New recruitment role for Doncaster Rovers legend James Coppinger as League Two club appoint ex-Rotherham United and Nottingham Forest striker Lee Glover as first-team coach

After hanging up his boots in the summer of 2021, Rovers all-time record appearance holder, 42, was appointed as head of football operations in April 2022.

Following an assessment of the football staff to coincide with Grant McCann's appointment as manager, Coppinger will now focus exclusively on recruitment, with the 42-year-old to also take on a coaching role at first-team level.

He said: “It’s something I’m excited about. The recruitment side is something that I’ve been doing probably more than anything else over the last 12 months - in terms of going to games, and working with the recruitment staff on bringing players in.

“As well as that, I’ll be out on the grass a couple of days a week supporting the coaching staff. I’ve done my UEFA B licence over the summer and I’ve really got a taste for coaching.

"I’ve really enjoyed it and I’ve obviously worked with a lot of the players so I’m really excited in getting back on the grass.”

Manager Grant McCann said: “We want to make sure Copps is around the training ground with us and on the pitch with the players but also working on the recruitment side of things, preparing dossiers and databases on players.

“He mentioned that he wanted to do a bit more on the grass and we’ll be helping and supporting him to go as far as he wants with that.

“He’ll be taking a lot of burden off me in talking to agents and representatives as well as compiling the lists of potential targets for us.”

Meanwhile, Rovers have appointed former Rotherham United and Nottingham Forest striker Lee Glover as their first-team coach.

The 53-year-old, who has previously managed Kettering Town and been an assistant at Mansfield Town, formerly worked as opposition analyst during McCann’s first tenure as manager at Rovers.

Glover will combine his coaching with a role as opposition analyst.