Alfie May explains why teammates' contract worries are not affecting Doncaster Rovers' promotion bid

With so many players entering the final few months of their contracts, you might not expect this Doncaster Rovers team to be doing quite as well as they are.
Alfie May has praised the togetherness of the Rovers squad.Alfie May has praised the togetherness of the Rovers squad.
Alfie May has praised the togetherness of the Rovers squad.

But striker Alfie May, who this week penned a new deal at the Keepmoat Stadium, says that is down to the closeness of the squad.

No fewer than 18 Rovers players are out of contract in the summer, including James Coppinger, Andy Butler, Tommy Rowe, Niall Mason, Joe Wright and Danny Andrew.

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But any uncertainty or uneasiness those players might be feeling has not been reflected in recent performances.

Doncaster travel to Wycombe Wanderers tomorrow riding on the crest of wave, sixth in League One and through to the fourth round of the FA Cup. They have won nine of their last 12 games in all competitions.

'That comes down to togetherness,' said May.

'Honestly, it's unbelievable.

'We're all really good mates and we chat to each other every single day.

'We're in a WhatsApp group and message each other.

'We're all very, very close.

'People [coming to the end of their contracts] are obviously worried. People that have got families and things like that.

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'But they're concentrating on playing football and the way we're playing at the moment shows that.'

May, who joined Rovers two years ago from non-league Hythe Town, was full of praise for boss Grant McCann after signing an 18-month contract extension.

'It's nice to get it sorted,' he said.

'It takes a little bit of pressure off you and you can just concentrate now on playing football.

'The gaffer's been brilliant for me.

'Even on his first day he had a chat with me and the way that he spoke to me gave me confidence.

'It makes it easy for you the way the gaffer is.'

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He added: 'I get confidence from that fact the gaffer has confidence in me.

'When I step on the pitch I feel like I'm at that level now and I don't worry if I make a mistake.

'The gaffer's really improved me. I don't over-think things and if I do something wrong I don't dwell on it, I just get on with it and try and make the next thing good.'