Doncaster Rovers boss Grant McCann gives his pitch on Valley Parade surface ahead of Yorkshire derby with Bradford City

Work to improve the much-criticised surface got under way after late season ended in May, with contracts getting to work just 48 hours after the club’s final game of the campaign, with the pitch looking vastly improved so far this term.

McCann said: "I think it’s a lot better now and they have put a bit of money into the pitch by all accounts and it looks better anyway.

"It wasn’t great last season in particular. But it was a strange sort of pitch; I know it didn’t look great, but was quite flat and the ball could still move on it.

"I know it looked like it was just mud, but it was quite flat and you could still move the ball. It definitely looks better this year.”

Rovers head to West Yorkshire on the back of a very disappointing and surprising home reverse to Bromley, when they paid the price for a lack of cutting edge in front of goal.

McCann added: "We know it’s a long season with swings and roundabouts and we know there’s ups and downs and want to have more ups.

"We want to approach every game single-mindedly to try and win that game, regardless of who it is against, regardless of it being Bradford on Saturday.

"I know Graham (Alexander) and he’s a good manager and experienced and all his teams are hard-working and doing well for him at this moment in time, but my focus is only on us.

"We’ve focused really hard this week in us improving in certain aspects and hopefully we can implement that plan on Saturday.”