Doncaster Rovers: What Grant McCann’s assistant Cliff Byrne said about a future role in management

Byrne assisted McCann in his first spell in charge of Rovers and followed him to Hull City and then Peterborough.

As a player, he was a leader and the most successful captain in Scunthorpe United’s history, helping them to three promotions during his nine-year stay.

Byrne began coaching at Oldham, while he was still playing, before getting his break on the grass with Sunderland.

He worked in the Black Cats’ development set-up for three years before stepping up to first-team level five years ago.

It’s a solid grounding, but 41-year-old Byrne insists he’s not done yet.

"That could eventually come in time,” he says of the desire to go it alone.

"When a made a decision to go into coaching – I started my badges when I was still playing because I wanted to be ready – I went into the academy because I wanted to keep learning.

"That’s sort of the space I’m in at the moment. I’m still enjoying the role and looking forward to coming in.

"Will there be a time when that naturally progresses to a higher position? Possibly.

"Would it be one I would like? Definitely.

"We have plenty of work to do before that arises.”

Byrne has five years’ worth of experience as an assistant boss and counting – a great deal more than plenty of managers in their first jobs, including McCann’s two predecessors.

But for now, it’s on with the job in hand: militantly orchestrating a promotion push as McCann’s self-styled “footsoldier”.