Key Doncaster Rovers man to miss start of pre-season training after operation

Defender Anderson missed the final few weeks of an injury-interrupted 2022/23 campaign because of the issue, having struggled to shake a series of fitness setbacks over the last 18 months.

The 29-year-old managed 25 appearances last term and returning Rovers boss Grant McCann admitted he may need time to recreate the form which made him one of the best centre-backs in the division above.

“I would probably think it’ll be the middle of pre-season when you see Tom coming back,” he said.

"We have got to be patient with him and make sure he’s right when he comes back, it was quite a big operation.”

Anderson broke down at the start of pre-season last summer after recovering from a persistent foot injury but managed to make the bench for the opening day.

Not long after he was back on the sidelines, however.

Towards the end of the campaign he revealed he was managing a series of niggles, with full fitness still elusive.

"We just want to keep him on the pitch,” said McCann, who managed Anderson during his first spell in charge.

"There’s a lot of players that have been so unlucky with injury.

"We want to get a real good structure of a training programme for all of them and try and create a more robustness about them so there are less injuries and medical bills for the club.”

McCann blamed Doncaster’s long injury list over the last two seasons on “bad luck”.

Midfielder Liam Ravenhill could also miss the start of pre-season.

There was better news on last season’s top-scorer, George Miller, who missed the final two months of the campaign with a knee injury.

Jon Taylor has not been involved since the Boxing Day defeat to Tranmere but is also close to a return after two years of injury hell.

"Tayls told me he’s going to be back for the start of pre-season,” said McCann, Taylor’s former boss at Peterborough.

“George Miller had an operation but he will be good.

"Liam Ravenhill was in a cast, so he might struggle. But I think everyone else is bumps and bruises, niggles and knocks, so hopefully we can have everyone back out again.”