McCann appoints Byrne as assistant at Doncaster Rovers

Dubliner Byrne, 36, played with new Rovers manager Grant McCann at Scunthorpe United, helping the Iron to promotion from League One in 2008-09.

Byrne said: "I am excited to get going and the first impressions are really good, Grant made contact with me early on in the week and it moved pretty smoothly from there really.

"Myself and Grant have a close bond, we share the same outlook on the game in how we want to go about things and it is a fantastic opportunity for me to come and work here with him.

"The main focus is to work with the manager, the coaching staff and getting into the first-team group, and my aim is to improve everybody individually and collectively.”

"I have been working with Sunderland U23s, we had close links with the first-team, so you had a real feel for what they needed and a lot of the younger players really developed,” he added.

"That experience will help me in this job as we have a young squad here, so I am looking forward to getting in and improving on the good work that the club has already done at youth level.

"There is a lot of togetherness in this side which is important, the club is a well run club. They have a vocal and loyal support, and us as a staff want to deliver."