Danny Schofield has this message for frustrated Doncaster Rovers fans

Despite some initial encouraging signs, Schofield’s six months in charge have seen Rovers drop out of play-off contention and slip into the bottom half of League Two.

Angry supporters have turned on Doncaster-born Schofield in recent weeks but the 43-year-old, who received a vote of confidence from chairman David Blunt earlier this month, is expected to remain in position for the 2023/24 campaign.

Schofield’s record is extremely underwhelming – his 30 games as head coach have produced nine wins, four draws and 17 defeats.

But, after being asked by the Free Press when he would like to be judged, he had a straightforward answer.

"On next season,” said Schofield.

"There’ll be a big recruitment drive in the summer and there's lots of positivity and support within the building.

"We’ll have a really good pre-season, build into the start of the season and then openly I’m happy to be judged on how that season pans out.”

Speaking to BBC Radio Sheffield, Schofield had earlier said: “The plans we have within the club, that’s from the owners all the way through to the coaching staff and the rest of the staff who work at the stadium and training facilities, I feel as though it’s moving in the right direction. It’s a really positive place to be.

“But then I understand that the end product is the results and the performances, which everyone sees, so I’m totally on board with understanding the supporters’ frustrations.”

Rovers began the season with promotion aspirations but their dreadful recent form has left them no fewer than 17 points short of the play-off positions. So why have they come up so short?

"I don’t want to look for excuses but it’s a fact – we’ve been hit by a number of injuries,” Schofield told the Free Press.

"They’ve had a big impact on availability and squad selection, and the performances and results have mirrored that.

"Until the end of February we were always in touching distance of the play-offs. That was always the target and always the goal but in the crucial part of the season we’ve fallen away from that.”

Rovers host Newport County tomorrow having lost nine of their last 13 games.