were team mates of Ridgewell's at Dean Court.
And despite the underdog status of the visitors tomorrow, Ridgewell said Blues would tackle them in the right manner.
"No, because it's Doncaster it doesn't change our approach, definitely not.
"It's the same game we'd approach as if we were going to play Manchester United.
"Obviously it's a different set-up in that we would try to defend a lot more against United, but we will be taking the game to Doncaster, we want to go out and win."
Blues have yet to concede a goal at St Andrew's this season and Ridgewell said that defensively Blues had a good understanding.
"It would have been nice to have had one at Norwich, but going away from home it's always difficult.
"The more clean sheets we can keep it's great for the side.
"Even if we are not scoring, if we get a clean sheet it always keeps us in the game."
