Rovers chat - February 20
Ricky Charlesworth and Tom Biltcliffe chat all things Doncaster Rovers.
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00:00 Hello and welcome along to a new Doncaster Rovers Facebook Live chat. I'm Ricky Charles,
00:07 the Rovers writer for the Free Press and I'm joined by Tom Biltcliffe from Radio Sheffield.
00:12 Thomas, how are we doing?
00:13 Yeah, good, thank you, Ricky. Nice to be on.
00:17 Good stuff. Yeah, so like I say, it's a new chat that we're starting up. Obviously, just
00:23 trying to have a bit of a revamp of the Free Press Rovers coverage. We want to do more
00:27 stuff like this with respective voices like Tom and other people in and around the Doncaster
00:32 scene. So, yeah, Tom, obviously, kind of a good time to be following Rovers at the minute.
00:40 Obviously, it's not been great the last few months, but it's certainly picking up and
00:44 what a win Saturday. I know you weren't there. Typical, isn't it, when you've been at pretty
00:49 much most of the games the last few months, but you'll have seen the goals back and you'll
00:52 have seen plenty of reaction and stuff. I mean, some performance on Saturday.
00:58 Yeah, I mean, I was at the Fleetwood-Barnsley game and after 10 minutes, it popped up a
01:04 notification that Rovers weren't just one goal ahead, they were two ahead. And then
01:09 people were texting me saying, 'You wait till you see the quality, particularly that first
01:13 goal, that Molineux strike. It's a proper team goal.' And people say, 'You can't play
01:18 out from the back. You could be Man City and even they can't do it and all the rest of
01:21 it.' Well, Doncaster Rovers proved on Saturday, in the heat of a battle against a team that
01:27 was absolutely scrapping for their lives at the bottom of League Two, you can do it.
01:32 And then not only that, a soft penalty. But, you know, if the boot had been on the other
01:40 foot, would Rovers have wanted it? Probably so. I think that's the first penalty Rovers
01:45 have conceded since the opening day of the season against Harrogate. But thankfully,
01:50 it didn't matter all that much. And the way that Rovers efficiently put Grimsby to the
01:56 sword in the second half. The outpouring from the Grimsby fans, especially, I mean, they've
02:03 got their own problems with David Artel, but the fact that they've been kind of dismantled
02:08 by who they were seeing as a relegation rival was a really big feather in Rovers' cap.
02:14 I think back to the other week, when you and I both travelled to Sutton and it was kind
02:20 of make or break for Sutton. They had to beat Doncaster that day and were 10 seconds away
02:26 from doing so. And I remember leaving the game and they said, 'Well, we're going to
02:32 have to go and catch someone else now because there's no way we can claw back that seven
02:36 points on Doncaster.' And I'm kind of minded to think that Grimsby, I know they're a few
02:43 points clear of the drop, but they're going to have to chase someone else now. Rovers
02:46 have just eased themselves clear and it's been quite the turnaround in this last couple
02:52 of weeks. But to go to Grimsby and win 5-1, oddly enough, not the first time it's happened
03:00 in recent years. The long-suffering fans, you think of them and the places they've been.
03:08 But I wouldn't be lying if I said I thought the signs were there against Salford in midweek.
03:15 Rovers could have probably won that 3-4-1 in the end and were a bit unlucky not to come
03:22 away. And in the lead-up to the Grimsby game, Rovers were 3-1. I couldn't get my head around
03:29 that. And they seem to have settled on, stumbled upon, whichever way you want to put it, a
03:35 kind of formula that works away from home. They've lost just two out of the last seven
03:39 on the road. So I know they've not got a great away record, but all of a sudden, two defeats
03:46 in the last seven away from home shows a bit of resilience and probably is why they're
03:51 not going to get relegated. I think we can confidently put that to bed now.
03:55 Yeah, I was going to say, by the way, if you're watching, thanks for tuning in. And if you've
03:59 got any questions, there's a few comments already popped up, so I'll get to them in a bit.
04:04 Yeah, you make a good point. That Sutton game just felt like it was that sliding doors moment.
04:08 Like you say, it kept that buffer between themselves and Sutton and they've built on
04:12 that, haven't they? Like you said, the performance came at the right time, but I thought there
04:18 were so many good performances. I mean, we'll come on to them later on, but the January
04:22 signings have completely, you know, they are just bedding in so well. Akeba Adelikian was
04:28 obviously one of them who Stephen's just put a must in the summer, probably the best
04:33 loan signing since Grant was last in charge. Obviously, Tom, you've been following this
04:37 club a lot longer than me. Would you concur with that?
04:39 Yeah, best loan signing. Well, who's there been? Not a great deal of competition.
04:46 Tyler Roberts, crikey, nearly forgot his name, from Wolves, he didn't do anything.
04:52 Louis Marsh was unlucky. Nixon's been good. I like Tom Nixon. So, credit to him. He's been
05:03 on the periphery. But in terms of impact, though, four games, four assists, two goals.
05:08 Wow. Really turned up to the party. And I'll be honest, I've seen Akeba Adelikian previously
05:16 this season against Barnsley and I was a bit, not sure what Rovers are going to get here.
05:21 He's got a point to prove, clearly. He's a Ligue 1 player and he's really turned up to
05:29 the party. But I think the general consensus from all the lads that have signed in January
05:35 has been one that they're here to prove a point. You've seen Billy Waters running around.
05:41 He gives you that energy, that enthusiasm. And Grant says he's got an infectious personality.
05:47 They've all brought their own. I feel really sorry for Connor Carty because it was actually
05:51 that first, just getting into that game at Bradford and then he got crocked. He had made
05:58 a few nice touches. But Adelikian is the standout. And, yeah, let's not forget ourselves,
06:05 he is playing for a contract, either an extension at Lincoln, potentially, another Ligue 1 contract.
06:11 There'll be some suitors in the local area. He's already mentioned to us that he's familiar with
06:17 the Yorkshire and the Humber. But in terms of impact, he's been the one standout. But the
06:23 others have definitely contributed as well. Yeah, a couple of comments just popped there
06:28 from Danny and Paul. Paul saying Ladney's are armed around him. Grant's the man for that.
06:33 Obviously, he knows him, doesn't he? Ancliffe played with them previously at Scunthorpe.
06:39 And, yeah, I think another good point from Tom there about the window. They've all made a
06:46 different TLT. How many games has he played? Four. Yet to lose. He just brings that presence,
06:51 doesn't he? And when he's coming for crosses, he likes to take his time on the ball.
06:54 Probably a bit too long sometimes. And then Matty Craig has been, I think he's been brilliant.
07:02 He scored, obviously, the other day at Grimsby. But everything he adds to that engine room,
07:06 such a young lad, he's got a bit of bite. He's got a yellow card in the last three games.
07:10 But he's got a bit of bite and he just seems to find time on the ball. He's really calm,
07:16 which I think you don't always get at Ligue 2 level, do you?
07:19 No, no, you absolutely don't. And the Stockport game, that was a baptism of fire for pretty much
07:26 everyone who joined, wasn't it? I think Jay McGrath might have had a game before that.
07:30 I bet he thought, "What have I walked into here?" And, you know, people were saying all sorts of
07:38 stuff, which was unjust after one game. But then he came back a fortnight later and he was like
07:43 a different player. And he has got that quality on the ball. But go back to that Salford game,
07:49 which is the last viewing I've had of Rovers, and he was instrumental in setting up a
07:53 Delecan for what we thought was the winner. But he really got stuck in it. And I enjoyed that
07:58 about him. I'm going to flip this. I'm going to turn commentary to turn host here, Ricky.
08:04 What do you make of TLT in terms of Grant saying, "No, no, we're sticking with Lewis Jones
08:11 until the end of the season. This is my keeper. We don't need another keeper."
08:15 Conceded that goal at Bradford in the Football League trophy. Not the worst competition to bow
08:23 out of, really, in hindsight. But he then was pretty decisive and went and got Lothar Tarler.
08:29 And he's come in and he's not faced a busy attack yet. But there seems to be that air of
08:38 command. So, what do you make about the about turn? Should Grant have kind of
08:43 said, "Look, I made the decision and maybe I was wrong."
08:48 Yeah. Whether it was a bit of kidology, I'm not sure. Do you know what I mean? Like saying,
08:52 "Oh, we're going to stick with Louis and Ben." I think it was the right call, obviously, to say
08:56 that now. But it makes you wonder why nobody took a punt on TLT. I know he was at Stevenage, wasn't
09:03 he? For a short period last season. But he's got everything, I think. The attributes, by all
09:10 accounts, he's got a good penalty record. I know he didn't really have a chance with Dane
09:14 Roses on Saturday. But he comes and claims it. Like I say, he's good on the ball and he's got
09:19 character. We interviewed him last week. You saw him at Sutton in that away end after the game. It
09:24 just feels like he's made a really good connection with the fan base already. Apparently, they were
09:30 singing happy birthday to him as well at Salford. Obviously, it was his 21st that day. So, it's all
09:36 come together for him. The only thing he's missing now is a clean sheet, which he's yet to lose. But
09:41 if he could get a clean sheet against Wimbledon Saturday, that would enhance him even further.
09:45 You kind of feel sorry for Louis Jones because it's nothing really against him. It's more that,
09:50 and I'm sure if TLT does drop a clanger, then the Gramps are probably prepared to
09:56 throw Louis back in. So, I don't think the door's closed for him. So, yes, it's an interesting one.
10:03 But I think it's definitely his shirt to lose really at the minute, TLT. And to be fair,
10:09 like you say, he's conceded four goals, five goals. I don't think you can really fault him
10:15 for too many of them. The free kick from Garber at Salford, obviously a penalty against Grimsby.
10:21 Yeah, I can't really fault him for too much so far.
10:25 Have you seen the clip on Saturday where there's a smoke bomb being let off to the side of the goal
10:32 and he's talking to the steward about it being put out?
10:34 I noticed that as it was going on, like literally from the kick-off. And I'm thinking,
10:39 right, that flare's right next to him. The stewards were there. He was having a conversation.
10:43 You see Cliff and Grant absolutely shouting the what's-its-off at him to try and switch on. And
10:51 luckily, because I'm thinking if Grimsby see that, they could go for goal quite easily. As it turns
10:57 out, Rovers end up scoring about 30 seconds later. They could have picked the flare up and started
11:01 running away with it. Yeah, I did notice that at the time. But he's just one of them characters.
11:09 Like I say, I got a chance to speak to him last Friday, I think it was. He's got a good background
11:15 in terms of born in France. He's played for France's under-20s. He's trained with Harry Kane,
11:20 Hugo Lloris at Tottenham. So he's got a good grounding and he's level-headed. And I think he's
11:24 been a great signing so far and long may it continue.
11:28 Just wanted to move on to the, obviously, put it up earlier about the momentum,
11:34 four games unbeaten. I mean, the Salford one, I was shocked when you said, well, when you told
11:39 Grant that it was three unbeaten for the first time all season. It's actually a year since they've
11:45 done that. I mean, that is madness. And it just shows you how inconsistent they've been this
11:50 season, doesn't it? Yeah, it used to drive me absolutely potty, to be quite honest, Ricky.
11:57 I remember going to Harrogate away at the start of the year and Rovers were looking for that magical
12:02 number of three unbeaten and they couldn't do it. And it was that game where he kind of lost a bit
12:09 of his temper. I thought Rovers could have been better that day, just knowing when to stick out
12:16 for a point. And it was easy for him to say, but hard for him to execute was after the Stockport
12:26 game. I think there's another home game as well about this. Oh, let's just go on a little bit of
12:30 a run. Let's see what we can do. He'd heard it all before. We'd heard it all before and it hadn't
12:35 really come to fruition. He said it now and the place is a completely different, it's a changed
12:43 environment. There seems to be kind of that reciprocal nature between the fans and the
12:48 players. I mean, the fans have been brilliant by and large in supporting Grant and the team.
12:53 The amount of players they really want to identify with. Too often they've fallen in love with the
13:00 kind of loanees. So, you know, first it was Mo Fahl, now it's Adelekin and TLT. Hopefully,
13:08 you know, perhaps then the latter two will stick around for a bit longer. But I mean,
13:14 you're fairly new to this, but it just shows you that kind of the draw that Rovers have
13:21 is that when they get on a run, I think that it could be quite hard to stop. And that's not
13:26 going to happen this season. They're not going to get in the playoffs. We'll put a damper on that
13:31 fairly quickly. But next season, if they finish well and start well next season, they actually
13:38 did that. And that's the last time they went four unbeaten was the start of last season under Gary
13:43 McSheffery. I think they went five unbeaten. They got a few last-draft wins and everything. And then
13:48 as soon as it turned south, that was him done. Danny Schofield was kind of behind the eight ball.
13:54 He was nobody's man. He's a bit like Beal at Sunderland. No one really wanted him in. And then
14:01 here we are. And there's been a couple of times this season, Notts County at home, early doors,
14:07 maybe even Notts County away. And after either of the five goals that they conceded against
14:14 Morecambe or Stopworth, I think if Grant can't turn this round, he can. But I think we've seen
14:23 that the confidence is up. Just wish that the start of the season hadn't been so bad. Two points
14:31 from the first eight games. If they'd have got even just a couple of wins, it's a different story.
14:36 Yeah. Like you said there, obviously new to the patch, but what I've noticed, or what struck me,
14:42 was how much the fans are behind Grant. And they have been. And I think there's a very small
14:48 minority, I would say, that were calling for him in that bad period not long ago.
14:54 I was obviously from the outside looking in in the summer. I was amazed he went back or came back.
15:00 He won the League One title, what, two years ago? Two seasons ago? Obviously, he's been at the club
15:08 before, but he's such a pull. And I think that showed with some of the players that came in,
15:13 Richard Wood, you know, other players that have come in since then. I think you look at the spine
15:18 of the squad, and I know injuries, every team gets injuries, but they really have had rotten luck with
15:23 injuries. Obviously, it's starting to die down now. I know Zane Westbrook, he mentioned he's
15:27 not too far away and he'll be a massive boost when he comes back. But you look at that squad
15:35 throughout, it's littered with players. That is not a bottom two, that's not even a bottom half
15:39 squad, I don't think, when they're all fit and firing. But like you say, hopefully,
15:44 he can end the season strong. Just be nice to finish with a bit of momentum. If they get
15:51 top half, I think that constitutes success where they are now and where they've been.
15:57 And then it's just about building, really. I mean, I've done a piece for the morning
16:01 about the contracts, players out of contract. It is ridiculous how many there are.
16:05 And I would hazard a guess that probably around a half or more won't be renewed. So,
16:13 yeah, it looks like another big summer of change, but that's always the case, isn't it, at this
16:18 level? It absolutely is. And I think, was it that Stockport game, the couple of players there,
16:25 and I won't name them, but at the time I'm thinking, if we're going, you know, if Rovers
16:30 are going into a relegation battle with these players who probably aren't going to be here next
16:34 season, yes, they're playing for, and I do remember Grant saying that essentially all players are
16:40 freelancers, basically, who just happen to be at a football club. And so they're on, you know,
16:46 they do it for themselves and they do it to impress either the current employers or the next.
16:51 But I thought, well, there might be a few lads here who aren't going to be here next season.
16:56 They might already know that. I mean, we can't be too far away from, I know you're trying to
17:01 eke it out of Grant, but when do contract talks start? You know, there's some players here on a
17:06 12, 14 game trial. That's probably for another time. I think a lot of Rovers fans will have
17:14 wanted to have seen more of Maxwell, Faulkner, et cetera. But as I say, that's for another time.
17:21 What is interesting is the players that are... This last few weeks has been a case of who Rovers
17:28 have managed to do it without. So, to put all these results together without Westbrook and Close,
17:33 wow, you know, fantastic. Well done, Matty Craig and Owen Bailey on stepping up to the plate on
17:40 that one. But also, and I can't remember who, I think someone popped it in the chat, was the
17:46 additions of the new signings on loan, but Richard Wood as well. And now, if he would have been fit
17:53 all season, you know, who knows where this side would have been. They would not have been 20th
18:01 in League 2, not a chance. And that's what everyone thought Rovers were getting.
18:05 I was going to say, obviously your role covered quite a lot, Rotherham and Barnsley as well,
18:11 but you'll have seen a lot of him over the years. I mean, he was playing in the Championship,
18:15 played 30-odd games in the Champ last year. You know what I mean? And if he's fit,
18:20 and it's unfortunate because I don't think he's had that many injuries either the last few years.
18:24 And then it comes to Donny and all of a sudden he obviously has a bit of an injury, but he's over
18:30 that now. You know, like you said, you can tell straight away, his vocal, his aerial, he's just
18:37 organised. And him and Anderson as well. I know there's a lot of, I was going to say panic when
18:43 you think there's no pace there, but they've shown the last two or three games, or two and a half
18:48 games, that experience has just shone through, hasn't it? Yeah. And now, am I going to be the
18:57 advocate for Richard Wood's contract next year? It's something that is going to rumble on and on
19:02 and on. And sometimes it ultimately comes down to him and the club. But could he get another
19:09 contract with another League Two side if Rovers don't offer him one? And I think he could. And so,
19:15 I think Rovers will be missing out. Just him around the place. He helped Rotherham stay up
19:23 last season, even though he wasn't in the side, not due to injury, due to selection. He had quite a,
19:31 not public falling out, but it became public with Matt Taylor, who just didn't fancy him,
19:38 basically. But when he came in, he was good. Rovers made the mistake of trying to play him in
19:46 a back four and it was a bit alien to him at the start of the season, got off to a really on the
19:50 wrong foot and it just never, but it's gelled nicely together. Did I think that Rovers could
19:56 play a flat back four with Anderson and Wood at the centre of it? No. And I'm happy to admit I
20:02 got that wrong. I think a few other people have been a little bit surprised. Apparently, people
20:07 are saying it's the second coming of Jones and McCoom. Well, let's hope it's half as successful.
20:12 Just a comment there from Nick, or a question rather. I'll let you answer this, Tom. Would
20:18 you agree that it's going to take Graham at least three windows to turn this around?
20:22 We've fallen so far, it's like turning a tanker.
20:25 Yeah, good question, Nick. And I think you're right. It's going to take,
20:32 I think you've alluded to it, Ricky, Summer, he's going to lose half his squad, probably some of
20:39 his own choice, probably some not, although I can't see people banging the door down for too many
20:48 players who are going to be out of contract. I just think that's the nature of it.
20:51 And it got mentioned on the air, a bit of a shameless plug for Radio Sheffield the other night,
20:57 but they said maybe Rovers at Sutton, that was bottoming out. That 15 minutes of,
21:03 oh my goodness, the live table showed Rovers four points above the drop zone. And I am thinking,
21:10 where's Boren Wood? I was numb for that 15 minutes. And then Ironside's penalty,
21:20 from there it was just a blur. What I will say is, I'm kind of echoing that spine of the team.
21:27 If TLT wants to be here next season, great. Wood, Bailey, and maybe his partner, maybe,
21:36 is it going to be Westbrook? Who knows? And Ironside up front, that's a good basis to go from.
21:41 And yeah, so I think it is going to take three transfer windows. Now, if someone can let us know
21:48 who was the last Rovers manager to have three transfer windows, that's it. Be my guest, because
21:52 I can't remember. Darren Moore might have done, but I can't say with any certainty.
21:59 And this is an anathema, really, to Grant. He walked into Doncaster Rovers in, what was it,
22:06 2018? Here you go. Here's a squad created by Darren Ferguson, containing Wightman and Marquis,
22:14 and a few others in it as well. Coppinger was still doing his thing, Tommy Rowe as well,
22:19 and he just sprinkled a bit of magic from the loan market with Wilkes and Kane in there.
22:25 He's had to do the opposite here. It's a root and branch. And if he can cut his cloth accordingly,
22:34 he won't want 35 players. Which side of this though needs 35 players? So this is the benefit of
22:42 Waters, Adelikan and a few others. Is it trying before you buy? It might well be. So it'll be
22:48 interesting to see how they progress. Yeah, that's a good point about the squad size. I mean,
22:52 I think he said 34 the other day, and it's around that figure. It is the biggest in the league. Even
22:58 Wrexham's not used that many. It's just too big to be operating on. I know the squad list rules we
23:06 were on about the other day, weren't we? They're not the same as the Championship. A bit more
23:10 convoluted, but it's still a lot of players. Even if you have two per position, obviously you can
23:15 only have seven subs in League Two. That's still four players missing out every match day. And like
23:21 Grant said, he's the one having to tell 15 players they're not in the squad. Never mind not playing.
23:26 So yeah, it needs trimming. But then I see the problem. Once you trim it, how many is it going
23:34 to be left with? Yes, there's I think 12, 13 under contract as it stands. But there might be a case
23:42 for moving a few of them on as well. So yeah, it's going to be interesting. Just quickly before we
23:48 wrap it up, just want to look ahead. Obviously Wimbledon, it's a weird period at the minute,
23:52 isn't it? Because obviously a lot of games in March and April. But a couple of blank midweeks
23:58 at the minute. Obviously they're playing a bounce match at Tranmere right now, as we speak.
24:04 So there's a chance for him to get players like that. Fringe players, you know, Goodman I'm
24:09 thinking of. Eventually Westbrook when he comes back might be eased into it. So I suppose this
24:16 time's important for him, isn't it? Before the real busy period, the three game weeks.
24:22 Yeah, he will want lads who are kind of at match fitness to come in rather than just
24:30 out of the frying pan into the fire. Does it present an opportunity for a few players to
24:36 be given a go all in due course and a prolonged run in the team? Possibly so. But what it also
24:43 means is that, you know, you've got this, we always say, we say week off, don't we, when we
24:49 speak to Grant about it? Oh, you've got a week off before the next game and he'll kind of cut us
24:53 down to size and say, no, we'll have five hard days on the training pitch. But he knows, you
24:58 know, it's a week without a game and that will do the world of good too, the likes of Woody, etc.
25:03 Because then it comes thick and fast. It's quite a few games on the road, isn't it? I think
25:10 Walsall, Bradford and Colchester, three away games in the space of 10 days. I think there's
25:16 a home game against Crewe in there as well. So it'll come thick and fast. And maybe, we've never
25:24 seen it, Rovers, can they be one of those streaky teams who've just gone on a right old run? As I
25:30 said previously, two defeats away from home in the last seven, actually four defeats in the last
25:35 seven at home. So they've been better on the road in terms of putting up sharp. It'll be interesting
25:41 to see, I mean, the last home game was obviously the Tranmere one. You know, let's go back to back
25:47 and let's hope that it's just that that's where you earn your corn, isn't it? At home, put on a
25:54 bit of a show. Rovers got beat in the reverse fixture against Wimbledon. They probably owe a
26:00 few to a few teams, actually. In fact, the three I've just mentioned, Crewe, Bradford, all beat
26:06 Rovers in the reverse. So it'll be good to see Rovers turn the tables.
26:14 A dollop of revenge on Saturday. You're not there, are you Tom? You away? You're not covering
26:20 the game? Yeah, no, I won't be there. I won't be in the cell. This is not being from the back
26:28 room of the cell, we can assure you that. No, so get yourselves down there on Friday night for
26:34 Football Heaven, if you can. But I am sadly missing on Saturday, so I might do a scouting
26:41 mission in the lower reaches of English football, but hoping to hear news of another three points.
26:49 It'd be quite remarkable if so. Absolutely. Just on that, Sal, obviously, got to chuck the plug in
26:55 for Radio Sheffield. I mean, we were in the car, weren't we, from Sutton that day listening to it.
27:02 I think at the time, obviously, you were driving. I was like,
27:06 what is this? Where is this going, this conversation? As Rob obviously said,
27:10 I mean, it's mad how that snowballed. And then obviously, what, a week, two weeks later,
27:16 obviously, doing the show there, Friday night. I mean, credit to Paul. He made a lot of points.
27:23 I don't know what any of them were referring to. I do, but he made a lot of points. Not many of
27:28 them made sense. It was just, never mind praise or grumble, it was praise or ramble. He just went,
27:35 what was it? There was hooligans, there was the lad from Cambridge, the owners.
27:41 And then to just go, right, well, I think I've got that off my chest. I'm off down to the pub.
27:48 And well, I knew what he was on about, I think, but I think that says more about me than it does
27:54 him. I went in there late that night. I didn't get back from Sutton until, oh, it must have been
27:59 half ten or so. I thought I'll nip in and no one called Paul, despite me asking.
28:05 Well, this is it. Yeah, hopefully. It'd be very nice if he's there on Friday. Hopefully,
28:12 he realises how it snowballed, that one phone call.
28:16 Well, he saved the season. Saved over the season, that call.
28:19 This is it. All hail Paul. Let's get ready to ramble. So, yeah, Wimbledon at home on Saturday.
28:25 Thanks to all of you for tuning in and for your comments and your questions to me and Tom. We'll
28:32 do it again soon. And if you missed the start of it, you can watch it on our Facebook page. But,
28:36 yeah, thank you for tuning in.