New Doncaster Rovers signing hoping to use double penalty pain as motivation tool

You can't blame him. After all, the Northern Irishman has suffered penalty pain in successive play-off ties with Doncaster Rovers - albeit five years apart.

But spare a thought for new Rovers signing Joe Sbarra. Last season he suffered shoot-out suffering too - yet his pain occurred twice in the space of a week, and on the grandest stage of them all.

On May 5, they were beaten on penalties by Bromley at Wembley in the National League play-off final. Six days later they were back on the hallowed turf but once again spot-kicks did for them, this time with Gateshead winning out from 12 yards in the FA Trophy final.

Speaking earlier this week, after his quickfire move to South Yorkshire was announced, Sbarra says he understands McCann's desire to avoid the play-offs completely next season with a title tilt the aim for everyone.

"You're a kick away, aren't you? It's just a lottery really," said Sbarra, who's signed a two-year deal at DN4, with the option for a third.

"I feel it's good in a way that everyone at Doncaster has had a similar sort of feeling to what I had. Hopefully it means we don't have to go through the play-offs next year and miss them out and go straight up!

"It was hard obviously but it's what you try and use as motivation. I went from ecstasy to agony and to lose on penalties is the worst way to do it.

"But I feel as a group we can all use that and have it as a motivation and give us an extra edge. Like I say hopefully we miss it out and just go through the automatics.

"I've not experienced a promotion in my career so far but it's what you want to do - win trophies and achieve things."