Mansfield Town's summer signing David McGoldrick has caught the eye of Doncaster Rovers manager Grant McCann ahead of their League One opener. McGoldrick, 38, joins Mansfield Town as a major part of their attacking rebuild.
What happened?
Speaking ahead of his side's visit to Mansfield, Doncaster manager Grant McCann had a lot of praise for Stags' summer signing David McGoldrick. "I've always been an admirer of David's," McCann said. "I've spoken to you about him a few times before, when I mentioned him and Luke Molyneux were probably the two best players in the division the year we got promoted (2024/25 season), from an attacking point of view anyway.
Why it matters for Mansfield
McGoldrick became a free agent this summer following the expiration of his contract with Barnsley. There was plenty of interest shown in the 38-year-old, but Mansfield Town beat the competition for his signature. The striker joins Stags as a major part of their attacking rebuild. McGoldrick scored 15 League One goals for Barnsley last season and McCann is expecting him to play a similar role in Clough's system.
What comes next?
"He's a top, top player for this level," the Rovers boss continued. "Even though he's 38, he's still got the ability to change a game in an instance. And I don't think he's got any dissimilar role at Mansfield as he did at Barnsley. He's got the licence to go and be free and drift and find the ball. So, we need to be mindful of that. But we'll be making sure that we get our plan right first and we'll take it from there."
Mansfield Town are currently 12th in League One, with 58 points from 43 games, and have scored 53 goals this season, conceding 45. Their next fixture is against Reading at home on February 9, 2027.
The impact on the league
Mansfield Town's attacking rebuild is expected to be a major factor in their success this season. With McGoldrick on board, they will be looking to push for a top-six finish in League One. Doncaster Rovers, on the other hand, will be looking to cause an upset at the One Call Stadium.
