Doncaster Rovers boss sends defiant message to big-spending promotion rivals Wrexham, Stockport and Notts County

Grant McCann is confident Doncaster Rovers can compete with the likes of Wrexham, Stockport and Notts County in the League Two promotion race next season.

Rovers are not the only club to have invested heavily in their squad, with a host of well-backed sides hoping to reach League One, meaning the fourth tier looks arguably stronger than ever.

Wrexham, Stockport and Notts County are among those expected to be flying high next season and were three names put to McCann at a recent Q&A.

“We’re a big club,” was his reply.

"Them teams will be looking at us, let me tell you that.

"Myself and Cliff (Byrne, assistant manager), when we were speaking about coming back to Doncaster, our remit was to come back here and get out of this league as quickly as we can.

"That’s what we are trying to do with the support of everyone behind us.

"There are going to be ups and downs, don’t get me wrong, there are going to be times when we lose. But we have got to be calm, we have got to be patient with it.”

Doncaster may not boast the riches of Hollywood-backed Wrexham – who are currently in the States on a pre-season tour which will see them play Manchester United and Chelsea – nor Notts County or Stockport.

But they do have the strongest recent history of any side in the division, having spent 17 of the last 20 seasons in either League One or the Championship.

Rovers enjoyed four consecutive years in the second tier from 2008 to 2012 and returned there for a single campaign in 2013.

Another return was in their sights as recently as February 2021, when only goal difference separated them from League One’s automatic promotion places, but the club has been on a downward slide since.

Last season they registered their lowest finish since returning to the Football League 20 years ago.

That prompted Doncaster’s board to act and bring back the hugely popular McCann, who has been backed by a ‘significant’ investment into the playing budget.

Nine new players have since followed him through the door at the Eco-Power Stadium, helping to transform the mood around the club into one of optimism.

Other teams who have been tipped for a push at promotion in 23/24 include Gillingham, Mansfield, MK Dons and Bradford City.

"It’s an interesting league,” admitted McCann, who took Rovers to the League One play-offs during his first spell in charge four years ago.

"There are a lot of teams spending money in it, but it’s not about that. I have got a good friend, Michael Duff, who has just moved to Swansea.

"He won League Two (with Cheltenham in 20/21) on a £1.2 million budget, so it’s what you have in your building. It’s how you perform. It’s how you train.

"We feel as if we have got a good group, so hopefully we can be in and around it.”

Doncaster begin the new season at home to Harrogate Town on Saturday, August 5.

Having returned from a pre-season trip to St Andrews in Scotland, they continue their warm-up friendlies with a trip to York City tomorrow night (7.45pm kick-off).