McCann's April Magic: Doncaster Eye Survival Against Already-Doomed Cobblers
Grant McCann's remarkable April record could be the key to Doncaster's League One survival as they face relegated Northampton in what should be a routine survival-sealing affair.
There's something beautifully poetic about needing to beat a team that's already down to stay up yourself. It's football's equivalent of kicking someone when they're down, except everyone's perfectly fine with it because, well, that's the business.
Doncaster Rovers find themselves in exactly this position today, facing a Northampton Town side that's already resigned to life in League Two next season. For Grant McCann's men, victory would virtually guarantee their League One status for another campaign – though given the precarious nature of modern football finances, 'guarantee' might be putting it a bit strong.
What should give Doncaster supporters genuine confidence is McCann's extraordinary April record since returning to the club. The manager has overseen just two defeats in seventeen April fixtures during his second stint – statistics that would make even the most pessimistic Rovers fan crack a smile. Mind you, those two defeats did come during the recent Easter programme, which probably felt like the footballing equivalent of your roast dinner burning on Christmas Day.
Still, McCann's troops bounced back in typically resilient fashion with victory against Reading last weekend, suggesting the Easter blip was merely a temporary lapse rather than a concerning trend. It's the sort of response that separates survival specialists from the genuinely doomed – a category Northampton unfortunately find themselves firmly planted in.
The Cobblers' relegation was confirmed some time ago, which raises the age-old question of how a team with nothing left to play for approaches these final fixtures. Will they roll over and have their bellies tickled, or will they play with the freedom that comes from having absolutely nothing to lose? History suggests it could go either way, though Doncaster will be hoping for the former.
For McCann, this represents the perfect opportunity to rubber-stamp what would be considered a successful season under the circumstances. Taking over a struggling side and keeping them in League One isn't going to win any Manager of the Year awards, but it's the sort of unglamorous excellence that keeps clubs afloat and managers employed.
The mathematics are refreshingly simple: win today, and Doncaster can start planning for another season of League One mediocrity. Lose, and those final fixtures suddenly become a lot more interesting than anyone at the Keepmoat Stadium would prefer.
Given McCann's April prowess and Northampton's confirmed status as next season's League Two fodder, this should be job done. Should be.