Secure your future here or elsewhere, Doncaster Rovers’ fringe players told before Crewe Alexandra visit

Doncaster could have as many as 11 first-team players missing for this weekend’s visit of Crewe, with six of them already ruled out for the season.

Many of those still standing are out of contract this summer but will now get one last chance to impress in the final eight games.

Doncaster head coach Danny Schofield, who does not expect any players to return from injury this weekend, said: “That was my discussion at the start of this week. I understand the individual situation of every player; some are contracted here, some are on loan and some are out of contract.

"There’s eight games to give everything, individually and collectively, because whatever happens to each player in their career these eight games will be pivotal with where they go next – whether they renew their contract at Doncaster Rovers or go to another club.

"It’s a great opportunity.”

Liam Ravenhill has started Doncaster’s last two matches while Brighton loanee Todd Miller made his first senior start last weekend.

Caolan Lavery’s season-ending injury leaves Kieran Agard as Rovers’ only recognised fit senior striker. He could make his first start since October on Saturday.

Other players who might get match minutes before the end of the season include Zain Westbrooke, Aidan Barlow and Bobby Faulkner, who was recalled from his loan spell at Spennymoor Town earlier this month.

Schofield admitted his squad had been ‘significantly weakened’ after after losing his two first-choice strikers and several other would-be starters.

But he remained defiant, telling The Free Press: “Our focus is still the same – to perform to the highest level possible and believe we can go out and win football games.

"It’s the old cliché to just take every game as it comes. We know the squad is significantly weaker without the players we normally have available.

"But other players need to realise ‘this is my opportunity’.”

Schofield also confirmed he would be sticking by his first-choice goalkeeper Jonathan Mitchell despite his recent errors.

Mitchell has made three mistakes leading to goals in his last two appearances.

Schofield said: “I am sure, knowing his character and the way he is, he will come back stronger.”