Doncaster have rejected a Town £2.6 million joint-bid for striker Billy Sharp and midfielder James Coppinger. Rovers chairman John Ryan has confirmed that his club has turned down £2.3 million for Sharp and £300,000 for Coppinger.

Ryan says the South Yorkshire club have no plans to sell the pair: “[Manager] Sean O’Driscoll is determined to build a quality squad to go into next season and these two players are pivotal to that desire.

“The club remains ambitious and feels that with a bit more luck with injuries and refereeing decisions we can be a real force in the Championship next season.

“Sharp and Coppinger are without doubt wonderful players that are getting better and better. I’m very confident, if they both remain fit, they will influence our campaign in a very positive way.

“I’m confident Billy can notch 25 goals next season, with James providing the bullets for him, along with others.

“Myself, the directors, the management team and the players are looking forward to a great season next term - and we’re looking up rather than down.”

A number of this morning’s national newspapers reported Town’s move for Sharp, who TWTD revealed had been watched by manager Paul Jewell in March, and Coppinger, who we mentioned was strongly tipped for a Town move on Monday.

Sharp, 25, started his career with hometown club Sheffield United, spending time on loan at Rushden and Diamonds during the second half of 2004/05.

That summer, the 5ft 9in tall frontman moved on to Scunthorpe for £100,000 and it was at Glanford Park where Sharp made his name netting 24 times in his first season and on 32 occasions in his second — the most for the club for 45 years - as he helped the Iron into the League One title.

A return to Bramall Lane followed via a £2 million deal but Sharp’s second spell with the Blades never really got going, his first two seasons yielding six goals apiece.

Doncaster took him on loan a month into 2009/10 and the goals began to flow again, 15 following on from an early season strike for the Blades.

Rovers boss O’Driscoll made the switch a permanent one last summer when paid his club’s South Yorkshire neighbours £1.1 million, the striker signing a three-year deal.

This season, Sharp scored another 16 goals, including two against the Blues in Town’s 3-2 win in January. Overall, Sharp has netted 109 times in 219 starts and 24 sub appearances during his career.

Coppinger, 30, began his footballing life with Darlington but Newcastle United signed him for £250,000 while the Guisborough-born player was still a teenager.

Two loans at Hartlepool followed with a single Premier League game from the bench for the Magpies and an appearance-less spell at QPR in between them.

Coppinger joined Exeter on a free transfer in the summer of 2002 and spent two years at the other St James’ Park before moving on to Doncaster for £30,000 in June 2004. This season the 5ft 7in tall midfielder has scored seven goals but also helped Sharp to many of his.

Over his career, Coppinger, who like Sharp is contracted to Rovers until 2013, has made 359 starts and 53 sub appearances, scoring 52 goals.

Earlier in the week, Rovers defender George Friend was also mentioned in connection with the Blues.

Photo: Action Images

rosseden added 20:43 - May 13 ''Norris was past his best but Coppinger is the same age'' one wanted a 3 year deal on £15k or so a week, i bet the other is on half that and would go for a 2 year plus follow on agreement......
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h32 added 21:54 - May 13 ........ so how easy is it going to be to sign all these supposedly 'incoming players ?? - not very easy at all, and it's time the dreamers woke up.
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StochesStotasBlewe added 23:00 - May 13 These kind of deals take some time to negotiate. It would be no different if a club tables a bid for one of our players, the onus will be to get as much as possible. We have no idea how much M E has told Mr Jewell & Clegg they have to spend & then, what terms can the club afford to pay a player of Mr Sharpes ability. He wont be cheap & we need to realise this, as will be the case in future transfer deals.

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gypo added 23:32 - May 13 Get nugent for free and get vaughan from everton and then have Connor sitting just off them. That scares the sh!t out of me
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Somersetractor added 01:10 - May 14 As much as PJ wants to get things settled early, I don't think it's gonna happen. Clubs are gonna hold on as long as they can for the best bid. I get the feeling that we are in for a few months of speculation before we see the inevitable last minute bidding wars. But things are building from sound ground but of course it wont stop me from checking TWTD every day in the vain hope of next seasons blue skies. Cmon you f'in blues!

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BrettenhamBlue added 03:11 - May 14 Think we need to forget about these 2 for the time being and concentrate on fast-forwarding the Jimmy Bullard situation..... Let's get Bullard in first and then build around him. It would be nice to see a significant permanent signing- we haven't had one of those for a while......
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suffolkpoker added 09:19 - May 14 I agree with a post made earlier with the chairman coming out and releasing the price, which is obv to make other clubs aware. I think we can get Sharp fro £2.5m and Copps for 500k, i say we strike today with a counter bid of £3mil and tie this deal up. Then we we are looking to get other players on frees, it shows we are serious.
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broomfield123 added 09:23 - May 14 how about if we offer 1.5 for both plus scotland plus another ie civelli who clearly isnt going to get reglar games and on resonable money
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bobble added 09:27 - May 14 how about all our starting 11 and 2 goats and a free massage for their chairman for the 2 of them ?
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pepperot123 added 09:41 - May 14 Until we commit to paying slightly over our valuation for players PJ wants we will not move forward.
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suffolkpoker added 10:04 - May 14 i would push pie eater - scotland down there my self in a wheel barrow if he went part of the deal... i just cant see it tbh
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suffolkpoker added 10:43 - May 14 one of my mates have just told me that they are both putting in a transfer request, and want want to join. Ive got no idea how he knows, but he seems to get this stuff right. I hope he is right :) Then we can get them both cheaper imo
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nearly50yearsblue added 12:34 - May 14 James Coppinger looks set to seal a 500,000 move to Burnley next week
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ITFC4daprem added 12:37 - May 14 how old is sharp (how is is comparable to leadbitter as same price) as i think could do well
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churchmans added 13:51 - May 14 suffolk poker you need your brain testing this is the third comment of had to send out because of the language of my previous two! 3.5 million!!!!! you must be on drugs or something never ever worth that
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churchmans added 13:54 - May 14 the guy is 25 coppinger is 30! sharp has never scored 25 leauge goals in the championship!!!!!!! FACT and suffolk poker would have us pay 3.5 million!! i tell ya dont know jack bout footie
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churchmans added 14:00 - May 14 3.5 million you wana be going to the next level for that kind of player. billy sharp £3.5million hahahahahahaha the fool walks through the forest yet sees no firewood! villager badly!
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