Former Bristol Rovers manager one of two contenders for Doncaster Rovers job

Ex-Bristol Rovers Graham Coughlan could be set for a return to football management after being linked with the recent Doncaster Rovers vacancy.

dThe League Two club are on the search for a new boss after parting company with former Birmingham City striker Gary McSheffrey on Monday. Doncaster claimed a 'lack of progress' was the reasoning behind sacking the 40-year-old who left them in 12th. Doncaster - relegated from League One last season, picked up just seven points from eight games.

Affiliate outlet the Doncaster Free Press say that a three-man shortlist has been drawn up by the club's board, but welcome applications from other candidates. Coughlan, who last managed Mansfield Town is believed to be a contender, along with ex-Crewe Alexandra manager David Artell. Danny Schofield, who was sacked from Huddersfield Town after replacing Carlos Corberán earlier this summer, is also someone who would 'fit the profile'.

Doncaster are keen to make an appointment quickly and the next manager could be in charge for their next league match against Crewe Alexandra on Saturday, October 22. Crewe were also relegated last season and are four points behind Doncaster though they possess a game in hand over them.

Coughlan held talks with Donny in December 2021 about the role but the club opted to go for caretaker boss McSheffrey at the time, as they looked for a successor for Richie Wellens. Fellow Ex-Gas boss Paul Trollope was also a contender but he remains out of work after last working as an assistant to Chris Houghton at Nottingham Forest.

He was been searching for a return to management since working as joint-manager of Sheffield United's Under-21's, a role he left last summer. Coughlan was also believed to have eyed up the Walsall job but they ended up appointing former Newport County manager Mike Flynn.

As Coughlan's Rovers career goes, he was appointed as defensive coach but ended up taking the management role on a permanent basis after the departure of Darrell Clarke. He did well in the audition with ten points from fifteen matches and helped them to survival for the remainder of the season. He departed the club whilst on a high, after winning 2-1 away at Ipswich Town which left them as high as fourth in the fourth tier.

He ended up joining Mansfield Town who were a division below to be closer to his family who were based in South Yorkshire. Coughlan would only last from December 2019 to October 2020, winning just four games and was sacked after 14 defeats.