Leyton Orient v Doncaster Rovers: 'Tremendous', 'brave' - Grant McCann on his goalscoring captain Owen Bailey

Rovers' talismanic leader has also already bettered his best-ever season's tally in Rovers jersey - he scored his sixth goal of the campaign on September 20 - and at a time when the club's striker's are struggling in the scoring stakes, his input assumes added importance.

His admiring manager Grant McCann, whose side are seeking to secure their first win in five league matches at Richie Wellens's Leyton Orient on Saturday, said: "He's developed into that. He came here more as a deep-lying midfield player that can play at centre-back or right-back.

"A little bit like George Broadbent; (but) those two have almost changed positions. It's almost like they have swapped.

"It's just what they do on the training ground and what we see of them. And we'll keep working with them.

"He (Bailey) has always had the capabilities of doing it because he's tremendous in the air and brave. He makes runs into the box and is strong and gets in there. He's hard to get off the ball.

"It's something he is definitely improving on and does a lot of work on his finishing on the training ground and arriving in the box and things like that and he wants to get more."

In his final season at Gateshead in 2022-23, former Newcastle United academy product Bailey enjoyed his best-ever goals haul in his competitive career, scoring eight times for Heed.

His current total at this stage of proceedings suggests he should beat that at a canter, but for his part, McCann is far more concerned about his team hitting targets as a group as opposed to players clocking individual milestones.

In that regard, there will certainly be no pressure from the manager.

McCann added: "We have internal targets about what we want to achieve this season, but not individual goals. That's really on them.

"We stand by those internal goals, but to achieve them, it's about the habits of what we do and making sure we do everything properly, with the standards."

Rovers lock horns with former boss and legendary player Wellens today, amid speculation over the ex-Rovers chief's future amid links with the vacant posts at Luton Town and Blackpool.

McCann added: "Richie's done really well at Orient.

"He did well at Oldham and Swindon and he's done well and it doesn't surprise me."