Ex-Doncaster Rovers boss Darren Ferguson keen on guard of honour for James Coppinger as he calls time on his playing career

Former Rovers boss Ferguson returns to the Keepmoat with current side Peterborough and is keen to honour Coppinger, who played under him throughout his two-and-a-half year spell with Rovers.

“James is a fantastic lad and a top player,” Ferguson said. “He’s had a great career and I am hoping we can give him a guard of honour before the match.”

Having secured automatic promotion to the Championship last weekend, and with Hull City already confirmed as champions, there is little on Sunday’s game for Peterborough.

And Ferguson admits he is happy for that to be the case, with Rovers having been a bogey side for Posh - including last week when they came back from two goals down to earn a draw which delayed their promotion.

He said: “I’m just pleased we don’t have to get anything from Doncaster because they have been a big pain in our backside in recent games and they will be keen to make it a big day for James Coppinger

“And so they should.”

Ferguson has revealed he will hand game time to some of the younger members of his squad on Sunday.

With promotion secured, he gave his players much of the week off, with the group returning to training on Friday.

“I will be making wholesale changes,” Ferguson confirmed. “The likes of Ricky-Jade Jones, Ronnie Edwards and Harrison Burrows will start.”

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