Grant McCann confirmed as new Doncaster Rovers boss

McCann signed his deal with Rovers on Tuesday night after agreeing terms. And he will be presented to the media for the first time on Thursday afternoon, after leading his first training session that morning.

And the 38-year-old is keen to get up and running as he plots a route back to the Championship for Rovers.

“I cannot wait to get started," he said.

"Doncaster are a club with real potential and ambition, and after meeting the chairman and chief executive am confident we can work together to get the club into the Championship and stay there.

“We have the makings of a successful season, with a good squad of players and backroom staff already in place to provide the foundations.

"Rovers are renowned in football as leaders off the pitch for our community and fan engagement work, and I am really excited to join a club with such a culture.”

McCann was invited for a second interview on Monday alongside Stuart McCall and Gary Caldwell.

And chairman David Blunt says the former Northern Ireland international stood out from the rest.

“Grant was our first choice as manager as soon as we had completed the interviews, having displayed a real passion for taking on the role and showing how he can lead the club into play-off contention," Blunt said,

“He is one of the most promising young coaches in football, which was shown in his time at Peterborough.

"His win ratio at Peterborough was 40 per cent, which was particularly impressive for his first role in management.”

Belfast-born McCann joined West Ham United on leaving his homeland but switched to Cheltenham Town in 2003 after several loan moves.

He made 125 appearances for the Robins before switching to Barnsley in January 2007. A year later he moved to Scunthorpe United and went on to make 109 appearances for Iron.

McCann joined Peterborough United in the summer of 2010, where he worked under former Rovers boss Darren Ferguson, and made 186 appearances, including captaining Posh to promotion.

He finished his playing career back in Northern Ireland with Linfield before returning to Peterborough as a coach in the youth set up.

After two caretaker spells in charge of the senior side, he was appointed Peterborough manager in May 2016.

After an 11th placed finish in his first season in charge, McCann was sacked by Posh in February this year following a run of seven games without victory.