Doncaster Rovers U18s will begin their 2026/27 Youth Alliance League campaign with a trip to Carrington Training Centre on Saturday to face Stockport County. The match kicks off at 11am.
The young Rovers squad heads into the season opener on the back of a positive pre-season. Brett Partner, head of academy player development at Doncaster Rovers, said the preparation had been demanding but rewarding.
"It's been tough pre-season for the lads, but overall it has been really good," Partner said. "I'm very impressed with what I've seen, we have had some really good games in pre-season and the lads have worked very hard."
Pathway to first team
Partner highlighted the benefit of having young players involved in first-team training. "Some of the players have been involved in first-team training, which is really positive," he said. "It shows that they have been working hard and that the first team are watching."
He added that the proximity to the senior squad offers significant value. "It is every kid's dream to play in the first team and having that pathway here, while being so close to the first team, is fantastic. The U18s are able to see the first team train, and when they are given the opportunity to go over there it is really positive."
Preview of Stockport clash
Looking ahead to Saturday's match, Partner expects a competitive fixture. "It is going to be a tough game. It is the first game of the season, so they are going to want to go out and win, and we do as well. The lads are fit and the intensity in training has been really good. We're demanding a lot from the players, so hopefully, come Saturday, they are able to implement what we have been working on and show what they can do."
Full-back Liam Potts, who impressed during pre-season, is confident Rovers can make a strong start. "I expect a good start because we have had a really positive pre-season, we want to come out quickly and make a good start to the new campaign," Potts said.
Potts praised the integration of new players into the squad. "The lads have done great in pre-season, especially the new ones coming in and even the U16s who have joined us."
He acknowledged that while the goal is to win every game, losses can provide valuable lessons. "We don't really want to lose games. Sometimes it can happen, but our mentality is to go out and win, so that is the main focus. It is pretty unlikely that you're going to win every single game, so you have to use any losses as learning curves. There are always positives to take, and we will watch games back to see how they can help us as the season goes on."
Potts concluded: "On Saturday we will try to prove a point. Our whole pre-season has been building up to this game. It is what we've worked towards for the last six weeks."
