. See the current injury list for all Premier League Teams
. All the Spurs Stats you could hope for here!

Spurs' complete record against Rovers is as follows:-

21.12.35 (A) Div 2  L 1-2  Morrison
25.04.36 (H) Div 2  W 3-1  Meek (2), Duncan
12.12.36 (H) Div 2  W 2-0  McCormick, G.S.Hunt
17.04.37 (A) Div 2  D 1-1  Morrison
27.09.47 (H) Div 2  W 2-0  Jordan (2)
14.02.48 (A) Div 2  D 1-1  Woodward
18.02.56 (A) FACR5  W 2-0  Brooks, Smith
03.12.75 (H) LC-QF  W 7-2  Pratt, Chivers (2)
                           Duncan (3), Chappell (o.g.) 
26.08.09 (A) LC Rd2 W 5-1  Huddlestone, O'Hara, Crouch
                           Bentley, Pavlyuchenko

Let's not count our chickens

Spurs open their league cup campaign tomorrow (7.45pm - SKY SPORTS +) with what should be a gentle third round game against League One side Doncaster Rovers. My route to Tottenham involves a trip on an LNER train which stops at Doncaster, so I naturally hope it is their fans, rather than me, who travel back with their tails between their legs!

We last met "Donny" in the second round of the League Cup (then sponsored by Carling) in August, 2009. Doncaster-born Danny Rose made his Spurs senior debut in that game in the 72nd minute when we were already 5-1 ahead. It was a proud moment for Danny, who made a spectacular Premier League debut later that season when scoring his sensational opening goal against Arsenal. Danny was then 19, and at 35 has now retired from playing.

Harry Redknapp was in charge at Spurs at the time, for his first full season, having taken us to the League Cup Final in his first, when we lost on penalties to Manchester United. Our 2009 trip to Doncaster was our first second round League Cup game since the ignominious defeat at Grimsby in 2005. This season Grimsby (who have a Danny Rose on their books) have been giant killers again, having beaten Manchester United in the second round and last week, struggling Sheffield Wednesday. A fourth round draw against "The Mariners" would be interesting to say the least! First, we must beat Doncaster Rovers.

Our 2009 win over Doncaster was one of three 5-1 wins in our first eight games that season, and one of four occasions we scored five in the first nine matches! This preview is being published on the 16th anniversary of one of those wins - against Preston.

Our penalties defeat at Craven Cottage two years ago was the last time we entered the league cup at the second round stage. See our full league cup history here.

Let's not count our chickens, and expect "Donny" to roll over and make our passage easy. Coached by Grant McCann - once a West Ham academy prospect, Rovers were promoted as Champions of League Two last season and currently sit seventh in League One, with 16 points from nine games played so far. On Saturday, they lost 2-1 at home to Wimbledon. They've reached this stage by beating Championship Middlesbrough 4-0 (Middlesbrough are unbeaten since and top of the Championship!) and lowly Accrington Stanley 2-0.

Spurs' 19-year-old Damola Ajayi is on loan with "Donny", and would normally not be eligible for this game. However, Spurs have given permission for him to play against his home team - if selected, of course. Damola who scored a debut senior goal in the Europa League against Elfsborg in January, scored one of "Rovers'" goals at Middlesbrough, and has made 10 appearances for his loan club, but made just two starts.

The best known player in the Doncaster squad is Billy Sharp, born in Sheffield in February 1986 and a veteran "Blade" with 117 league goals in 335 appearances, Sharp joined "Rovers" last year, and has appeared in 10 games this season. He's scored two goals in those games. Top scorer for the club is 26-year-old captain Owen Bailey, who plays at centre-back or central midfield. Bailey is Newcastle-born, and a former graduate of the Tyneside club, but arrived at Doncaster via Gateshead.

My 2009 preview of our last Doncaster meeting includes more history which might be of interest. Doncaster spent five of the six seasons between 2008 and 2014 in The Championship. They dropped to League 2 for one season in 2016/17, then again in 2022, before last season's promotion.

Inevitably, there will be changes to tomorrow's side. I anticipate breathers for Vicario, Pedro Porro, one of our centre-backs (Ben Davies is not yet fit) and especially Mohammed Kudus. We could start with Kinsky; Spence, Romero (Capt.), Danso, Udogie; Gray, Bentancur, Sarr; Johnson, Tel, and Odobert. Randal Kolo-Muani had been hoping for a first start in any of the front three positions, but is also not quite fit to play. I'll predict a 3-0 home win. Don't forget, there is no extra-time, just penalties if the scores are level after 90 minutes. There is also no VAR at this stage.

Match referee Andy Madley takes charge of Spurs for the tenth time. His last Spurs game was our away defeat to Fulham in March. Mr. Madley has yet to referee a Premier League game this season.

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