Midfielder eager to get one over on former teammates.
Richard Chaplow has said that tonight’s League Cup encounter with Ipswich Town will be a “tasty” affair.The midfielder, who arrived at Keepmoat Stadium in the summer from Millwall, spent a portion of time on loan with the Tractor Boys last term.
“Anything in the cup is a tasty fixture, we’ll look to take the game to them and get a few goals and the fans cheering,” he said.
“It will be tough; I’ve been down there recently and know what it’s all about. They’re a competitive bunch and they know their roles and jobs on the pitch and Mick (McCarthy) will have them at it no doubt about it.
“I went in to a thriving environment and I can’t speak highly enough of Mick and the lads down there and the coaching staff who were exceptional and I felt privileged to be a part of that. I always wanted to play in a Mick McCarthy team and it gave me a taste of what it was like to be back in football again and it gave me that hunger. Of course I’ve now joined a club in Doncaster which is very similar.”
Chaplow’s first ninety minute appearance in a Doncaster shirt was a chastening experience as Rovers succumbed 3-0 at the hands of Port Vale at the weekend, however the former Premier League midfielder has warned the Championship leaders of a backlash.
“It’s been a good reaction as you’d expect. We were disappointed to lose the game and we were off it from where we were performance-wise,” he said.
“We’ll take the lesson that we’ve been given and we’ll be better for it as that’s the only thing we can do. We’ll work hard on the training pitch and we’ll try to put the aspects of the game that we got wrong on Saturday, right on Tuesday.
“We’re still early on in the season and we’re optimistic. To be unbeaten going in to the Port Vale game was something not to be overlooked with three clean sheets (if you include Bury) which is not to be sniffed at.
“I’ve always been hungry on a personal level but it can be hard in an environment which doesn’t thrive on those ambitions as a player. For whatever reason at Millwall I never got going and didn’t perform at my top level but I know I can do it here at Doncaster.”