Rovers are delighted to confirm that Doncaster-born centre back Bobby Faulkner has agreed a new two-year deal.
The 17-year-old reached the end of his first professional contract and has opted to continue his development with his hometown club.
Faulkner, from Norton, joined Rovers at U16 level and impressed with his physicality and no-nonsense defending. He studied at Club Doncaster Sports College alongside his training and also spent time on loan with Frickley Athletic last term.
He regularly trained with the first team squad last season and, after receiving a professional contract in November, was part of the matchday 18 on seven occasions.
An ankle injury ended Faulkner’s season early and denied him another loan move away from Rovers at National League North level.
Faulkner said: "I’m excited to keep on building, it’s great for me that a new deal has come around so quickly and I’m just looking to the future now.
"I’m a Rovers fan and playing for the club I watched when I was a kid is amazing, I know how proud my family and friends are and that means so much."
First team manager Gary McSheffrey was in charge of the club’s U18 group when Faulkner was invited for a trial and has been impressed with his development since.
“I’m really pleased to get the deal done and I’ve been really pleased with Bobby’s progress,” he said.
“We took him in for a trial period initially and the qualities that he possessed was rolling back the years - a throwback centre half, putting his body on the line, loving blocking shots, winning headers and tackling.
“He showed the hunger that he wanted to be here, wanted to make it and be a pro footballer.
“He’s earned his new deal and he’s one of those players that has the raw materials and ability to be a good centre back and we’ve got to polish up all the other bits and he could be a really good one for us.”
