DRFC Saunders - We can make instant return

Doncaster Rovers boss Dean Saunders says he feels the club are in a better position than they were when he took over at the end of September and he is backing the side to make an instant return to the championship.

Rovers finished bottom of the championship, twelve points from safety and Saunders says he was still confident he could keep the side in the championship just a few weeks ago.

Speaking on the Football League website , Saunders said, "The players got better and we gave ourselves a chance. Only a few weeks ago, hand on heart. I thought we were going to stay up. But unfortunately we fell short."

Rovers gave themselves a chance of avoiding the drop in early March with a win at Nottingham Forest and holding West Ham and Reading to draws in consecutive games. A run of just three points from ten games eventually saw them relegated following the 4-3 home defeat to Portsmouth.

Saunders feels everyone involved at the club need to look at themselves in the mirror following their relegation but he is already planning to life in League One next season and he feels three or four good signings could see them make an instant return. "The players have got to look at themselves in the mirror. I have also got to hold my hands up myself. I knew when I came in that we had only one point from seven games and I was putting myself into a relegation situation. I firmly believed I could keep the club in the championship, but I have not managed to do it.

"Things are definitely better than they were though - and if I can add three or four players with the right steel in them to the group we have, then we should have a great chance of coming straight back up next season," added Saunders

The biggest problem for Saunders could be holding onto the key members of his squad from the championship.

A number of players are out of contract and Saunders will probably have to sell some of the players already in contract to reduce his wage bill.

Saunders is yet to announce his retained and released list following the completion of the season last Saturday.




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