Midfielder revelling in new found role.
James Coppinger revealed that he is enjoying a “new lease of life” under the tutelage of Darren Ferguson.The evergreen 34 year old broke the Doncaster Rovers appearance record in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Stalybridge Celtic but is far from finished.
“It’s been a short period of time and to get everything across takes time but for the lads – me especially – I feel like I’ve got a new lease of life,” said Coppinger.
“To play the way that he wants to play suits me down to the ground and if I can stay fit and offer something to the team and the manager’s happy with me then I’m going to really enjoy my football.
“I’ve been aware of it (the record) for a while so its something that I can tick off now and get on with playing football.
“It’s not the end for me and I want to continue playing.”
Coppinger thanked the Rovers fans for their support over the last 12 years and marked his 469th appearance with a rapturous ovation in the 26th minute.
“They’ve been brilliant. Throughout my time here, they’ve supported me, backed me,” he said.
“There’s been ups and downs. When you hear the 26th minute applause, it makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and it’s something that will stay with me for a very long time.
“I’m an emotional person. When I do finish, I’ll look back and I’ll appreciate it more. At the moment though, it’s about the team and taking this club forward.”