Gaffer set to treat tournament with “respect it deserves”.
Darren Ferguson has said that he may shuffle his pack when Rovers make the short trip to face Mansfield Town on Tuesday evening in the ‘Checkatrade Trophy’.
Following Saturday’s 4-1 win against Yeovil Town, the Scot seemed inclined to give a run out to a number of fringe players in a competition that, in its old guise of ‘Johnstone’s Paint Trophy’, Rovers won in 2007.
“I don’t think it will get in the way, it’s a different format now obviously in terms of a group rather than a one off game,” he said.
“We’ll treat it with respect because it’s a good tournament but I will be making changes – I was always going to make sure that the ones haven’t been playing are match fit.
“It’s not a case of playing a weakened team; I’ve got to make sure that the ones who’ve been on the bench get 90 minutes.
The new format of the Football League Trophy sees 64 teams split in to 16 regionalised groups and Rovers, having been placed with the League Two Stags, will host Derby County U23’s and Port Vale.
“Whatever team I pick on Tuesday it will be a case of me wanting to win the game and I want – and expect us to win the game – if we play well and the players are fully aware of that,” he said.
“We’ll treat it like any other game because it’s a good tournament; I’ve been fortunate enough to win it as a manager and a player and once you get through the initial stages it can really catch the imagination.
“We’ll have to see how the competition pans out; it’s a testing year for everyone. The only thing I would say is get the big teams in, I would say.”
For ticket information about the game, please CLICK HERE.