James Coppinger keen not to miss golden moment at Doncaster Rovers

James Coppinger is “dying” to play for Doncaster Rovers tomorrow – and not just so he can play in a shirt he designed.
Doncaster Rovers' James Coppinger wearing the club's third kit, which he designed himself. Picture: Andrew Roe/AHPIXDoncaster Rovers' James Coppinger wearing the club's third kit, which he designed himself. Picture: Andrew Roe/AHPIX
Doncaster Rovers' James Coppinger wearing the club's third kit, which he designed himself. Picture: Andrew Roe/AHPIX

The 40-year-old playmaker has been missing since Christmas with a calf injury he puts down to a lack of minutes this season, but has declared himself fit for the League One visit of Hull City.

With the two sides promotion rivals and plenty of Rovers connections in the Tigers’ line-up, it will be a big game in itself but has added poignancy for Coppinger because the hosts will play in a limited-edition gold shirt he and his teenage sons designed to commemorate a 17-year Doncaster career which will end when he retires in May.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It will be good timing, then, if the 40-year-old can take to the field and after suffering three straight defeats for the first time this season, his experience could be invaluable to Rovers.

“The calf injury’s fine,” said Coppinger. “I’ve been back training for four or five days now so it feels really good.

“I had a little bit of a setback that set me back a week but I’m in full training and looking forward to getting involved in the squad and helping the team.

“I’ve trained every day this week and I can’t see why I can’t start.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Coppinger’s frustrations are heightened because he is so unused to injury.

“Before this I can’t remember the last time I was injured for longer than three weeks,” he said. “I think it went back to Darren Ferguson, maybe before that.

“It’s a real eye-opener to how fortunate I’ve been with injury. I was tearing my hair out when I’d been out three, four, five weeks but players that are out long-term, it’s opened my eyes to what that’s about.”

Asked why he thought he had such a good record, he explained: “I go back to my body being conditioned to playing 40-plus games for the last 19 seasons.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I recover really well and even at 40, I don’t feel any stiffness after playing games or training.

“This season I haven’t played as many minutes as I thought I should or would like. That’s probably had a detrimental effect on my body.

“Not being able to play in games because of Covid, not being able to get a reserve game or a friendly, is frustrating and I’m not the only one to feel that.
I’m just dying to get back on the pitch.”

The kit, with 26s (Coppinger’s squad number) woven into it, also carries the logo of CALM – the anti-suicide charity Coppinger supports.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today. Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you’ll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app and receive exclusive members-only offers. Click HERE to subscribe.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.