A message has been sent to Doncaster fans who made their feelings known after suffering a 5-1 defeat to Plymouth at the weekend.
Despite Brandon Hanlan’s 4th minute opener for the hosts, Argyle hit back with a goalscoring spree, Tolaj levelling on 11 minutes, with Owen Oseni making it 2-1 on 22 minutes, Tolaj added his second a minute later for a 3-1 half time lead, Then Tolaj completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot with less than 20 minutes remaining, before Xavier Amaechi came off the bench to make it 5-1).
Doncaster are on a poor run with just one win in their last 14 league games, dropping to second-bottom with 22 points from 21 games played in the League One table, a point from safety. Plymouth are up to 17th.
The moment Lorent Tolaj completed his hattrick and most Rovers fans had had enough (Couldn’t blame any of them tbh)
🎥 Full Video: https://t.co/ouTj7fz0T8 #DRFC #PAFC pic.twitter.com/CUVC3Y75F4
— Adam Gittings (@AdamGittingspt) December 21, 2025
Grant McCann to the club media: “We were 3-1 down and there was nothing really from the group. The confidence was really low in the group.
“We felt rushed, we felt on edge and we were making decisions as a group that the players are not used to making which ultimately made us look a lot worse than what we are.
“It’s a tough one to take. I didn’t sense us getting back into the game.
“We tried to change it at half time and we had some half chances but we just struggled to deal with their forwards. They’re good players, [Lorent] Tolaj and [Owen] Oseni, but we struggled every time it turned over and they spun and ran.
“We were really comfortable in the first ten minutes. We started on the front foot, scored a good goal.
“But we gave them the equaliser where we lose it in the middle and they score. We knew that was going to happen and we worked on it on the training ground.
“It’s a mistake. We tried to play it into George [Broadbent] and we lose it. We give it away to probably the best centre forward in the division, Tolaj.
“It springboards from there and we gifted them so many opening and opportunities. Every time we lost it, they broke.”
He added: “We need to get to the bottom of it all really and that’s my job that I get paid to do. At this moment in time I’m not delivering it. It’s as simple as that. I always hold my hand up and take responsibility.
“I put the team on the pitch. I pick the players, the subs, the formations – everything. So I need to look at myself and see what I’m doing wrong.
“Am I having too much belief in certain players, shapes, systems or whatever it may be? I need to look at it because at this moment in time it’s not good enough.
“It’s not good enough to concede 11 goals in three games. It’s simply not.
“I need to get back to the drawing board at the training ground and first of all trying to make his hard to beat.
“As much as we want to be good on the ball going forward and attacking, we have to be good at the other end.
“It’s a day for us to learn from and get better because we can’t keep saying ‘there’s another game next week.’ We need to start delivering now and that’s all of us. Me included.
“At this moment in time it’s not good enough. It’s not good enough to concede five at home and concede four at Cardiff. Nine goals in two games.
“Defensively, from an organisation point of view, we don’t look good so I need to get back to the training ground and try to rectify that.
“We’ve done this before – we’ve lost big games at home over the last two-and-a-half years. I remember getting beat here 5-0 against Stockport in League Two and 5-0 against Morecambe.
“But we’ve always responded and I’ll back myself and I’ll back the staff to pick the boys up and respond.
“I’m really raw and full of emotion speaking straight after the game because some of the decision-making.
“When you lack confidence and when you’re not at your best, you’re hoping you can deliver a set play into a dangerous area and that didn’t quite come off for us also.
‘Everything that could go wrong we wrong and all I can do is apologise. I know the fans probably don’t want an apology from me but that was nowhere near. They pay their hard-earned money to come out and watch that and we’ve done absolutely nothing for them.”
Owen Bailey said, per the club website: “We’ve got to look within. I think all of us have to look in the mirror and ask ‘have you done enough today?’
“For the vast majority of us, the answer is no. That’s the biggest takeaway.
“We’ll always stick together. It’s an unbelievable group of people and players.
“After a game like that it’s easy to throw the toys out of the pram, kick off, sulk and all the rest of it.
“But it’s black and white. Everyone can see it. We need to take accountability as individuals and come back in on Monday ready to put it right. Look within ourselves and see what we’re doing.
“Even if you think you’re doing well at the minute, we’re not. It’s as simple as that.
“We’ve got a good group, like I keep saying, but we need to look at ourselves now and we will. We’ll come back in training and we’ll put it right.
“I suppose probably the one good thing is that the next game is not far away away, then again after that and after that,. We’ve got games coming thick and fast and we have to put it right. It’s simple.
“It’s Christmas in between but as a group we’ve got to find ourselves, dig deep and look at what we can do better individually and as a group both on and off the pitch.
“We need to be ready to go on Boxing Day and then the games after that and turn the tide.”
He said to Doncaster Free Press: “We capitulated really. It’s nowhere near good enough to concede five at home to anyone. There’s a lot of soul-searching going on (in the dressing room).
“Our reaction to conceding has to be better. You’re never going to win games like that.”
His message for supporters: “It’s difficult to know what to say. People keep saying we’ll be fine – we’ve never said that (internally) but you see those kind of comments. It’s about picking points up now. It’s as simple as that.
“As a group we’re doing everything we can. That’s probably the biggest thing I’d say to the fans. We’re doing everything on and off the field to put it right and make sure it doesn’t happen again.
“I very much believe in the group because I know the quality we’ve got. But I can sit here and talk about it as much as I want. It’s about going out on the pitch now and getting the points.
“Games in quick succession is exactly what we want now over Christmas. We don’t have time to dwell on it. It’s time to put it right.”
With a message sent to Doncaster fans who made their feelings known after 5-1 defeat to Plymouth, this was the response to it…
@Gazz_TheRover: Why did we start with a back four, go to a back five at half time and then back to a four 14 minutes later? Thinking a five might be a good idea until we sort ourselves out. Be hard to beat #drfc
@Josh_Dainty: If we’re being logical, the idea of sacking GM (who has gone on in the last two seasons to improve the squad in January and kick on in the second half of the season) should really not be entertained YET. #drfc
@VikingWay__: Fundamentally summer recruitment has absolutely killed us. There’s an argument that not one of them is good enough for League One, and not one of them has improved us from last year. You simply cannot go up a level and not improve your squad. It’s so naive. Love McCann but one of his biggest downfalls is he is way too loyal. New deals for the likes of Westbrooke. Rejecting a massive offer for McGrath when it was obvious we should have took it. Sticking with the same players as last year. Got to be more ruthless in Jan. There’s no real recruitment strategy and that’s a worry. Agreed the Glover move doesn’t seem to have worked but McCann is still heading the whole operation. We need a functional recruitment team which can work sustainably regardless of who is manager.
@Kinl0ch: After having a night to get over yesterday. I love McCann but 1 win in 13 🤣 we need to change system for these players to work in league one or spend a fair amount in Jan to make the system work. Defence and GK were woeful yesterday, midfield non existent. Change is needed #drfc
@AlexFromDonny: You carnt tell me them players our playing for him. Basic effort and running isn’t even there. #DRFC
@jkanalysis7: What on earth’s happened to Doncaster? Started the season decently, but now find themselves 1 win in 14. #drfc
@Gazz_TheRover: The capitulation from one mistake after starting so well is worrying. The squad is so fragile #drfc
@DannyGreenRover: Where do I even start. First 10 mins all good after that an absolute shit show. TLT at no fault whatsoever the 3rd goal was the breaking point for me personally straight from kick off. Plymouth weren’t good we just gave up and for me that’s a kick in bollocks. Nightmare before Christmas… Middleton wanting to go back to Scotland. O’Riordan and Crew loans without doubt done. 23rd in league one. Summer recruitment been an absolute shit show #DRFC
