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Feature

In Focus: Doncaster Rovers

18 June 2019

Feature

In Focus: Doncaster Rovers

18 June 2019

Founded: 1879

Ground: Keepmoat Stadium

Capacity: 15,231

Manager: Grant McCann

Last season: Sixth in Sky Bet League One

Having enjoyed a campaign which saw them reach the Sky Bet League One Play-Offs, Doncaster Rovers will be aiming to build on their top six finish.

The South Yorkshire outfit, managed by boss Grant McCann, lost on penalties over two-legs to eventual Play-Off winners Charlton Athletic but enjoyed a positive season which also saw them reach the fifth-round of the Emirates FA Cup.

Concluding 2018/19 in sixth by winning 20, drawing 13 and losing 13 of their Sky Bet League One fixtures, Doncaster collected 72 points along the way which saw their season end with a penalty shoot-out defeat at The Valley.

But Doncaster can take the positives from a term which saw them exceed expectations in both league and cup competitions as they eye a return to the Sky Bet Championship for the first time since May 2014.

Rovers manager McCann was appointed at the club as Darren Ferguson’s successor at the Keepmoat Stadium back in June 2018.

Northern Irishman McCann began his playing career in his homeland with Lisburn Distillery before turning professional in England with West Ham United in 1998 after two-years in their academy.

Much of his time at the Hammers, where he made four appearances, was spent away on loan with Livingston, Notts County at Cheltenham Town, making the switch to the latter on a permanent basis for £50,000 in January 2003.

McCann made 158 appearances across five seasons in Gloucestershire at Whaddon Road before leaving for Barnsley in 2007 following on from a previous Oakwell loan stint.

In January 2008, he left the Tykes to join Scunthorpe United and would make 102 appearances in two-years at Glanford Park prior to his 2010 transfer to London Road, where he linked up with Peterborough United.

Whilst at the Posh, the midfielder achieved the third promotion of his career in May 2011 when Peterborough won the Sky Bet League One Play-Off Final at Old Trafford.

In total he made 128 appearances at Peterborough before retiring from playing representing Linfield in his native Belfast in 2015.

The 39-year-old, who was also capped 39 times by the senior Northern Ireland national side, was appointed as manager of Peterborough in May 2016 having served as a first-team coach.

McCann departed Peterborough in February 2018 and was later appointed as Doncaster last June, guiding Rovers to the Play-Off semi-finals and an Emirates FA Cup fifth-round home tie against Premier League Crystal Palace.

Tranmere Rovers will play Doncaster Rovers for the first time since April 2013, which ended in a 1-0 defeat at the Keepmoat Stadium.

TRFC have won 19, drawn 20 and lost 36 of their fixtures with Doncaster Rovers.


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