Doncaster Rovers: Is the 'Rooney rule' active for managerial search?

The regulation was introduced at the EFL's annual general meeting earlier this month and follows an 18-month pilot.

Most media reports said the rule would be introduced ‘next season’ – so we checked with the EFL whether it would apply to Rovers’ ongoing search for a new manager.

An EFL spokesperson said: “At the point of adoption at the AGM on June 7, this regulation should be followed. A breach would be considered misconduct.”

The regulation is informally known as the 'Rooney rule' and will attempt to ‘address the under-representation’ in the game.

It is named after the NFL diversity committee chairman Dan Rooney, who spearheaded a policy that American football clubs should interview at least one BAME candidate for each head coach or senior football operation vacancy.

There are currently four BAME first team managers working in England’s top four divisions: Nuno Espirito Santo (Wolves), Keith Curle (Northampton), Dino Maamria (Stevenage) and Sol Campbell (Macclesfield).

Tunisian Maamria, who played for Rovers between 1998 and 2000, has been linked with the vacant position at the Keepmoat Stadium and is priced at 25/1 with SkyBet, while Campbell is a 33/1 shot.

Former West Brom boss Darren Moore, another former Rovers player, is currently priced 9/1.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who is understood to have reached the interview stage last summer prior to the appointment of Grant McCann, is priced 18/1.

Managers interested in the Rovers job have until 5pm on Friday this week to submit their CVs.