The Opposition: Doncaster Rovers (H)

The Opposition: Doncaster Rovers (H)
The key details on Saturday's opponents

September 14th 2023FGR Media

Rovers play their third consecutive home game on Saturday, as Doncaster Rovers make the trip to The New Lawn.

Doncaster are bottom of the League Two table, still searching for their first win of the new campaign. Here's the key details on this weekend's opponents...

IN THE DUGOUT

A former Northern Ireland international, Grant McCann is now in his second managerial stint at the Keepmoat Stadium. McCann's previous spell at Doncaster proved to be successful - and the best of his managerial career when it comes to points per game - taking an average of 1.58 points per match.

In the 2018/19 season, McCann led Doncaster to the play-offs in League One, before being defeated by eventual play-off winners Charlton Athletic on penalties. The fans favourite is now back in Yorkshire - hoping to lead Doncaster to a better season than the last campaign, where they finished in the bottom seven in League Two.

McCann has also had two stints at Peterborough United, taking charge of 150 games at Posh across the Championship and League One. The 43-year-old is also a League One title-winner, winning the league in the 2020/21 campaign with Hull City, accumulating 89 points.

SUMMER TRANSFER BUSINESS

Rovers were busy over the summer transfer window - and completed the majority of their business early. Joe Ironside was the marquee arrival, joining the club after three years at Cambridge United - where he scored 34 goals.

Experienced centre-back Richard Wood arrives with over 350 Championship appearances and over 180 League One games under his belt. Other defenders have also arrived at the Keepmoat; with Jamie Sterry scooped from recently-relegated Hartlepool, Jack Senior signed following an impressive campaign in the National League with Halifax Town - and it's a similar story with Owen Bailey, who signed from Gateshead.

Other notable additions include forward Mo Faal on loan from West Brom, Irish goalkeeper Ian Lawlor and dynamic midfielder George Broadbent on a permanent deal from Sheffield United.

ONE TO WATCH

Arriving at the club having scored 20 goals in two seasons in the division above, Joe Ironside has the attacking quality to be Doncaster's talisman during this campaign.

Having helped lead Cambridge to a couple of their most successful seasons in their recent history, Ironside dropping down to League Two represents something of a coup for Rovers. Ironside played second fiddle to Paul Mullin during Cambridge's promotion-winning campaign in the 2020/21 season, but still managed to find the back of the net 14 times.

The following season, he stepped up in Mullin's absence, once again scoring 14 times - but this time against higher-quality opposition in League One. The 29-year-old has scored twice in nine appearances so far this season - including one against Premier League Everton in the Carabao Cup.