Doncaster Rovers: Adam Clayton itching to kickstart career at Rovers

SATURDAYS will finally start getting back to normal again for Adam Clayton.

It is the big day of the week for every footballer worth his salt and everything is carefully time-tabled. From the routine travelling to the ground from home or the away team hotel to the pre-match meal and the superstitions. And then the game.

Doncaster Rovers’ recent signing has plenty of miles on the EFL clock, having represented the likes of Leeds United, Huddersfield Town and Middlesbrough for a good number of years. He has played over 450 competitive matches.

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But you have to go back to almost exactly a year for his last appearance – coming on as a late substitute for former club Birmingham in their Midlands derby with Coventry City.

Midfielder Adam Clayton has joined Doncaster Rovers in their fight to avoid relegation from League One. Picture: DRFCMidfielder Adam Clayton has joined Doncaster Rovers in their fight to avoid relegation from League One. Picture: DRFC
Midfielder Adam Clayton has joined Doncaster Rovers in their fight to avoid relegation from League One. Picture: DRFC

After a nightmare time at St Andrew’s, the midfielder, now 33, left by mutual consent in November, with his competitive days at Blues long since over.

It’s been a tough past few years for Clayton and his family. Back in the spring of 2020, his father Steve spent 51 days in intensive care with Covid-19 in a Manchester hospital. He recovered and was given a guard of honour by doctors and nurses when he left.

A regular for most of the teams he has played for, Clayton then found himself doing it tough on the pitch at Birmingham. Not being involved over the best part of 12 months has been hard. Saturdays were to be avoided as opposed to cherished.

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It did, at least, afford him precious family time with wife Mandi and young daughter Bea at their Yorkshire home. But there will be relief at getting back to the day job.

Adam Clayton in his playing days for Middlesbrough. Picture: PA.Adam Clayton in his playing days for Middlesbrough. Picture: PA.
Adam Clayton in his playing days for Middlesbrough. Picture: PA.

He professed to nerves at watching Rovers’ game at MK Dons as the club he was soon to join held out for a much-needed win, with his wife also nervous as she texted him in those tense last few minutes. For the Clayton family, it’s a welcome return to a bit of routine.

On the difficulties not being involved on a Saturday in particular, Clayton – ready for involvement if called upon in Saturday’s home game with Plymouth – said: “It wasn’t nice...

“I’ve had a little girl and she is two now and she’s probably come at the right time. Saturdays were ‘we’re out of the house, we will go somewhere and do something.’ A good thing that came out of the situation is that I got to spend a lot of time with her.

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“I always like to take the positives out of things and I would not have got that time and I got to spend Christmas with her this year and I would not have got to do that (normally). I felt quite refreshed coming off the back of it and ready to really give it a go.

“But having my wife and my daughter definitely helped on the Saturdays when I’d normally be getting ready for a game.

“I definitely went through a period of not watching or doing anything until about maybe a month ago and I watched a game and thought: ‘I need to get going now.’

“Probably when the window opened, it was knowing there was a chance of going somewhere as I couldn’t go anywhere before that. I started getting itchy feet and wanting to get back out there.

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“I will be playing football until I am 40 – whatever level I am allowed to do that. I’ll try to stay as high as I can until someone tells me: ‘you can’t do it anymore!’”