Former Doncaster Rovers chairman John Ryan leaves door open for return to club

Lifelong Rovers fan Ryan, who grew up in Cantley, spent 15 years as chairman before stepping down in 2013 following a fall-out with his fellow board members over the club’s future direction.

He has been an outspoken critic of Doncaster’s plight in recent years, but Grant McCann’s return as manager and fresh investment from owner Terry Bramall has inspired a change of tune.

Asked if he would consider a reunion, Ryan told The Free Press: “You have to be asked to come back. Don’t forget, I have never been asked.

"I’ll reserve judgement on that. It depends what position is offered to me and on what terms, it’s like everything else in life.”

There has been speculation Ryan could return in a presidential capacity, which might trigger a reshuffle of board positions.

He said: “I certainly wouldn’t want to be chairman again, I did that for 15 years.”

Ryan has been back in touch with members of the board recently and has bought a significant number of season tickets worth tens of thousands to the club’s coffers.

He plans to give them away to hard-up fans and worthy causes.

Ryan will host a Q&A event at Doncaster Dome next Thursday when the season tickets will be raffled.

Fans will also have the chance to win Rovers memorabilia in a separate raffle, which will be free to enter.

The free event begins at 6.30pm with guests welcome to turn up without needing to register their attendance beforehand.

Ryan oversaw a golden era in Doncaster’s history as they went from non-league to the Championship between 2003 and 2008.

They also won the EFL Trophy in 2007 and spent four consecutive seasons in the second tier after beating Leeds United in the League One play-off final.

He said: “This is the start of a new positive era. I have got full faith Grant McCann can deliver as long as he’s given the tools.

"We have got to get behind him support-wise and financially.”

Ryan said he is on a personal mission to help his beloved Rovers sell 5,000 season tickets and galvanise the fan base ahead of a promotion push next season.

He is also planning to auction his own rare club memorabilia, with all proceeds going towards buying more season tickets to give away.

Ryan added: “I am just trying to get the old enthusiasm back for the club, having gone through two seasons of absolute rubbish.

"We need to get it back to where it was in my day.”

Doncaster recorded their lowest finish since returning to the Football League 20 years ago last season.

That 18th-placed finished following relegation from League One the previous year.

Ryan, who began watching Rovers as a seven-year-old boy in 1958, said: “All I want to do is help the club generate some cash so we can buy a decent team, I’m fed up of watching absolute dross.

"I’m proposing to go to the first game of the season if the season-tickets go well.

"I might get my drum out again. It gets the fans going. I’m fed up of seeing swathes of empty red seats.”