Wolverhampton boy Chey Dunkley on his New Park Village start that kicked off his EFL career

The New Park Village Football Development. The wonderful initiative launched and still delivered by former Wolves midfielder Joe Jackson, which has its heart and soul enshrined in the local community.

It might not be the Premier League. Or even the Football League.  But to those hundreds of youngsters who are part of the project, or representing NPV in competition, is it their very own field of dreams.

It’s not necessarily all about talent and ability.  It’s about social development, discipline, and, of course, fun and enjoyment.

It can also be a pathway into a career in coaching.  Many who have attended Jackson’s programme have moved into that space, including Zeli Ismail.

Ismail also progressed into the professional game as a player in which he has chalked up over 200 appearances, including 12 with Wolves, whilst others have been snapped up by Wolves Academy, including Joe’s grandson Ricky.

And then there is Chey Dunkley.

A proud Wulfrunian, born and bred in the city, and now, at 33, well past the 350 appearance mark in the Football League, captaining Chesterfield for manager and mercurial former Wolves midfielder Paul Cook.

Dunkley has never played for Wolves. He was loosely on the books at the Academy for a while, without ever putting pen to paper.  Yet in some ways it feels like he has. In essence, he has certainly represented his home city with pride and distinction, wherever his career has taken him.

That has included promotions, appearances at Wembley, caps for England’s ‘C’ team, and keeping Sergio Aguero and Manchester City quiet. There are still more ambitions to come.

And it all started in Wolvo!

“I was brought up in Park Village, in and around Heath Town, and it was a neighbourhood where I knew a lot of people,” Dunkley recalls.

“I had a steady upbringing, in a proper community, where the motto was that, as well as your parents, people in the local area looked out for you as well.

“I’m not going to tell you I was a ‘goody-two-shoes’ or anything like that, but when I was a kid, I was always interested in football

“That’s probably because a lot of my mates played football, and I was fortunate to have people around me who I could rely on.

“As well as the guidance from my parents, other people on the estate would look after us and when I went out, I always felt I was safe.

“I wouldn’t change it for the world, and so many of the values that I have today, and what I stand by, comes from those years growing up in Wolverhampton.”

And New Park Village too.

Dunkley, who attended Trinity Primary School and then Heath Park, actually started with NPV in their second year, and has plenty of fond memories from that time, highlighting the role the project played in his development.

“Joe (Jackson) has done incredible work, he’s intertwined in the community with what he delivers, and helping people in real day life and with real day struggles through football,” Dunkley adds.

“He is such a big character in terms of football and Wolverhampton and it’s testament to him and all involved that everything is still going now, all these years on.

“I loved my time with New Park Village Rovers, and it definitely played a big part in my development.”

Dunkley is now into his second year with Chesterfield, the Spireites having followed up reaching the League Two play-offs on their first season back in the EFL with a promising start this time around.

On Saturday, whilst Wolves and the top two divisions are inactive due to the international break, he will be in action not too far away, as second-placed Chesterfield visit sixth-placed Walsall, who beat them in those play-offs back in May.

And Walsall, as well as Wolves, were among the clubs who ran the rule over Dunkley as a youngster, as his journey progressed from playing football for enjoyment to pursuing a career.

“I initially got scouted for Wolves by Bob Bennett when I was about ten, and Tony Lacey was there at the Academy as well,” Dunkley explains.

“I’ll be honest, I probably didn’t realise the seriousness of it all at the time.