Doncaster Rovers a club with '˜real potential' says new boss Grant McCann

The former Peterborough United boss has beaten off competition from ex-Bradford City chief Stuart McCall and one-time Wigan Athletic and Chesterfield manager Gary Caldwell to be named as the new managerial face in the dug-out at the Keepmoat Stadium.

McCann, 38, who was sacked by Posh in late February with the club in tenth position in League One and six points outside of the play-off positions, was in the reckoning for the recent managerial positions at Rovers’ Yorkshire rivals Barnsley and Bradford City.

After impressing the Rovers hierarchy in two interviews, the Northern Irishman has now re-entered management at the League One outfit and will take his first training session on Thursday morning.

McCann said: “I cannot wait to get started, Doncaster are a club with real potential and ambition, and after meeting the chairman and chief executive, I am confident we can work together to get the club into the Championship and stay there.”

On McCann, who succeeds Darren Ferguson, who resigned on June 4, Rovers chairman David Blunt added: “We were impressed with the standard of candidates for the role, and put the shortlisted people through a rigorous selection process.

“Grant was our first choice as manager as soon as we had completed the interviews, having displayed a real passion for taking on the role and showing how he can lead the club into play-off contention.

“He is one of the most promising young coaches in football, which was shown in his time at Peterborough. His win ratio at Peterborough was 40 per cent, which was particularly impressive for his first role in management.”

Assistant manager Gavin Strachan, who had taken fitness training with the players at the start of the week, has now left the club.