Doncaster Rovers v Port Vale: Former Rangers man James Maxwell embracing pressure on battling on three fronts
Some promotion-chasing clubs see cup football as a pain in the backside, but for Doncaster Rovers it is probably a bit of a Godsend.
Rovers host fellow League Two side Port Vale in the last 32 of the Football League Trophy on Tuesday, and travel to Hull City in the third round of the FA Cup next month. For a manager looking to build a squad like Grant McCann is, it means more game-time for everyone.
"We haven't really got any squad players," insists manager McCann, who is already planning January additions. "I was sat last week with Charlie Adam and Mo Ross (the Fleetwood Town management team) and I know them from Rangers days when my brother was there.
"They were saying they felt they had a certain number ready for their team.
"I said to them I thought we had 22, 23. It probably hurt them a little bit me saying that but I do believe we have 22, 23 players who can play in our team and we don't look any different."
To prove his point, 18 of his squad are into double-figure appearances for the season and many of those who are not, like left-back James Maxwell, can blame injuries - in his case a fractured fifth metatarsal in his right foot he is just working his way back from.
The Scot believes the characteristics of the squad are what allow the delicate balancing act to work.
"I think it comes internally from the group as a whole," says Maxwell. "There's good lads in there and they take disappointments well. There's no toxicity around the club.
"That's the standards the group's held itself up to for the last year, 18 months.
"If anyone didn't take it well it would be pointed out and made clear they were out of line. You don't really have a choice, you have to take it well. Everyone knows you are going to get an opportunity to play so it's just about accepting it and working on the training pitch as much as I can.
"A lot of players come through academies and get used to playing 45 minutes or half an hour each so as you grow up you're used to it. It doesn't mean we're not disappointed when we're not playing but maybe we react in a different way to professionals 10 or 15 years ago.
"We've got three full-backs on either side and people like Molys (Luke Molyneux), Gibbo (Jordan Gibson), Hursty (Kyle Hurst) and Effy (Ephraim Yeboah) who can all play wing-back as well if we're chasing a game so it would be unrealistic to expect to play 46 games but everyone wants to.
"The game on Tuesday will be good for us and the FA Cup run is good for everyone. "There's probably not a player in the squad you could say has not had a good run of games."
Fortunately for Maxwell, he came through the youth system at Rangers, so is used to expectation to win every game.
"It's a lot less toxic and the fans aren't on you the same if you get a bad result but it does remind me of the expectation I experienced up there, but it's a lot nicer,” he says.