Doncaster Rovers chief executive Gavin Baldwin reveals League One target in 2026-27
DONCASTER Rovers chief executive Gavin Baldwin has challenged the club to be top of their particular tier of League One - to continue their upward momentum under Grant McCann.
Baldwin believes that the division is effectively three leagues within one in 2026-27, with big-spending clubs in the top bracket, followed by a middle group and others with the lowest budgets.
The Rovers supremo says that the club - who finished in 14th place last term following a strong renaissance in the second half of the season - are placed in the mid-section with the aim being to do well in that particular grouping.
A positive summer of recruitment which has seen eight players arrive so far - including this week's significant deal to sign Isaac Hutchinson - has bolstered the club's prospects of achieving that goal, according to Baldwin.
He said: "I believe League One falls into three separate leagues this year. There's a few clubs at the top that are properly spending (money) that we can't get anywhere near.
"There's also clubs at the bottom that I think we're well ahead of.
"It feels like the league is going in opposite directions. You've got clubs that I'm aware of who are really, really reining it in.
"And then you've got clubs that are going in absolutely opposite directions and just throwing money at promotion. In my opinion, there's a middle group. We've got to aim to be top of the league in the middle group.
"If we come in the top two of the middle group, we're doing all right. We've got our visions there.
"Grant always delivers more than he's given. He's got a pretty good track record for that. So, my position is anything above where we finished last year, financially, is a success.
"I know that this man wants a lot more, and I think that as a management team, we've matured and the conversations we've had about where we invest money in the team, for instance and where we spend our money, has been different from last year.”
Meanwhile, Baldwin has provided a cryptic hint regarding contract talks with McCann, which suggests that they are progressing well.
He continued: "We talked about it this summer. It may have been concluded... We may have had that conversation and it may have been a good conversation...."
McCann expects transfer-listed winger Glenn Middleton to leave shortly, with the Scot having ‘quite a bit of interest’ according to the Rovers manager.