How Doncaster Rovers plan to utilise 'flexible' Bayley McCann this season

Bayley McCann has shown during pre-season that he's capable of stepping up for Doncaster Rovers.

That's the verdict of manager and father Grant, after seeing the youngster enjoy an impressive summer. The 20-year-old arrived at Rovers back in January from Barnsley and made a couple of cameos towards the end of last season, predominantly playing down the left.

In pre-season however, he's enjoyed game time down the right and even scored a couple of goals, against Linfield and Harrogate in warm-up clashes.

Ahead of the season opener at Mansfield this weekend, the Free Press asked McCann senior where he thinks Bayley's best position is: "I think he's flexible, but he can play off the right of a front three or the left of a front three, he's played left centre-half for Barnsley in a back three. And he's played left-back and left wing-back.

"I think it's a real good thing to have as a player, when you're flexible to play in other positions, because I think it means you're always going to be around a squad. We've just re-signed a player a three-year deal who's very, very similar in that he can play anywhere (Owen Bailey).

"Before Bayley came here though, from the under-8s right through to under-16s, he was a number nine at Peterborough's academy. Or sometimes he'd play off the sides like in the positions we're seeing him in now.

"Then when he got into the under-16 to under-18 bracket, they moved him to left-back. So he had to learn that and then learn it again when he went to Barnsley in a different sort of role, in a left wing-back position. So we've used him in that (wide) position over the pre-season and he's actually done really well.

"And I know it's not easy, me speaking about my son because people think a lot of things about it. But I think that he's shown everyone that he's capable of performing at this level."