‘There’s a chance’ - The forgotten Doncaster Rovers man that could provide a boost in the second half of the season
Bobby Faulkner is currently on loan at Tranmere Rovers in League Two
Doncaster Rovers manager Grant McCann has revealed that the club have the option to recall Bobby Faulkner in January.
The promising 22-year-old central defender, who is currently in the final year of his contract at the Club Doncaster Sports Village, is out on loan at Tranmere Rovers and has made a productive start to life at Prenton Park.
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He’s made 11 league appearances this season - starting 10 of those - and has already started to establish himself as a bit of a cult hero in Birkenhead, according to local reporter Ethan Hoijord.
“If I was just to use a single word I’d say ‘attitude’ but in a good sense,” said Ethan.
“He’s got a good bit of confidence about him and it shows when he plays.”
Faulkner made his first start for Tranmere in a 2-0 win over Shrewsbury Town and claimed an assist. While in his second outing he endeared himself to the Tranmere faithful by playing the second-half as a makeshift goalkeeper against Port Vale after their first choice shot stopper picked up an injury. He produced a fair few good saves in that one as his side came back from a goal down to clinch a point.
The Doncaster Rovers academy graduate has also chipped in with goals along the way, scoring for the first time in a 1-1 draw with Walsall before more recently finding the net against Northampton in a 1-0 victory.
This loan marks an eyecatching seventh of Faulkner’s career so far and his second at League Two level after spending time at Harrogate Town last term.
Faulkner, who featured fairly regularly towards the end of Danny Schofield’s time at Rovers in DN4, has only ever played 10 minutes of league football under McCann, with his last outing coming as a late sub in a 2-0 win over Crawley in October 2023.
However, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility for the defender to return into the setup at Rovers this season and stake a claim for first team opportunities before his contract expires.
Speaking earlier this season, McCann said: “There is, yeah. We've got a break clause on his contract. I spoke to Darrell the other day, he's really pleased with how he is as a lad, how he's performing and how he's doing for Trammere this season.”