Liam Mandeville making his case for inclusion at Doncaster Rovers

Doncaster Rovers' Liam Mandeville (Picture: Steve Taylor).

And probably not on Darren Ferguson either, with Rovers’ manager admitting he is striving to bring down the average age of his squad and infuse the side with some choice youth – hopefully not at the expense of results.

Getting the balance right remains the conundrum, with Rovers currently suffering a bit of a dip after a run of five matches without a win.

Ferguson is conscious of the here and now, but also the bigger picture with the sight of teenagers Liam Mandeville and Mitchell Lund on the pitch at the final whistle, plus Harry Middleton, Luke McCullough and Lynden Gooch, being an indication of the latter.

He said: “The average age of the squad is 27 or 28 and I would like that to be maybe younger.

“But it is important that we get the balance right. That is something I have always done.

“I have got to get a good crop of young players, hungry and with energy, understanding the way I want to play.

“I think it’s obvious where I want to go with that and, added to that, you need good senior professionals within the dressing room as well, which we have got.”

Ferguson admits that the effervescent cameo from the bench of Mandeville, 18, who scored a memorable first goal in league football late on in Rovers’ 2-1 home loss to Walsall, has provided him with food for thought ahead of Saturday’s trip to Scunthorpe United.

The Scot said: “Sometimes, youngsters make it easy for you and they give you no choice but to put them in. He (Mandeville) is pretty close to that now.

“He came on in the Gillingham game and did well and now Walsall. So he’s definitely in my thoughts for Saturday as are two or three who didn’t start.”

Ferguson has revealed that Conor Grant missed Tuesday’s game with a rib injury that has worsened. Better news could see Andy Butler return this weekend, with Nathan Tyson having “half a chance” of returning.

Ex-Barnsley defender and current Leicester City assistant development coach Nicky Eaden is a leading candidate for the vacant assistant manager’s role at Rotherham United.

Eaden, 43, assistant to former Doncaster boss Steve Beaglehole when at Leicester, was a team-mate of Neil Redfearn’s at Oakwell and had a spell as Millers coach in 2011.