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Doncaster sack manager and make ex-Coventry, Birmingham, Scunthorpe player interim boss

Doncaster Rovers have decided to sack manager Richie Wellens and make ex-Coventry, Birmingham, Scunthorpe player Gary McSheffrey interim boss.

The 41-year-old departs the Keepmoat with Rovers sitting second bottom of League One, having taken just 13 of an available 57 points so far.

The manner of the defeat to Crewe Alexandra in the Papa John’s Trophy on Wednesday night proved the final straw for a Rovers hierarchy that had been considering Wellens’ position for several weeks.

CLUB STATEMENT:

Doncaster Rovers can confirm that Richie Wellens has left the club with immediate effect.

The club’s board have taken the decision that a change is required at this time in order for a permanent appointment to be made in time for the opening of the January transfer window.

Wellens departs Rovers with the club 23rd in Sky Bet League One, with the Papa John’s Trophy defeat at Crewe Alexandra on Wednesday night his final game in charge.

U18s manager Gary McSheffrey will take charge of the team for Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup tie at home to Mansfield Town.

The club would like to thank Richie for his efforts and wish him well in the future.

There will be a meet the owners event held at the Keepmoat Stadium in December.

Doncaster Rovers assistant manager Noel Hunt questioned whether some of the club’s players know what being a professional footballer is all about after the defeat at Crewe Alexandra.

“Angry, frustrated, disappointed,” Hunt said.

“Some of these players don’t know what it takes to be a professional footballer.

“There was a lack of fight. The front three were miles off it.

“There wasn’t much in the game. We got final third entries, we got crosses into the box but the only difference was they wanted to score and we didn’t.

“Apart from Tom Anderson, Kyle Knoyle, Joe Olowu and Tommy Rowe who showed some fight when he came on, we struggled in midfield.

“It’s really disappointing all round.

“In the first half we started well, we were on the front foot, we created chances.

“But because we haven’t scored, we go and try the other things and think we have the answers ourselves rather than sticking to the gameplan and having discipline to keep working on the patterns that will give us the goals eventually.

“It’s about the hunger and desire to sprint to get inside the six yard box where it hurts to score. We’ve got to make sure we instil that and they understand what it takes.”

“Absolutely we lost too easily,” he said.

“Their first goal is a great goal but Tiago [Cukur] has got to do more. Louis has kicked to him but it’s too easy and he lets [Terell] Thomas come and take the ball on his chest rather than fighting for it and showing that he wants to win the individual battle that we speak about every single day.

“He needs to accept that he hasn’t got the ball and then chase and win it back. Negative reactions are not good enough.

“It’s not good enough for Doncaster Rovers and it’s not good enough for us. We won’t accept it.”

Gary McSheffrey is an English former professional footballer and coach who is part of the under-18s coaching team at Doncaster Rovers.

As a player he was a striker and left winger who made more than 450 appearances in the Football League and Premier League, including 247 for Coventry City, where he became the youngest player ever to play in the Premier League.

He went on to play for Stockport County, Luton Town, Birmingham City, Nottingham Forest, and Leeds United before returning to Coventry in 2010.

Released in September 2013, he signed for Chesterfield later that month.

In January 2014, he signed for Scunthorpe United on a free transfer until the end of the 2013–14 season before moving on to Doncaster Rovers, Eastleigh, Grimsby Town, and Frickley Athletic. He scored more than 100 league goals during his career.

McSheffrey has played internationally for England at under-20 level.

In 2018, McSheffrey joined the coaching staff at Doncaster Rovers’ Academy as professional development phase coach working with the under-18 team.

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Alongside his coaching role, he played a few matches for Northern Premier League East side Frickley Athletic early in the 2018–19 season.

On the 24th of October 2020, McSheffrey made his debut for Northern Counties East League club Rossington Main, but has focused more on coaching of late.

GARY’S CAREER:

Youth career
Coventry City

Senior career
1998–2006 – Coventry City – 143 games (44 goals)
2001 → IK Brage (loan) – 6 games (0 goals)
2001–2002 → Stockport County (loan) – 5 games (1 goal)
2003 → Luton Town (loan) – 18 games (8 goals)
2004 → Luton Town (loan) – 5 games (1 goal)
2006–2010 – Birmingham City – 83 games (16 goals)
2009 → Nottingham Forest (loan) – 4 games (0 goals)
2010 → Leeds United (loan) – 10 games (1 goal)
2010–2013 – Coventry City – 104 games (17 goals)
2013–2014 – Chesterfield – 9 games (1 goal)
2014–2016 – Scunthorpe United – 80 games (12 goals)
2016 → Doncaster Rovers (loan) – 7 games (1 goal)
2016–2017 – Doncaster Rovers – 12 games (0 goals)
2017 – Eastleigh – 11 games (2 goals)
2018 – Grimsby Town – 6 games (0 goals)
2018 – Frickley Athletic – 4 games (0 goals)
2020 – Rossington Main – 1 game (0 goals)
Total – 508 games (104 goals)

National team
2002 – England U20 – 6 games (0 goals)

Twitter users reacted as Doncaster sack their manager and make the ex-Coventry, Birmingham, Scunthorpe player interim boss…

@Matty_Vickers: As much as I wished it worked out for you, it wasn’t to be. A donny legend and I wish you the very best.

@TomColes560: Warnock till the end of the season

@philskyross1962: Amazing player. Just not found his feet as a manager.

@elliott_teale: Best decision they’ve made in 2021!

@OCarrick01: good luck richie you will always be a club legend, sorry it didn’t work out! x

@IzzyNixon1: All the best Richie, onwards and upwards from now on

@RobSceneblog: Great player for Rovers. Awful manager. Good riddance. Could the Warnock to Rovers dream finally become reality? #DRFC

@BenTheRover97: Shame it didn’t work out but a change was absolutely needed!! He will still be known as a fantastic player for us!

@MightyroverMatt: Brilliant player but not there as a manager yet, to big of a job with the resources for him for me but also not the experience to deal with dice given, #drfc

@APBroome1995: 0 surprise. Awful team playing awful football. No chance of staying up atm, something had to change

@AdamBat92308251: He could not control his mouth or his attitude letting his ego make major decisions about team and tactics. He needs to learn how to work for the team, and do things he does not like if it benefited the team.

@DRFCJM1: Whoop whoop Baldwin to follow please

@RyanBroooks: Fuck me the board showing some backbone

@jack_roberts_44: Richie, you’ll always be a DRFC legend but it just wasn’t working. All the best

@DRFCJM1: Get Omar Bogle back in that squad

@T_DRFC: Well I genuinely didn’t think that was coming. Wow. Wild. GET WARNOCK IN!

@Liz_Robinson_xx: “Rovers can confirm the reinstation of Paul Gerrard as goalkeeping coach with immediate effect”

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