Hurst starts: The predicted Doncaster Rovers XI to face Accrington Stanley on Saturday | OneFootball

Football League World names predicts Doncaster Rovers starting eleven for their Accrington Stanley opener

After a productive summer, Doncaster Rovers’ eagerly anticipated 2024-25 League Two season gets underway this weekend as Accrington Stanley visit the Eco-Power stadium.

Ahead of the curtain raiser, Doncaster boss Grant McCann has a selection headache, because the bulk of his playing squad have hit top form and found fitness with the new campaign in sight.

Following on from a near-perfect pre-season, with nearly all his first-team players ready and available for selection, McCann faces the tricky task of working out his best starting eleven for the opening game.

Doncaster Rovers predicted XI

While new signing Harry Clifton and midfielder Zain Westbrooke are available to feature from the start on Saturday, it is unlikely McCann will throw either of the pair into the deep end off the back of their half an hour substitute appearances, returning from injury against Rotherham United in the senior side’s final pre-season outing.

That said, Ben Close remains the only player definitely ruled out of starting contention. While the 28-year-old’s recovery from a knee injury is going as planned, he is expected to spend three more weeks on the sidelines.

In that time, Doncaster will hope to underscore their promotion aims by starting quickly and keeping up with the early pacesetters. Although Accrington Stanley could prove to be a potential banana skin opponent, with a wealth of talent and experience at his disposal, McCann will be confident his side can avoid an early slip-up.

Here we take a look at the starting lineup McCann could put out as Doncaster Rovers look to start the season with three points.

GK: Ted Sharman-Lowe

Last January, Doncaster dipped into the loan market and signed 21-year-old shot-stopper Timothee Lo-Tutala, who helped to revive the club’s stagnant season and played a leading role in Rovers’ push for the play-offs.

Following in his footsteps, summer recruit Ted Sharman-Lowe has been taken to similarly oust Ian Lawlor as Grant McCann's number one choice between the sticks.

While the Chelsea loanee only made three appearances for Bromley in the National League last season, he is highly rated and will likely start on Saturday.

RB: Jamie Sterry

Dependability personified, Jamie Sterry is a throwback to the time before right-backs were expected to be comfortable in attack and regularly contribute with goals and assists from wide areas.

What Sterry lacks going forward, he makes up for with his excellent positional sense and defensive nous. The 28-year-old is rarely beaten in a challenge, and Rovers' defence always looks weaker in his absence.

Although he is not the eye-catching creative force many fans would like him to be, he dovetails with Molyneux and allows the winger to occupy higher, more threatening positions out of possession.

CB: Tom Anderson

Big, physical and wholehearted, fan favourite Tom Anderson is preparing to enter his eighth season with Doncaster Rovers, and he will have a crucial role to play in the side’s promotion effort if he can stay injury-free.

Not only is Anderson combative in the air, with the ability to calmly step out and intercept a pass forward directed toward the opposition attacker, he is reliable on the ball and rarely sells his teammates short in possession.

He will start ahead of youngster Jay McGrath, who will rotate in as central defensive cover throughout the season.

CB: Richard Wood

At 39, Richard Wood is the oldest member of the Doncaster Rovers squad; the veteran centre-half is gearing up for his 22nd season in the professional game.

A week on from his testimonial match, the tenacious and physical defender is expected to lead the side into the new campaign against Accrington wearing the captain’s armband.

He started 27 games under the tutelage of McCann last season and can be expected to hit similar appearance numbers this time around.

LB: James Maxwell

The antidote to Jamie Sterry’s negative defensive style, James Maxwell is confident, sprinting forward on the overlap and regularly creating chances from wide areas.

In the past, the 22-year-old has been seen to the best effect under the cosh, tasked with winning his one-on-one duels and getting the better of his opponent in high-pressure matches.

The former Scotland U-19 international was a mainstay in the Doncaster Rovers side that miraculously strung together ten wins in a row to reach the League Two play-offs last season, and he will be one of the first names on the team sheet again this term.

DM: Owen Bailey

Since his move from Gateshead last summer, Owen Bailey has regularly been used as cover for several defensive roles. The 25-year-old was a standout performer when called upon to play at right-back, centre-half and in his favoured defensive midfield position last term.

Now, with most of the squad fully fit, Bailey is set to star at the heart of midfield, dictating play from deep and driving forward to start attacks.

He was ever-present for Doncaster Rovers last season, appearing in all 48 of the side's League Two matches - McCann's most important player will be similarly involved again this campaign.

DM: George Broadbent

McCann’s decision to shift George Broadbent back into a deeper defensive role during pre-season could hardly have gone better.

The 23-year-old has been one of Doncaster Rovers' standout performers across their warm-up matches and has earned the right to partner Owen Bailey at the base of the midfield from the outset of this campaign.

In the wake of Matthew Craig's loan recall, Broadbent will be afforded the time to grow into his new position and should surpass last season's 13 league starts.

AM: Kyle Hurst

In parallel with Broadbent, Kyle Hurst is expected to enjoy a more prominent role in the Rovers’ team this season, having spent the majority of last term sporadically featuring off the bench.

With the arrival of summer signing Joe Sbarra, the 22-year-old will face plenty of competition for starting minutes; Hurst will be selected against tighter, rigid defences where his explosive, dynamic attacking style has proven most effective.

He will likely get the go-ahead in attacking midfield against Accrington, finding space to receive the ball and play off the striker.

RW: Luke Molyneux

When the news broke that Luke Molyneux had agreed to extend his Doncaster Rovers contract and commit to McCann’s long-term project, a fever pitch of excitement for the new season swept across the city.

One of the most highly-rated players in League Two, Molyneux provided nine goals and eight assists across 45 matches in red and white last term.

He is expected to be similarly impactful this season and could play a leading role as the side look to launch a bold promotion bid.

Energetic left-winger Jordan Gibson scored seven goals for Carlisle United last season and is expected to improve for the step-down in class and move to South Yorkshire.

McCann moved quickly to sign the 26-year-old early in the transfer window, and Gibson has had time to ease his way into life as a Rovers player.

However, from the start of the new campaign, Gibson will be expected to shoulder some of the collective goalscoring burden and hit the ground running of one of the team's most dangerous threats.

ST: Joe Ironside

Last term, serial goalscorer Joe Ironside netted 20 times for Doncaster Rovers in League Two and the 30-year-old will hope to hit similar numbers again, leading the line for a club targeting promotion.

Fresh off of the best scoring season of his Football League career, Ironside remains at the height of his powers and will be a major threat again this time around.

He is expected to start ahead of the club’s most notable arrival, Billy Sharp, who may be used as his strike partner as the campaign wears on and gaps in the front line emerge.