Midfielder James Coppinger is ready to test himself against some of the best players in Europe when Rovers face Arsenal in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening.
The team travel south to face the Premier League side at the Emirates Stadium looking to progress to the next round, and Coppinger is hoping that the team can catch Arsene Wenger’s side out on the night.
“We are coming up against one of the best teams in the country, if not Europe, we are fully aware of how good they are and we need to raise our game in front of an incredible atmosphere,” said Coppinger.
“Realistically you have to give them some respect and realise how good they actually are, but you cannot give them too much respect because straight away they have a physiological advantage over us.
“It is a one off game for us and we have to make sure that we are prepared, we need to catch them on a bad day and that’s what it is all about, and we are hoping they are thinking this will be an easy game.”
Coppinger played the last time the two sides met back in 2005, and the Rovers veteran says the night at Belle Vue lives long in his memories.
“When we beat Aston Villa and Manchester City, it gave us massive confidence when we came up against Arsenal, it deflated us conceding late in extra time when Gilberto scored in the last minute, which took it to penalties,” said Coppinger.
“We went into that game knowing how good Arsenal were and there is always a possibility that you can win, if you keep your concentration and we have to do that and you just never know.
“Belle Vue was renowned for special nights, with a lot of old school features. It was a great atmosphere, with a great pitch and it was difficult for a team like Arsenal to come to those sort of surroundings.”
Getting a Bronze Membership is a cost-effective way of watching Rovers this season. You can get up to £4 off the cost of home games, as well as get priority for cup games. Bronze Memberships cost a one-off fee of just £10. You can purchase from the Box Office at the Keepmoat Stadium, by calling 01302 762576 or going to tickets.clubdoncaster.co.uk.