Midfielder eager to get campaign off to flying start.
Tommy Rowe is champing at the bit to kick off the new season when Rovers travel to his native north-west to face Accrington Stanley on Saturday.
The summer recruit from Wolves said he can’t wait to end pre season and get down to the business of returning to League One at the first attempt.
“I’m excited, it’s been a long four or five weeks of training and all the players are ready for it now,” Rowe began.
“From the beginning of pre season you’re itching to get it over with, it’s a gruelling part of the profession but we know what it’s about, it’s to prevent injuries and help you get up to speed but I can’t wait for it now.
“We’ve got a good team – not just the starting XI – we’ve got a good squad. Everyone will need to play and we’ve got strength in depth and I think that’s the most important thing when you’re making your squad; getting player to come in when needed.”
Rowe has arguably been the marquee signing of the ten that have arrived during the close season and he feels a sense of unfinished business at the Keepmoat Stadium after the heartache of relegation last term while on loan from Molineux.
“Everything made sense to me,” Rowe said of his return to South Yorkshire.
“The manager was open and honest with me from the beginning. We spoke very early on, I told him where I was and he told me where he was and we went from there.
“All along there was an affiliation from me to come back and there was a case of unfinished business. I see this club as a great club and I want to work hard to get it back to where it belongs.”
Players of Rowe’s quality have alerted the bookmakers who’ve made Rovers one of the favourites for promotion, but the midfielder doesn’t feel pressure from outside the club ahead of facing a Stanley side that fell agonisingly short of promotion during the 15/16 season.
“I’ve never thought about the pressure, the only pressure we have is on ourselves, we know what we want to do,” he said.
“To let my teammates down is more crucial to me than letting bookies down so there’s pressure on myself and the team, we all want to win and get the club promoted.
“It (Accrington) will be very tricky. I was closely following them last year, they did well, played good football which is good for this league and we do so it will be an interesting game.
“Hopefully it catches fire and is a good game and we come out on top.”