CONFIRMED: Doncaster Rovers loan Gary MacKenzie to Notts County

Darren Ferguson insists the 30-year-old centre half is going out to play games in order to be fit for the rest of the season and will return to Rovers next month.

MacKenzie made his first start for three months at Fleetwood Town ten days ago but looked short of match sharpness.

And Ferguson says that is the reason MacKenzie has left the club.

“Gary has gone for a month to get games,” he said.

“He’s still in my plans. He was rusty at Fleetwood so he needs games.

“I had a good chat with the boy about it and he was very good, he understood.

“Hopefully he gets five or six games there and that will be it.

“He’ll be back with us for the last few months of the season.

“We will be looking to bring him back, he’s fully aware of that.

“It’s not a case of him going for the rest of the season.

“He’s going to get games so he’s match sharpness is right for the last few months.”

Rovers also cancelled the contract of Rob Jones on transfer deadline day, depleting the club’s defensive ranks further.

But Ferguson says he has no intention of adding anyone to his squad before the 11pm deadline.

Andy Butler’s groin injury has progressed well and he is contention to return to the squad for tomorrow night’s clash with Walsall.

He said: “With Butler fit, and with Luke McCullough, Aaron Taylor Sinclair, Craig Alcock and Mitchell Lund, I’ve got enough numbers.

“The Butler injury was one where we had to be sure he wasn’t going to be too much longer

“You just hope there is not a reoccurrence with that but all the signs are that there won’t be.”

MacKenzie signed a two-year deal at Doncaster last summer after leaving Blackpool.