TOM ANDERSON remains confident that Doncaster Rovers can still secure promotion back to League One at the first attempt - but he doesn’t want to stop there.

Having committed his future to the club until the summer of 2025 by signing a new two-and-half year deal earlier this week, the 29-year-old Rovers’ captain is convinced that the club’s ambitions match his own.

Further evidence of that alignment arrived 24 hours later when up-and-coming midfielder Kyle Hurst signed a similar deal to Anderson.

It’s a sign that the players are buying into Danny Schofield’s philosophy, even if the consistency all are seeking continues to prove elusive.

AIMING HIGH: Doncaster Rovers' Tom Anderson signed a new two-and-a-half year deal with the club earlier this week Picture: Kirsty O'Connor/PA

It is exactly that inconsistent form that sees Rovers head to promotion-chasing Stockport County today seven points outside the play-off spots. A win for the hosts could take them to within a point of the automatic places if results elsewhere also go their way in what has been an impressive first season back in League Two.

But Anderson believes Rovers are more than capable of bringing all three points back with them from Edgeley Park, where a win would deliver a serious statement of their intent to get in among the play-off-chasing pack.

“Stockport are one of the bigger clubs in the league with a big fanbase,” said Anderson. “It’s a real good place to go and put a marker down.

“These are the games that you want to play in. They’ll have a big crowd there but we can go there with the freedom of how we want to play and if we can get three points, people will maybe start thinking about us as a contender.”

BaCKING: Captain Tom Anderson believes Danny Schofield has had a positive effect on Doncaster Rovers since taking over in September last year. Picture: Bruce Rollinson

Anderson said he did not sign a new deal to stick around in League Two for the next two-and-a-half years, believing Rovers are capable of an instant return to the third tier – and maybe even more.

“With this gaffer and the foundations we’ve got in the squad now, we can easily get back into League One and kick on again – what’s not to say we can’t get into the Championship,” added Anderson about the potential he believes exists at Rovers, who have not competed in the second tier since 2013-14.

“I’ve got ambitions, the club has got ambitions and the main thing is that I can see that and that’s why I committed my future to the club.

“I know I’m 29 going on 30 but you always have to have ambitions – you want to get back into League One and kick on and you want try and play at as higher level as you can, for as long as you can.”

Doncaster Rovers captain Tom Anderson reveals ambition to help take club back to the Championship