Grant McCann's EFL grumble regarding Doncaster Rovers fixture pile-up + Swindon Town sympathy
Doncaster Rovers manager Grant McCann says he has contacted the English Football League (EFL) to voice his unhappiness at having to find yet another new date for a re-arranged league game.
Rovers face a relentless run-in over the next few months, with barely any gaps in the schedule. They will however have to find two clear dates for home games with Port Vale and Luton Town. The meeting with Vale was originally set to take place on February 14 but was postponed owing to the Valiants' FA Cup commitments.
As for the Luton fixture, it has already been shelved twice. Its original date was January 4 but a partly-frozen pitch at the Eco-Power Stadium meant it could not go ahead that day. It was then pencilled in for February 24 but has had to be postponed again after the expulsion of Swindon Town from the EFL Trophy.
That decision to boot the Robins out of the competition - something that led to an extraordinary press conference from Swindon chief Ian Holloway - came after they fielded two ineligible players in their last-16 victory over Luton. The Hatters were then re-instated to the competition and as a result will now face Plymouth in a quarter-final. The EFL's decision to priorities that game and stage it on February 24 means another new date will need to be found for Rovers' game against Jack Wilshere's side. It's left McCann far from happy.
"I've made my feelings felt to the EFL, to be honest with you, regarding the Luton game," McCann told the Free Press.
"For me, it was really disappointing to see. I think Ian Holloway is spot on. He made an honest mistake. His secretary, whoever it may be, made an honest mistake. It's easily done with these computer systems now. But the way I've been brought up is that when you get beat in a competition, you're out. So for me, Plymouth should have had a bye and then we wouldn't have had no issues. We'd have still played the Luton game.
"Now, we've got to try and fit the Luton game in because apparently the Vertu Trophy takes priority over the league, according to the EFL.
"I said to them that it's not like Swindon played Ronaldo and Messi! It was two League Two players that they made a mistake on. So I'm disappointed with that but we'll try and fit it in. It's going to be manic once they do go in because they'll have to go in somewhere.
"We're trying to get the Port Vale game into March around the international break, if both clubs agree. But it's going to be mad."
Rovers, who recorded a 1-0 win over Huddersfield last night, head to grudge rivals Rotherham on Saturday lunchtime as they bid to seal a win in that corner of South Yorkshire for the first time since 1985.