Doncaster Rovers secure midfielder Owen Bailey on two-year contract

Doncaster Rovers have announced the acquisition of midfielder Owen Bailey, who has signed a two-year contract with the club.

Bailey, who has demonstrated his versatility as both a midfielder and a defender, spent the previous two seasons with Gateshead, achieving notable successes including promotion to the National League and reaching the FA Trophy final.

The 24-year-old began his career at Newcastle United and spent a trial period with Rovers two summers ago.

Bailey expressed his pleasure about the new signing, saying, “It’s something that I’ve been pushing for and really wanted so I’m delighted to be here and get it sorted.”

Bailey recalls his past experience with the club fondly, mentioning, “I came here two years ago on trial and got a really good feel for the place. It’s a big club - you look at the stadium and the training ground and you can see that. It’s perfect for my development."

He also noted that his discussions with the manager about the club's ambitions for the future were in alignment with his own, leading him to make the decision to join Rovers.

The Rovers' manager, Grant McCann, expressed his satisfaction with Bailey's signing.

He stated, “Owen is a lad that’s had a tremendous couple of years after leaving Newcastle. He’s a good player with a really good background. What he’ll bring is sheer tenacity to midfield - a defensive midfield player, aggressive, on the front foot and flexible in how he plays. He will compete in that position.”

Bailey marks Doncaster Rovers’ seventh signing this summer, following the arrivals of Ian Lawlor, Richard Wood, Jamie Sterry, George Broadbent, Jack Senior, and Joe Ironside.