Bobby Faulkner

[Alan Southstand]

 Badly managed by who?

[DRFCSouth]

I wish him well and hope his spell at Harrogate goes well, and he puts himself into contention.

At the moment in my opinion, and possibly others, he hasn't done enough to warrant a position in the team.

No other player gets this level of attention,  especially when on the fringe of the squad.

[Metalmicky]

He signed a new one year deal in Jun 2025, with an option of an additional year - who has the option on the additional year - himself or the club?

[selby]

 The club.

[Draytonian III]

Or perhaps he will only be a League Two or National League player, especially if he’s spending a lot of time injured, players don’t improve when they are sat on the treatment table or in the stands because of persistent injuries

[BessieBlue]

The club.

Thats just claptrap isn't it?

[NickDRFC]

DMnumber4, he has been badly managed for two years or more, he isn't going to sit around here for another 18 months with others showing interest.

If he’s been so badly managed why did he sign a new contract half a year ago?

[Rupee92ONLY]

DMnumber4, he has been badly managed for two years or more, he isn't going to sit around here for another 18 months with others showing interest.

If he’s been so badly managed why did he sign a new contract half a year ago?

IIRC he was basically forced into signing that contract wasn’t he? Buxton (so guessing others too) weren’t willing to pay a fee we were demanding so it was sign the deal here and go out on loan or sit as a free agent not playing football for a year or however long.

[selby]

 Rupee it wasn't like that at all . and if you want to see what it means to Harrogate to have him back watch Simon Weavers pre match interview at the end of the interview for this weeks Chesterfield game.
 

[Rupee92ONLY]

So what was it like then? It was a big thing in the summer what I remember? Due to his age we’d have required compensation from his next club if he turned down a deal from us and gone elsewhere. McCann reminded everyone of that fact.

[Metalmicky]

The boy has talent - just needs to keep at it and the rewards will come...hopefully with Rovers, but potentially elsewhere...

What I know for sure is that Grehan's confidence is shot and he could do with a spell away - perhaps it is time to drag young Faulkner back and let him show us what he has got...

[selby]

  MM, there is no problem between Bobby and the club where he is playing the rest of the season, he has and does love it there and will get valuable game time, probably after this weekend.
  I think he should be here as better than what we have got as a supporter of the club IMHO only.
 The manager thinks what is here is good enough to stay up, as a supporter I sincerely hope he is right, but think it's 50/50 myself.
  Next season is another thing, if Bobby finishes this season as he played before injury he will be one of the top defenders in division 2 the management will have to sort it out with his agent if they want his services
  But any big fee would be laughed at in a tribunal as just a reserve player not even used all season in the first team squad, and some used going for free.

[Draytonian III]

He hasn’t played since the 11th of November and has only got 30 football appearances in the last 4 seasons

[selby]

  Exactly, just what his agent pointed out, but the stats in them games are really up there and them 30 will be well into the late 40's at 21 year old at centre half, not very common and what other clubs are looking at and contacting his agent for.
  They know he will be low risk, and good value being cheap and the hard work bringing him through has been done.
  We will be left once again like for others waiting for a sell on fee unless we make use of him ourselves.

[Metalmicky]

He hasn’t played since the 11th of November and has only got 30 football appearances in the last 4 seasons

TBF - I think his total commitment (whoever he is playing for) - is part of his game and the reason that I personally have a liking for him.  However, his full bodied commitment means he is susceptible to injury.  I am sure that as he gets older and wiser he will adapt and prove his worth... 

[Draytonian III]

If he doesn’t get another contract at Doncaster other clubs will be thinking he’s a risk even only at 21 , would he be worth a two year contract when he has so many injuries ?

[selby]

 Draytonian, with his games at Buxton preseason and games in the league and cups at Harrogate he had played about 40 first team games and a preseason without injury.
  Just as a comparison I would bet he has played more minutes than most of the Rovers central defenders apart from Bailey since January 2025 to now including time off for his injury this season.

[Alan Southstand]

Who says he’s going to be ‘cheap’? If he’s as good a player as what Selby/his agent/himself thinks he is then he’ll surely be worth investing in. The more clubs that are interested, the better, as far as drfc are concerned - it just drives his price up!

Don’t forget what we turned down for young McGrath and, according to some, Faulkner is better.

You can’t have it both ways!

[Usher wide.]

Faulkner must be better than Grehan surely & if he’s very close to McGrath level then he ought to be here developing & getting game time.

[selby]

  There are quite a few  differences Alan, personally I don't think they will let him go.
  If we do go down in him we will have one of the top defenders in that league this season statistically already at the club if he continues as he was before injury and I see no reason why not.
  And if we stay up we need better than what has been on show this season and certainly more consistent.
  But any club being asked a big fee would go straight to tribunal and question things with an agent well versed, and have a very good chance of getting him on the cheap. Not played or even been in the first team squad for two seasons  never even gone on pre season warm weather training played for the club as a junior not in the academy, was in preseason training camp for only three days before being loaned out, doesn't look good does it.
  Our hope would be a sizable sell on fee and that has turned out well with Ben Whiteman hasn't it?
  For the club he would be better here. for Bobby that's questionable and with certainty I can say he will be looked at by more than Doncaster Rovers while at Harrogate the rest of this season.

[Alan Southstand]

It doesn’t look bad, either. His worth is what someone is prepared to pay and it’s not up to his agent!

Best option, for now, is he stays and secures a first team place. It’s win-win for the club in all respects as far as I can see.

[Chris Black come back]

His problem will be that even McCann will acknowledge that our options as centre back are sub-optimal to stay in League One, if we are there come summer. That means he is going to be investing in new players. If you are spending, you are probably going to have to play them, especially after seemingly wasting money on Pearson wages for a season and not fancying the lad. That doesn’t bode well for Faulkner given McCann hasn’t really shown any interest to date incorporating him into the squad, let alone starting him.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Faulkner must be better than Grehan surely & if he’s very close to McGrath level then he ought to be here developing & getting game time.

 But that's the whole point McCann loaned him out because he recognised he needed regular games after his unfortunate situation from his previous loan and injury. McCann couldn't guarantee that game time here, just as it shows with Grehan who's on the periphery , so Bobby is getting the better opportunity. The remainder of this season is likely to be very important for him for his future whether here or elsewhere.

For example. If he does continue to play for the rest of the season at Harrogate and the club exercise the option of another year, Bobby will need to know he's  going to get a fair crack at the first team. I guess McCann knows that too but if he can't give him that chance, then he should be fair to Bobby and let him go. 

[Metalmicky]

I would hope his experiences and efforts at Harrogate have developed the lad... I honestly believe that he has promise and we'll bring him into the fold next year...

[Draytonian III]

Draytonian, with his games at Buxton preseason and games in the league and cups at Harrogate he had played about 40 first team games and a preseason without injury.
  Just as a comparison I would bet he has played more minutes than most of the Rovers central defenders apart from Bailey since January 2025 to now including time off for his injury this season.

The games for Buxton ,Worksop etc are good for match fitness etc, but seems to something that continues to stop his progress, injuries. To have that many injuries as a young prospect can’t be good

[selby]

  He played every game for Buxton from the first week in January including cup games to the end of the season a total of  twenty two games without injury.
  This season he completed pre season played in pre season friendlies and all games to his injury including cup games after the first four games of the season played 16 games and pre season friendlies a seasons games without injury.
  Apart from Bailey all the other central defenders and full backs here have done nowhere near that over the same period.

[WarwickRover]

He’s played through a few coaches now. Are they all wrong?

[selby]

  Wellens and McSheffrey played him Schofield did when he had to and he got, MOM;s under them all Mccann has played him in EFL  games only and a short sub in a league game.
 His last two full games at Walsall and Everton u21s he got MOM awards, his last game was at Mansfield in an EFL cup when a botched first operation an ankle ligaments let him down which was always going to happen at some time the operation being a failure.

[BillyStubbsTears]

  Wellens and McSheffrey played him Schofield did when he had to and he got, MOM;s under them all Mccann has played him in EFL  games only and a short sub in a league game.
 

Aye. The first three managers took us from a solid L1 position to the bottom end of L2. The fourth one took us the opposite way. Might be the context for the decisions you are so upset about regarding Faulkner.

[DMnumber4]

Played his first league game in 3 months last night against Barrow, coming on as a sub for the final 23 minutes in a 1-0 win.

Good to see.