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Billy Sharp gives his first sit-down interview after returning to Doncaster

Billy Sharp gives his first sit-down interview after returning back to his former club in Doncaster Rovers on a one-year deal.

The announcement was made and has since generated significant excitement among fans and for everyone associated with the club.

The former captain of Sheffield United, is a significant addition to the team, with his experience and skill set expected to be valuable in League Two, for a team who had a remarkable rise towards the end of the 2023/24 season and lost in the playoff semi final.

Interviewer: Billy welcome back to Doncaster with us how does it feel to be back

Billy: Yeah I’ve just had a text off my dad he said it’s 14 years ago since I signed the first time and time’s flown just watching them goals as well as there’s a couple that I forgot some great memories and Doncaster I scored some good goals for them and had some tough times as well personally but they were there for me as a club and all a special play in my place in my heart

Interviewer: So what what what does this club mean to you

Billy: Yeah at this stage of my career it’s another opportunity for me to play football and want to score some goals and try and be part of us of a group of people who is successful I know that they came up just short after starting really slow I know the manager and I know Cliff really well as well from playing for him from playing with him sorry um so now playing for him will be it’ll be it would be weird to start with but no I’m looking forward to it’s another challenge for me it suited me at this stage of my career yeah I’m 38 but age is just a number and I still feel really fit and strong and I feel I can score goals at this level and like I say I want to be successful personally but as a group as well and to try and get Doncaster back up into the division that you know where I last was with them so you know it’s going to be hard take some hard work and togetherness from the group but I want to be a part of that to to try and get there and hopefully I can hit the ground running

Interviewer: I’m sure some people from outside will look at this and think it’s a nice way for you to round things off but I bet you’re not looking at to the end anytime soon

Billy: No like I said it’s an opportunity for me to play, I was I just you know, been at Hull and I didn’t I started two games and I loved it there the lads were brilliant great group of lads in the change room made me feel really welcome and a part of it but I want to play football I’m a professional footballer and I love playing football and my job’s to score goals so it’s been like that since I started it was like that the last time I was here and yeah I want to rack up some more goals for for Doncaster

Interviewer: How did this one come about then

Billy: It’s been in the pipeline for a few weeks um spoke to the manager um I went on my holidays uh like I say it suits me and my family location wise and um there are things you have to consider when you have a family these days last time I was here was you know I didn’t have any kids and yeah this is a chance for me now to get back on on the scoresheet cuz I went to America scored a few goals but last season it’s the first season in 20 odd years that I’ve not scored in English football so that’s hurt me a little bit, I need one goal for 250 league goals, so that’d be nice to get that quickly and it’s nice to be in this kit as well cuz it’s one that I scored a few goals in last time was it Doncaster they’re pretty similar kits than what it was back then

Interviewer: That hunger to score goals still definitely there then

Billy: Yeah it’s hurt me a little bit that I’ve didn’t get on the score sheet for Hull it’s the only team in my career that I’ve I’ve not scored for so I was disappointed with that and like I said I’ve still got lots in me and hopefully I can be a success like I was last time for Doncaster Rovers

Interviewer: What has the manager said to you not only about what he wants from you but the the overall project

Billy: Yeah I’m obviously going to bring huge amounts of experience to the to the dressing room, I know they’ve they’ve got that with Woody already the captain and yeah if anyone wants to use me lean on me to you know my experience to help them that’s fine I did that quite a lot at Hull, I thought it was a big influence off the pitch even though I wasn’t really influencing it on the pitch but this time I’m here to influence on the pitch and off the pitch so just lead by example and you know training daily habits and hopefully can have some good times with with a with a group that I’ll be joining

Interviewer: I going to ask you how if at all different are you from when you were last year what have you picked up all this last decade

Billy: I think I’m a little bit slimmer actually watching on the video. No yeah I was a I was a kid back then and I was trying to make a a career and trying to play as high as I can and luckily for me Doncaster gave me that platform to to get to get moved I got moved to Southampton and played in the Premier League and obviously I had a little spell back here on loan which again do really sit well with me cuz got relegated and still hurts me that to this day so it’d be nice to get back to some happier times and there’s no better way to do that than scoring goals

Interviewer: Does that feel like there’s a little bit of unfinished business then you want to whenever you depart here again

Billy: Yeah I want to make sure that you know it ends on a a positive a success so you I need to work hard personally and be a part of this squad to try and start what they finished at the end of the last season could take that momentum into the season and make sure we don’t have as much work to catch up on this time

Interviewer: In terms of how you develop with Senior particularly at Sheffield United emerges as that real leader you’ve talked about it a little bit there but there’s a real mix within this squad of experienced lads but the younger lads as well you’re looking forward to getting working with them particularly the strikers as well

Billy: Yeah I’ll be I’m the um oldest there I think I’ve had many a joke off the old lads about that but yeah like I say I’m I don’t feel 38 I still feel young and as young as a younger lad so I’m sure I’ll get some stick but I’ll give some back as well but I’m looking forward to joining the group and getting started, yeah it felt a bit weird driving in and putting the kit on but yeah it’s another great opportunity for me to show what I can do

Interviewer: What were it like walking around the training ground

Billy: Yeah not much changed, the pitch is a lot better to be fair um few people are recognised as well so now it’s nice, it’s always nice to feel comfortable when you’re walking somewhere so like I said I’ve had great times here already so hopefully can do can do that again

Interviewer: A few familiar faces in squad not only would you have played against so many times but like, Joe Ironside, George Broadbent you’ll know from your time at Sheffield United…

Billy: I know Joe’s, Sheffield lad, he’s did well last season scored a lot of goals and George Broadbent, I spoke to him he wasn’t in the squad the last time he came to watch which wasn’t a great day against Stockport which I think after that they kicked on and went on an unbelievable run and just came up short but yeah George was at Sheffield United when I was there and he’s a great lad and hardworking young kid and good footballer as well

Interviewer: What were it like coming back for that game obviously not particularly what happened on the pitch but the the warm welcome that you had for that, Stockport

Billy: Yeah it was nice um you know it’s nice to be recognised by the teams that you’ve played for, I might to bring my family my parents my wife and kids had a nice meal sat next to Duffs reminiscing and yeah it was a great day apart from on the pitch the result was a tough one to to take at the time and I remember walking around the stadium shining a few autographs and I think Stockport scored two in the time and it wasn’t a great day and everything seemed a little bit doom and gloom but obviously the lads picked himself up the manager got them going and went on a run like I said and got in the playoffs which I fed him to go all the way at the time so I’m sure it was a huge disappoint appointment for everyone having mean getting themselves in a great position after not starting the season well

Interviewer: And that got you excited about what could be achieved this season…

Billy: Yeah you play football to have success yeah I left Sheffield United which hurt me everyone knows what that means to me I had an opportunity to play in the MLS which I had nothing no idea what that that was going to be like and that was amazing experience for for not just for me but the family as well and um obviously then to get back in English football with Hull in the Championship was great just didn’t go the way I wanted it to on the pitch so and as you get older and you want more game time the opportunities might come less and and you know have to drop down to the leagues but still excites me cuz you know scoring a goal is what I love doing so hopefully I can get back to doing that

Interviewer: Can tell already talking to you being a big part player won’t sit right with it you want to…

Billy: No I’m going to work hard and make sure that manager finds it you know finds me sit there having training well and getting myself in the team and it’s what every player wants to do so um that’s what what I intend to do and hopefully I can hit the ground running

Interviewer: You’ve already said you don’t feel 38 how is the body how are you feeling fitness wise and things like that

Billy: Yeah like I said still fancy my chances against the youngs in the running we’ll see next week um no I’ve keep myself fit and like I said I feel as though I’m a lot well I know I’m a lot fitter now and look after myself a lot better than when I was you know first year 14 years ago so hopefully that’ll help me as well

Interviewer: In terms of uh the fact you know you’ll have seen over the years how much support that you’ve have Rovers fans and how much love how excited are you for you to get back out in front of the Rover supporters

Billy: Yeah I think I think everyone knows I’m coming back now I’ve seen a lot about it so be nice when it’s out so people don’t have to start guessing or texting me now and um hopefully I give them a lift as well um there’ll be times where I need them to give me a lift on the pitch and the team so um hopefully myself and my new teammates can give them a lot of uh positivity next season and we can go and do what I’m sure the manager been open about and try and get promotion just excited to get going now

This is how Twitter users reacted as Billy Sharp gives his first sit-down interview after returning to Doncaster…

@ArgyleLife1886: That’s outrageous, fair play

@Fonzyy97: Good luck skipper ⚔️❤️

@KaleyBeatty: Ahh special club for him. All the best Billy Sharp Sharp Sharp

@JanieL24: One of our own ⚔️⚔️❤️⚔️⚔️Best of luck for a great season, @billysharp10

@pfloyd8989: Oooooo look at me, I’m Doncaster and I sign premier league level strikers in L2 and look set to storm League 2 by force to the title…. pathetic mate

@jackofhearts74: Oh my word!!!! Get the ticket office girls in early tomorrow morning @drfc_official

@EJWilson5: Copps aside, Billy is my all time favourite Rovers player… to have him back is nothing short of amazing! What a signing! #drfc

@KyleGatfield97: That’s a unbelievable signing at league 2 level, holy shit 😂😂

@BigGazLaw: Scored goals in MLS before Christmas. Must be ok in L2 if he’s fit.

@jkanalysis7: I don’t normally get too excited over Doncaster 😉 but now I am. Sharp wont just be a great addition on the pitch, he’ll be so influential off it. If GM wants to go for the title, this is the calibre of player you need around the club, to help the young lads! Superb. #drfc 🔴⚪️

@Nelson011983: He’ll get about 25 at that level. Sharp vs didsy as well. Hope it’s during international week, probably sell out with blades going

@allmoshnopit: Putting my house on this man scoring against us in front of the Kop, then going missing for the rest of the season

@doncasterblues1: This is a massive statement of intent from @drfc_official yeah he’s no spring chicken but he’s gonna get goals in league two, gotta be brilliant for the young lads too learning from a player who been there and done it. #DRFC #Sharp

@rhysmcc44: What a signing that is

@nicole_nsr_: Cracking signing for Rovers. Really hope they get promotion next year.

@KerrieRoebuck: He will absolutely smash it at this level. A great leader who we miss terribly at the Blades.

@adamcox_96: Massive statement of intent right there, doesn’t get much bigger than this!

@GTFC44Fish: Let’s be honest if Donny don’t win the league or get promoted something definitely went tits up fair play what a signing

@Orrie2014: Be interesting to see what this & the other signings have on season tickets? Will the city get behind the club?

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