Doncaster Rovers: Saunders hopes to draw on Capital Cup run for signings

With Rovers’ playing budget slashed following relegation to League One, manager Saunders’s room to manoeuvre in the transfer market is limited.

He is keen to bring in the likes of Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Nicky Weaver and former Barnsley striker Iain Hume.

With the big guns entering the competition at the last-32 stage this evening, should Rovers land a plum tie against one of them it could strengthen Saunders’s hand in his quest for some incoming business ahead of the closure of the transfer window tomorrow night.

Saunders, whose side rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to triumph 3-2 against Hull City in a Keepmoat Stadium thriller on Tuesday evening – said: “If we get a big draw, the owners might give me some money to get two really good players in. Now that might make us a really strong outfit in this league.”

Two-goal Dave Syers may have been the last-gasp hero for Rovers, firing in the winner in stoppage time, but the sight of James Coppinger – who set up the former Bradford man’s decisive strike – strutting his stuff in just his second start of the season, was also a welcome one for home fans.

While Saunders acknowledges that rival clubs are circling ahead of the transfer deadline – with the likes of Nottingham Forest and Hull City linked – ideally he would like to keep the 31-year-old.

Saunders added: “James is in the shop window. I hope he stays, but he’s obviously hanging out there on a limb and the vultures are there ready to take him and we can’t do too much about it really.

“But I’m hoping the window closes and he’s still here.”

Meanwhile, summer recruit Syers is eyeing a double-figure haul from midfield in 2012-13 for Rovers after getting off the mark for his new club with a brace against the Tigers.

The goalscoring midfielder, setting his sights on emulating his feats in his debut season with Bradford in 2010-11 when he plundered 10 goals, said: “I feel I’m the kind of person who scores in spurts. But I’ll keep getting in positions and while I may miss a few chances, it won’t stop me getting in there.

“Over the course of a season, I’d back myself to get my fair share of goals and always look at double figures at the start. That’s what I aim to achieve.”

Fulham midfielder Moussa Dembele last night signed for Tottenham for a fee understood to be in the region of £15m after he agreed a five-year contract.