'Not important until....' - Grant McCann's honest take as Doncaster Rovers switch attentions to EFL Trophy
Doncaster Rovers' two-game focus on the cups concludes tonight when Fleetwood Town visit in the EFL Trophy.
Once again, a sparse crowd is expected at the Eco-Power Stadium for a tie that will see the winners move to just two victories away from a trip to Wembley. Whilst the league is the priority for Grant McCann's side - understandable given that they occupy a spot in the League One relegation places at present - Rovers know the benefit of a good run in this competition. They’ve won all four games this season: three in the group stages and then a last-32 thumping of Chesterfield. They'll start as favourites against Pete Wild's side who are winless in four as well, as being a rung lower on the EFL pyramid.
McCann was a Trophy winner in his playing days, as he recalled ahead of tonight's last-16 clash (7pm kick-off).
"The Vertu Trophy is not important to anybody until you get to the final," he said bluntly. "And that's the truth, really. Nobody cares about it from the outside looking in.
"But I've played in that final twice as a player and there's nothing better. There's no better feeling than coming out of Wembley in front of 20, 30, 40,000 of your own spectators. I've won one and I've lost one. I scored in the one I lost against Luton. Probably the best goal Wembley's ever seen, to be honest!
"But yeah, I lost in that one and then we won one with Peterborough. It's a really special day when you get to see families, young kids, everyone going to support you at Wembley. But listen, we're miles away from that."
Winger Jordan Gibson concurs that the competition is certainly a slow-burner - but that it has ample rewards if you can get to the showpiece final.
"At the start, at the group stage, the games can seem a bit... there's not many fans there and it can be quite a low atmosphere," he says.
"But once you get through to the next round you realise there's only four or five games left till you get to Wembley. The gaffer's always put it into us from day one that it's a chance to go to Wembley and win a trophy. We know that there's only a few games left to get there and we're set on doing that."