Rover returns (again): Doncaster look to Sharp for salvation

The Southampton forward has joined Rovers for a third stint and he is seeking to carry on from where he left off after two prolific previous spells at the South Yorkshire club.

Rovers beat off interest from five Championship clubs to sign the Sheffield-born player.

The Championship strugglers are believed to be paying a sizeable contribution of Sharp’s five-figure wages after receiving encouragement earlier this week from Saints - whose owner Katharina Liebherr was appointed as new non-executive chairman earlier this week following the departure of chief executive Nicola Cortese - that a deal might be brokered.

Sharp has endured a tough past two seasons in Hampshire, being farmed out on loan to Nottingham Forest last season and then joining Reading on an emergency loan earlier this term, which was affected by injury.

On coming ‘home’, Sharp, who turns 28 earlier next month and could make his third debut at Blackpool on Saturday, said: “I just want to help the team out and climb out the table.

“It’s been difficult at Southampton, while I went out on loan at Reading and had a frustrating loan spell there.

“Hopefully, I come here now, play games and score goals and help the club stay up.

“I spoke to the gaffer (Paul Dickov) quite regularly and have been impressed by what he has said. He’s shown a lot of interest and it’s nice to feel wanted.”

• For more, see Friday’s Yorkshire Post.