Grant McCann doubles down on free agent stance + full Doncaster Rovers injury update

Doncaster Rovers are likely to be without both their senior right-backs - Jamie Sterry and Tom Nixon - for Saturday's trip to Reading. Out-of-form Rovers head to Berkshire looking to halt a slide in results of late. McCann's men have won just once in their last eight games in all competitions - an EFL Trophy success at Grimsby. They'll attempt to address that against Noel Hunt's side but will need to do so without both Sterry and Nixon once more.

Despite that, McCann insists he won't be looking at the unattached market as was the case last season when Josh Emmanuel signed a short-term deal.

"It's difficult because neither Tom or Jamie are months away - they're a matter of weeks," McCann told the Free Press. "So it's not what we need, I don't think, at this moment in time. I thought Sean (Grehan) was really good there last Saturday. He told me he tired towards the end because it's a different position to centre-back.

"But he can play there, Connor O'Riordan, Robbie Gotts, Harry Clifton - they can all play there. We don't need to go and get a right-back when Tom is a matter of days (away) and Jamie is a matter of weeks (away). There's no real point.

"Jamie and Tom were on the pitches today and joined in with the early part of a session. But it might be too soon for both of them for the weekend. They're progressing well though."

When quizzed on where each player is at specifically, McCann expanded: "It was in the Leyton Orient game, late on, when Tom just tweaked his hamstring. Luckily it wasn't as bad as we first feared because he's done something similar before. But he's okay. Saturday might come too soon for him. It's frustrating because when Jamie is not there, Tom wants to get a run and show he's capable of playing there week in, week out.

"But he keeps having little knocks and niggles which is unfortunate for him. We just need to get him to a point where he can become more robust and be ready to play week in, week out.

"As for Jamie, it's his collarbone where the pain is. He's mask-free now which is good because that was affecting his vision in terms of when he received the ball. But it's hard to put a timescale on it really. It's just building his fitness up again and he'll gradually grow into training and we'll just see how he goes."

In terms of other injuries, McCann confirmed that midfielder Harry Clifton is making good progress as he continues to work his way back from a hamstring tear although Saturday "may come too soon for him".

Elsewhere, there was also positive updates on George Broadbent and Matty Pearson.

McCann added: "Matty came off last week after jarring his back which is never pleasant but he's settled down nicely. And George has trained all week. He had a problem with his hip flexor, niggling away at him. He felt something and missed out against Northampton but he's good now."