Although Rovers have done well so far, picking up seven points from their first four games, the Doncaster boss said it was far too early to judge his squad.

That points average repeated over 46 games would have been enough to put Rovers in the top two last season but O'Driscoll said: "It's a nice thought but let's not get carried away.

"We are very much the new boys finding our feet.

"We've looked quite comfortable so far but there are some formidable tests to come and I've always said we will know better what sort of start we've made after ten games."

Monday's transfer deadline passed by quietly at the Keepmoat with the only addition to the squad being 22-year-old non-contract keeper Jamie Waite, a Thai international formerly with Bradford City, who will compete with Ben Smith for the understudy role to Neil Sullivan.

O'Driscoll had no budget in any case to bring anyone else in without letting anyone out - and he is keen to keep his squad together. He said: "It was a deliberate policy from the start to try and keep most of the players from last season and I think that's served us well so far.

"I think the squad is strong enough to cope providing everyone is fit.

"We will have to make some tough decisions as we move on in this league. But I want to give everyone a fair crack of the whip and I think by Christmas we should know who is good enough, and which players are capable of taking the club forward."

O'Driscoll has only made one enforced change to the starting line up in the first four league games but has adopted a policy of rotating the bench.

He said: "It's not easy keeping everyone happy and it may be beneficial later for some players to go out on loan.

"But, at the moment, I want to keep everyone together and we won't be bringing in loan signings ourselves unless someone we really fancy suddenly becomes available."

The Rovers boss said that this weekend's international break was welcome with Rovers' next three fixtures coming up - away to Birmingham, at home to Charlton and away to Bristol City in the space
of eight days - as tough as they were likely to encounter.

He added: "We'll know a lot more about ourselves after that."