Defender Andy Butler says he is excited to get the chance to make his 200th appearance for the club when Rovers host Scunthorpe United on Saturday in Sky Bet League One.
Butler, who began his professional career with the Iron, joined Rovers initially on-loan from Sheffield United in 2014, before signing a permanent deal later on during the 2014/15 season, and he credits Rovers with giving him the opportunity to enjoy his football again.
“I can’t wait to get the opportunity to reach that mark, the fact it could be against the club where football really began for me makes it all the more special, I look forward to every game, but to make it to 200 for one club is special after four-and-a-half years,” he said.
“Ironically, I didn’t get taken on by Doncaster and Scunthorpe picked me up, so I thought my chance to play here had gone, but being a local lad, it really couldn’t be any better, I’m loving it here and I’m looking forward to the future too.
“I signed at the right time, I was in a bad stage in my career and I needed to get out and play football again, I needed a fresh lease of life, and luckily Rovers provided that for me, it really helped me to enjoy my football again.”
Butler is the second-longest serving player at the club, behind James Coppinger, and took the time to look back on his period with Rovers and picked out his highlights from his past five seasons at the Keepmoat Stadium.
“One that stands out for me is the first goal that I scored for the club, it was Boxing Day against Coventry City with a header, and that sticks out, but above all else, just signing for the club having been brought up in the town is definitely up there,” he added.
“The promotion from League Two is obviously another big highlight for me, we had such a successful season in getting the job done very early, and I won the EFL Community Player of the Year award too so that has to be one of the best seasons I’ve had in football.
“Just being around this squad in general is a big thing for me, I love my time around the club, the players I’ve come across have been brilliant with me, we have such a good group here, and when it’s like that I makes work easier, and we can really go places here.”