Jay McGrath has his sights set on becoming a Doncaster Rovers captain, and hopes to learn plenty about leadership – and defending – from new team-mate Matty Pearson.

The Keighley centre-back who turns 32 on Sunday is a familiar face in Yorkshire football, having played for Halifax Town, Barnsley and most recently Huddersfield Town.

At Doncaster he takes the role of elder statesman centre-back vacated by Tom Anderson and Richard Wood.

At 22, McGrath is keen to learn and being more of a leader is part of that, with captaincy an ambition.

CAREER HIGH: Jay McGrath grapples with Everton's Beto in a League Cup tie (Image: Jan Kruger/Getty)

placeholder image — CAREER HIGH: Jay McGrath grapples with Everton's Beto in a League Cup tie (Image: Jan Kruger/Getty)

"I feel like I've learnt a lot of leadership qualities in my time so it's something I'd definitely look to do," says the son of former player John.

"I captained Coventry when I was an under-21 there but I think it comes naturally with how you are as a person and how you perform.

"We have some great leaders in the dressing room – Bails (Owen Bailey) the skipper and Jamie Sterry the vice-captain are two great leaders.

"It comes a lot with how you perform on the pitch and how you carry yourself. Bails is Mr Consistent, plays every game, never has a bad game – the same with Stez."

EXAMPLE: Matty Pearson (Image: Jonathan Gawthorpe)

Regardless of the armband, Pearson will be one of Rovers' new leaders, as well as a key player.

"It's really good to be able to pick people's brains that have played your position for so long at such a high level,” says McGrath, who signed a three-year deal in July.

"Matty being the more senior centre-half and the other three of us being younger, it's great for all of us."

McGrath's career has been on an upward curve after joining Rovers – the club who released him as a teenager – from St Patrick's Athletic in the summer of 2023-24.

Initially the form of Anderson and Wood – and Joseph Olowu – made it difficult but after starring against Everton in the League Cup last August he has not looked back.

"I was waiting patiently for my chance to prove myself," he says.

"I think the Everton game was a big turning point. I showed what I could do against a Premier League outfit and a striker (Beto) worth millions and millions of pounds.

"I never had any doubt what I could do, I was just patiently waiting to show it.

"I wouldn't say I'm a patient person so it was difficult but we had two brilliant centre-halves in Ando and Woody who were flying the season before. Once I got my opportunity I had to take it.

"It's in my nature to step up when required so I'm looking forward to the test that is League One."