Notts County v Doncaster Rovers: No Brentford-type final-day jeopardy this time for visitors as they seek to repeat Griffin Park title success

For the uninitiated, Rovers went from staring the third-tier play-offs in the face to title winners amid incomprehensible 18 seconds at Brentford's former Griffin Park home in late April 2013.

Again, both Rovers and their last-day combatants have plenty to play for in their 46th game of the regular campaign, but the jeopardy isn’t quite there this time for the already-promoted visitors.

It doesn’t mean to say they won’t be going all out for the victory which would secure league silverware for just the eighth time in the club's history - ahead of a Port Vale side managed by former boss and legendary defender Darren Moore.

For Notts, it’s simply a ‘cup final’ according to manager Stuart Maynard.

His side need to win and hope Bradford lose against Fleetwood and fourth-placed Walsall drop points at Crewe to make automatic promotion possible on goal difference and sneak in.

Grant McCann’s side, backed by a sell-out contingent of almost 2,000 away fans at Meadow Lane, will be doing their level best to stop that.

McCann, who won League One with Hull City back in 2020-21 in a Covid-affected season, said: "It (the title) is something we have set our stall out and targeted.

"We haven’t swayed from it all season and I said it from the back end of the play-offs (in 23-24).

"It’s been the sole drive and focus and we’d love to bring the title to our fans and everyone connected with our football club. And we will do everything we can to try and make it happen.

"We had some targets; we wanted to go as far as we could in the FA Cup and had a real good go in that and gave it a decent go in the Virtual Trophy, but it wasn’t to be.

"We had some targets in-house, which we wanted to achieve and two of them, we have done well in - the FA Cup and league, but the league is not done yet.

"It was important to let the players go out and celebrate victory and promotion with our supporters (after Bradford win) and they did that on Saturday and Sunday.

"But from Monday onwards, particularly myself and my staff, we have been working very hard on the game plan and when the players returned on Tuesday, our focus has been on that (since) and making sure we put a really good performance on and hopefully get the win."

A nice subplot sees former Sheffield United legends and ex-team mates Billy Sharp and David McGoldrick go head to head in a mouth-watering personal duel.

McCann added: "They have obviously seen it and done it with many promotions on their CV and they have played for some big football clubs.

"David McGoldrick has obviously had a really good year, but Billy Sharp has done as well with some really important goals, no bigger than the one last week.

"It's not only what Billy brings with goals which has done his whole career, it's what he does inside in the changing room and his communication with some of the younger players and stuff like that. But the most important thing is the game and understandably what we need to do.

“Notts are a very good football team, especially in possession. They have got some special players in there, but my focus is on our boys, who are ready to go on Saturday.”