Doncaster Rovers defender makes welcome return as key man steps up fitness in Spain

The squad jetted out on Sunday to Andalusia where they are spending this week. Double sessions are the order of the day amid soaring heat in Spain, with the temperatures threatening to rise into the high-30s. Rovers have taken a squad of 27 players (including late arrival Sean Grehan) and among those in full training is the returning Senior.

The full-back has not played competitively since rupturing his hamstring in the win over Colchester last April. It meant Senior sat out the final clutch of games although Rovers thankfully clinched the League Two title in his absence. At the time of the prognosis, manager Grant McCann said that the former Luton Town man could be set for around "eight to 12 weeks". Indeed, Senior has been training fully with the squad this week meaning he's returned to the fold ten weeks after first sustaining the injury.

Meanwhile, centre-half Jay McGrath is working with Rovers' physios out in Spain with the hope being that he rejoins the group fully in the not-too-distant future. It is unclear what type of niggle the 22-year-old is carrying but video footage released by Rovers shows him being put through his paces by Dave Rennie, the club's head of medical and performance.

No bounce game was planned for this week-long trip, with the focus instead being on intense training in taxing conditions. Upon returning to the UK, the team's first friendly sees them travel to Alfreton (July 8) with the squad being split in half to compete in two, 60-minute matches against the National League North outfit. A similar arrangement then sees two separate squads sent to face Stamford and Peterborough Sports respectively on Saturday, July 12. Trips to Gateshead (July 15) and MK Dons (July 19) follow before the club's only home friendly sees fellow third tier side Blackpool visit the Eco-Power Stadium on July 26. A week later Exeter make the trip to DN4 for the League One curtain-raiser.