Doncaster Rovers: Mr Nasty? Cliff Byrne sheds light on his role as assistant boss

Standing at 6ft 1ins and boasting a muscular physique, you wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of the Irishman, who has an air of no-nonsense about him and prefers the term ‘footsoldier’.

Footsoldier it is, then.

McCann and Byrne are former Scunthorpe teammates – they were part of the Iron side promoted to the Championship in 2009 – and started working together during the former’s first spell at Doncaster.

Before then, Byrne, a former centre-half, coached in Sunderland's academy for three years.

Describing his role in their partnership, which has also seen them work together at Hull and Peterborough, Byrne said: “I’m there as a support network for the manager.

"I’m his coach on the training ground, his footsoldier around the place liaising with staff and players and making that connection between them and him.”

The pair live close by in Lincolnshire and get on well enough to spend time together on the golf course during their downtime.

McCann was full of praise for his right arm, who boasts the better handicap.

He said: “Cliff's brilliant. He’s a very, very good coach, brilliant at motivation, demanding standards and making sure everyone’s abiding by them.

"Most importantly he’s a really good person, a really kind person. He knows when to ramp it up and when to take it off and have some fun.”

There were concerns the previous management team lacked a dissenting voice from within on occasion.

"I’m quite prepared to challenge if I feel there’s a need to challenge, and I’m also respectful of the answer that comes back,” said Byrne, who won three promotions with Scunthorpe and captained the club.

"If things need to be chatted about, heatedly or candidly, whatever way it would be, I feel I’m comfortable to do either.”

You can make your own mind up on which of McCann and Byrne more regularly plays the bad cop.

"A lot of our beliefs are similar but maybe how we go about things is different,” added Byrne.

“Maybe that’s what bounces us off each other.

"Do I believe in driving standards? Yes. Do I believe in being committed and honest and a work ethic? Yes.”

That firm hand could be just what Rovers need.