Doncaster Rovers: Cliff Byrne joins as assistant manager

Byrne has joined Rovers from Sunderland where he was a senior Academy coach.

The 36-year-old captained the Scunthorpe United side McCann played in which won promotion from League One.

And he is looking forward to renewing his relationship at the Keepmoat.

“I am excited to get going and the first impressions are really good,” Byrne said.

”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.”

Byrne - who also played alongside Andy Butler at Scunthorpe - took part in training with the Rovers squad on Friday and will join the trip to La Manga in Spain next week.

Having worked most recently in an Academy set up, he admits he will have one eye on developing young players at Rovers.

“I have been working with Sunderland U23s,” Byrne said.

“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.

“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 staff want to deliver.”