The story of Doncaster Rovers' promotion: Staying power, statement signings and the Sal

McCann's foresight

It was a cold Monday night in January when the seeds were first planted for what would prove to be a transformational second half of the season.

Grant McCann was addressing a few hundred Doncaster Rovers supporters at the annual Meet the Owners event. "You might think I'm mad but I am still looking to chase down Walsall," he boldly told the crowd, of which the Free Press was among, inside a suite at the Eco-Power Stadium that night.

The talk was fanciful at the time, given that it had not long since McCann’s men were beaten by table-topping Walsall and the Saddlers were sitting 12 points clear at the top of the division. Perhaps more pertinently, Rovers were 15 points adrift of them and had played a game more.

Online there was the expected backlash to McCann's comments. Walsall fans understandably met it with ridicule and there was a fair portion of the Rovers support base who also dismissed the notion entirely.

Four months later the joke was on everyone who mocked the Ulsterman. Rovers have surged up the table and clinched promotion to League One with a game to spare thanks to a memorable, drama-filled win over Bradford in their penultimate game of the season. In a twist of fate, Walsall have endured a monumental drop-off and now look like having to negotiate the play-offs if they are to join Rovers in the third tier next year. It's funny how things work out.

Changes upstairs pay dividends

When McCann agreed to return to Rovers in the summer of 2023 it was a completely different club to the one he had left four years prior.

When he opted to take up Hull City's offer, Rovers were competing at the top of League One. They'd just been edged out in the play-offs by Charlton. The feeling was that that the club could go again in 2019-20, despite the manager's departure.

Upon McCann's return, the team had sunk to 18th in the fourth tier. The establishment had been allowed to rot and the only way, seemingly, was down. Malaise had well and truly set in. Fresh air needed to be let in and convincing McCann to return was an almighty coup by the board. After all, he'd not long since lifted the League One title with Hull.

That first half-season didn't go to plan. As he admitted to the Free Press after the Bradford win, it could easily have panned out differently: "I'm not ashamed to say it, there's a possibility that they (owner Terry Bramall and chief executive Gavin Baldwin) could have sacked me given the start we had to last season. But I think they trusted me and for that I thank them."

Many talk about the famous Sutton game as being a line in the sand last season, but it's worth hammering home the importance of changes upstairs too. The removal of David Blunt, Bramall's assuming of the chairmanship and the subsequent rise of the team is surely no coincidence. Communication was streamlined and with Bramall now in sole charge of the purse strings it allowed McCann to go out and do the business he wished. It nearly resulted in the most astonishing of promotions last term but it wasn't to be.

McCann, as is his style, boldly claimed that after 'that' Crewe defeat the aim was to go for the title in 2024-25. It was the kind of statement that he isn't afraid of making - see the opening part of this piece - and one that made people stand up and take notice. Bold and assured, he didn't deter from the standpoint even if it was used against him at the rare low points in the campaign.

This season has not been plain sailing. Bumps in the road have been there. There were accusations over a lack of style and certainly in the first part of the season grumbles over team selection inconsistencies.

But the fact is that Rovers were never out of the promotion equation. Not once did they drop out of the top seven. That is a testament to the staying power that the squad possesses, as well as the quality of coaching staff that has drained every drop out of them and ensured they've lasted the pace.

'Statement' signing

After the aforementioned Walsall setback on Boxing Day, many fans wanted good news in terms of January amid fear of a winter slump.

And so when McCann referred to a 'statement signing' on the horizon it drove many into a frenzy. Transfer windows, particularly the January one, can do that to supporters.

In hindsight, whoever he was referring to it was probably never going to quench the thirst. That 'statement' addition ended up being Rob Street and it's not an understatement to say that some sections of the fanbase were not bowled over at first. But again McCann's foresight has won out. Street was - and has been - a revelation for his temporary employers. His goal against the Bantams was his tenth in 21 league games. That is a superb return, second only to Luke Molyneux.

Murmurs of a permanent deal or even another loan from Lincoln will surface in the coming days but that's a conversation for another time.

He is one of many loanees who has more than played their part in this promotion. Ted Sharman-Lowe grew into the role as number one, culminating in a superb performance against Bradford including the vital penalty stop. Charlie Crew has looked a class above in his performances, especially in the past month. Patrick Kelly and Ethan Ennis have also shone at various junctures.

Easter rising

With the promotion picture looking too close to call, Easter was when it fully clicked for Rovers. Back-to-back 3-0 wins was a sign it was coming together in both boxes, all the while their rivals were faltering: Port Vale inexplicably losing to bottom side Carlisle, Bradford proceeding to turn six points into just two and Walsall now fully in the grasp of an almighty wobble a couple of draws against Harrogate and Newport sides that were as good as on the beach.

Those four days brought a sense of belief back to the fanbase and it meant just one win was required from their final two games to secure a League One return.

That they got it done as early as possible was a relief to everyone - just scroll through social media to see the scale of celebrations over the last 24 hours. And of course there was only one obvious meeting point for all to mingle and party (some longer into the night than others) on Saturday, wasn't there?

The Sal - back to where it all began

The Salutation, or 'The Sal' as it's affectionately now known, was a hive of activity on Saturday evening with a vast portion of the squad in attendance and soaking up the atmosphere.

Billy Sharp was front and centre of it all and why shouldn't he be - after all he delivered the goods yet again by firing home what proved to be the winner as he added yet another promotion to his swelled CV. Thoughts on the future of Sharp and others nearing the end of their current deals can wait for a few days. So too can that tilt at the title.

McCann's foresight and ambitions have been realised, with everyone at Rovers clearly on the same page. And we can all raise a glass to that.

"League One again, ole ole!"