Doncaster Rovers v Southampton: Jordan Gibson looking forward to challenge laid down to attackers

The League One side are still on the lookout for reinforcements in defence and midfield but before many teams made a transfer in the January window, manager Grant McCann had his ducks in a line when it came to his forwards.

This week saw Frankie Okoronkwo and Hakeeb Adelakun added to the squad and a change in FA Cup rules means they will both feature at home to Championship Southampton in Saturday's third-round tie so long as the weather allows.

They join Jordan Gibson, Glenn Middleton, Luke Molyneux, Brandon Hanlan and Billy Sharp to compete for places in Rovers' front three.

Getting regular football will not be easy, which is just how winger Gibson likes it. There is no excuse for them not to deliver after the team's poor goal return in the first half of the campaign.

"I had a chat with all seven of them on Thursday and I said, 'Look, you are what we have now until the end of the season so whatever three/four that I start with, the three or the four that aren't starting, they have to be behind the three or the four that start,’” says McCann.

"It's something we did really well last year and something we probably need to get back to is that we need to support each other a bit more.

"That's not only being a good team-mate, it's more about affecting the game when you come off the bench. We feel like we've got really good options now up there and all different types of attributes.

"Now we need to start finding the net more regularly. One goal a game in the league is not where we need to be. It doesn't get you anywhere."

That is fine by Gibson, whose five goals this season puts him level with Hanlan, two behind Sharp and midfielder Owen Bailey.

After Adelakun’s impact on loan in 2024 – nine goals in 21 games largely from the left – his return on a permanent basis has energised Gibson.

"That's what we need," he says. "I don't see it really as competition.

"Hopefully, we get to play alongside each other in games as well where hopefully I can play in many other positions.

"So I wouldn't say it's competition, but even so, a player of that quality coming in, you can learn off that.

"I've seen bits already in training where he's got that wow factor.

"He's so calm on the ball and his finishing is unbelievable. The calmness in front of goal, it can only help us that are already here.

"Hopefully I can learn off him on a day-to-day basis and bring it to my game.

"Regardless of who's playing I'll always be there to push the ones that are starting."

Throw Okoronkwo, on loan from Everton, into the mix and there are plenty of possibilities.

"Predominantly, we brought him in as the nine (centre-forward)," explains McCann. "But all the forwards we have can do that, barring Billy, I would say. Billy is just a nine – in the box, scores goals."

Gibson seems to thrive when the pressure is on, as does his team.

After falling away badly in the last three months of the year, Doncaster are pinning a lot on their record under McCann of performing better in the second half of the season as the pressure ramps up.

They are good at cup football too, knocking Hull City out of last season's FA Cup on penalties – with Gibson scoring from 12 yards – and winning 4-0 at Middlesbrough in this season's League Cup.

"I was in Ireland for a little bit (playing for St Patrick's Athletic and Sligo Rovers) so I've not played as many FA Cup games as I would have liked but I love playing in the big stadiums, the big games, big crowds, with the atmosphere,” says Gibson.

"It's down to me to bring that every week, which I'm trying to do."

Those successes over Hull and Middlesbrough led to matches against Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur. They also played at Everton in last season’s League Cup.

"The level from League Two to League One is tough but the jump from League One to the Championship is massive, and it gets even bigger when you go to the Premier League," says McCann, who managed Hull in the second tier.

"But we went toe to toe with a really good Middlesbrough team earlier in the season and played really well so we'll give it our best shot."

Of the extra quality he expects to be facing, Gibson says: "They interchange quite a lot, so rotations in a team and just on the ball, they stop-start quite a lot. You think you've got them and then they're gone.

"It's just the level in terms of the intelligence, the IQ and the shape that they bring, they change and rotate quite a lot so you've got to be switched on and communicate.

"But you can bring confidence if you perform well and you also learn from what you're playing against.

"The Spurs game, the quality is unbelievable in that squad but you take little bits from that. Hopefully we can bring it into our game going into the second half of the season."