Doncaster Rovers have been on a roll almost since Jay McGrath rejoined his boyhood club 18 months ago, and the centre-back sees no reason why they cannot keep on winning in League One.

Released as a youngster, the son of former player John came back in the winter of 2023-24 after spells with Mickleover, Coventry City and St Patrick's Athletic.

In danger of dropping out of the Football League in February, they ended the season with a remarkable run which took them to the League Two play-off semi-finals, only to lose to Crewe Alexandra on penalties.

Twelves months on they were champions.

CONFIDENCE: Jay McGrath (right) believes in his Doncaster Rovers team-mates (Image: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

placeholder image — CONFIDENCE: Jay McGrath (right) believes in his Doncaster Rovers team-mates (Image: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

The gap between Leagues One and Two is probably the smallest between Football League divisions, even with nine former Premier League clubs in the third tier, and McGrath sees no reason why the snowball cannot keep rolling.

"I think it counts," said the 22-year-old, who signed a three-year contract this summer after Rovers turned down a £500,000 bid from one of their divisional rivals. "You have a core group of players that have been there from that February and going through last season but it's a fresh start.

"All focus will be on the first game of the season, then the second game, there's no looking back. As good as it was, winning League Two won't help us do well in League One.

"We trust each other, we know what we've got and we know we'll always bounce back. We have a great group of people – not just players, a great group of people."

BELIEF: Doncaster Rovers' League Two title success has only strengthened their feeling that they are on the right track (Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

One thing manager Grant McCann can never be accused of is lacking ambition having been very bold right from the immediate aftermath of the play-off defeat about wanting to win last season's title. McGrath, like many in the squad, is cut from the same cloth.

"I cannot wait to be out there on a bigger stage against bigger clubs,” he said. "Luton were in the Premier League not so long ago (2023-24), Cardiff have been in the Premier League, there's some massive clubs. I'm looking forward to it.

"This is what excites me, going out and playing in big games in front of big crowds, it's exciting.

"We want to be winners every game we go into – last season the FA Cup against Crystal Palace, we lost but we wanted to win that game. We want to go up the leagues and not stop.

"The good scenes at the end of last season, we wouldn't have had that if we have finished mid-table or missed out (on promotion) again.

"We can be the underdogs, we can have people write us off but we know where we want to get to and the ability we have."

That confidence means Doncaster will not be having any drastic tactical rethinks, worried about if their approach will cut it at a higher level.

"I think a lot of our emphasis will be to stay the same but better because it's a higher level," said McGrath. "Other things may have to change when we come up against different types of teams.

"There'll be a lot more footballing teams in League One. We have our key philosophes and things we like to do and we know them very well.

"I think it will help us on and off the ball because we like to get after teams and get in people's faces."