Express & Star

James Baxendale coming back to haunt Doncaster

Walsall winger James Baxendale today insisted he is out to show Doncaster Rovers what they are missing on his return.

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The Doncaster-born wide man will travel to the Keepmoat with the Saddlers tomorrow for the first time since being released last summer.

Baxendale made just three substitute appearances for Rovers last season before being released after a brief loan spell at Hereford.

The 20-year-old joined the Saddlers on a free after his Keepmoat exit and is keen to prove joint-leaders Rovers wrong for letting him go.

He said: "I didn't really show the crowd at Donny what I could do so, hopefully, I can go back there and show them.

"It started off well, I was on the bench for the first few games of the season, came off the bench three times so I'd made my league debut there.

"But the rest of the season there was nothing really happening.

"I ended up going out to Hereford on loan for the last couple of months to try to get a bit of first team football. I enjoyed it to begin with but it was frustrating for the rest of it.

"I'm looking forward to the game. It's my home town and hopefully we can come away with three points.

"I'm a Sheffield Wednesday fan but I grew up in Doncaster and played there so it's a big game for me.

"A few of the family are fans and a lot of friends are Donny fans. I've had a lot of requests for tickets – too many to satisfy really."

The Saddlers have a fully fit squad after Richard Taundry recovered from an ankle problem as they play their first game since goalkeeper Jimmy Walker left the club.

Assistant David Kelly also joined Nottingham Forest yesterday, just nine days after returning to the Saddlers as Dean Smith's N0 2.

Doncaster appointed David Williams as Brian Flynn's assistant yesterday – Flynn having taken over the reins after Dean Saunders was appointed manager of Wolves on January 7.

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