Doncaster Rovers v Gillingham: Ex-Portsmouth player Ben Close's debt of thanks to manager Grant McCann

The year started off in grim fashion for the former Portsmouth player, who was stretchered off with a serious-looking knee injury in the EFL Trophy tie at Bradford City on January 30.

Close subsequently underwent surgery and was ruled out for the rest of the 2023-24 season, with his situation compounded by the fact that he was out of contract in June.

Despite his predicament, McCann allayed Close’s fears regarding his future by offering him a new two-year deal, which he signed at the end of March.

It is the sort of gesture that players don’t forget in a hurry from a manager who turned down offers for Close in January before his injury.

Close made his first-team return in just over seven months in Tuesday’s trophy game against more West Yorkshire opponents in Huddersfield Town and is available again for league selection today.

Thankful for the support of McCann in a trying period in his career, Close, who turned 28 last month and has had previous injury issues since joining Rovers in the summer of 2021, said: "I have had that from the gaffer and staff as well and the contract situation summed it up nicely and I am really grateful for all that.

"When I have been coming back, I haven’t been rushed. I have been pushed, which is what you need, physically and mentally.

"We have a really good staff to find that balance of pushing players back to full fitness, but not rushing. I feel I am in a good place.

"After the operation, we were looking at six to eight months and it’s been seven. We haven’t rushed it or waited too long either.

"It felt like a long time, but I was ready to come back and keen to get going."

Being part of what everyone hopes will be something special for Rovers in the new season intensified Close's desire to stick around.

Close added: “It's the feel around the changing room and stadium and the away fans are so good as well. The tide just seemed to turn midway through last year and once we started picking up results, we could not stop.

"In the summer, we have added really well and have got a really strong squad who knows what the manager wants as well now.

"He’s been here long enough to get that message across and everyone is on board and knows what he wants and I think we have a good enough squad to do it."