Doncaster Rovers' recruitment boss on loan signings and free agents market

A perceived reliance on loanees has proved controversial for some sections of Rovers’ support but making multiple temporary signings is an approach the club is unlikely to waiver from any time soon.

Henshall played a major role in the identification of Jacob Ramsey and Jason Lokilo as loan signings for Rovers in January after joining the club from Shrewsbury Town last November.

At Shrewsbury, he was a big part of the process that helped to spot and secure loans for Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson, Norwich City’s Ben Godfrey, Leeds' Tyler Roberts, strikers Ivan Toney, Freddie Ladapo and Rangers’ Greg Docherty.

And the 27-year-old advocates the use of the loan market in order to give third tier clubs the opportunity to land levels of talent that may otherwise be beyond their reach.

“When you’re in League One, the loan system is what you can use to give you players of that quality,” he told the Free Press.

“If you can surround the player in a first team men's environment and if you put them with a manager like Darren Moore, that will breed success and success should see Doncaster competing in League One, which is what we want to see.

“Loan signings have been a theme throughout the success of Doncaster Rovers, and in particular at my previous club.

Henshall believes loan signings will hold increasing importance as clubs adapt to the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

But he feels Rovers’ previous success with loanees and early action in identifying targets will give them the edge in what will be an increasingly competitive market.

“They will get you through this period of time in particular,” he said.

“Predominantly, we would always encourage loan signings to maximise your budget and try to get the better value for money than you’re contributing.

“It just means that at times like these, because everyone is forced into the same recruitment pool, you’ve got more competition for those sort of players.

“It’s been important for me to get back into work and on the phone and pick up these conversations that we had to put on hold because of the pandemic.”

Aside from loan signings, Henshall says it is a good year for clubs exploring the free agent market with plenty of options available.

“You always find the free agent market works in ebbs and flows,” he said. “There are good years and bad years due to the length of contracts people have signed.

“As we know, generally at this level, players will sign two-year deals instead of one or three. This results in good years where there’s lots of options but then you’ll have one where there’s not so many.

“This year I would say is a good year. It’s probably due to the ongoing pandemic where players are being released that you wouldn’t expect to because clubs cannot afford to pay their wages or they’re having to trim squads.

"It's a matter of being in a position to commit financially to what those players are looking for."

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