Former Chesterfield defender and current Bolton Wanderers coach linked with Doncaster Rovers job

Hird, 35, is currently first-team coach at Bolton Wanderers, working alongside another ex-Spireite, Ian Evatt.

Bolton are just outside the League One play-off positions and Hird is reportedly ‘happy’ where he is despite being linked to the role.

Rovers are on the search for a new boss after sacking Gary McSheffrey earlier this week.

McSheffrey was appointed in December last year but he could not save them from relegation to League Two.

Doncaster are only three points off the play-offs but the Yorkshire club were not happy with performance levels and the lack of an ‘identity.’

Former Huddersfield Town coach Danny Schofield is the strong favourite for the job.

Hird, who played more than 200 times for Chesterfield as well as winning the League Two title, also made more than 150 appearances for Rovers, winning promotion to the Championship through the play-offs and lifting the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

Announcing McSheffrey’s departure, chairman David Blunt said: “While results so far in Sky Bet League Two have been largely positive, there has been a growing concern over the standard of performances in matches and a lack of progress between games.

“We feel this is threatening our ability to achieve our stated goals for the season.

“We have also been disappointed that our wishes for a particular style of play and overall identity, which were clearly laid out over the summer, have not been brought into effect in competitive matches.

“These factors have combined to lead us to take this difficult decision to relieve Gary and Steve of their posts.

“We are confident the squad that has been assembled is more than capable of challenging for promotion with an entertaining and attacking approach, and have reached a consensus that change is required in order to ensure we have the best chance of doing so.”