Connor O'Riordan has revealed there was early summer interest in his future following his return to Barnsley after a loan spell at Doncaster Rovers. The defender spent the first half of last season with Rovers in League One before heading back to Ewood Park to provide defensive cover for his parent club.

O'Riordan has been a regular starter in the Barnsley backline this season, with the club currently 18th in the League One table. He reflected on the summer's developments. "There was initial interest early in the summer but it didn't quite get sorted," O'Riordan said. His comments come as Doncaster Rovers themselves handle a difficult start to the new campaign, sitting 21st in the third tier with just six points from seven games. Their most recent result was a 2-0 win at Peterborough, with goals from Alfie May and Isaac Hutchinson, but their form over the last five matches reads one win, one draw and three defeats.

Pratt's impact highlights contrast

While Rovers struggle, a former academy product is thriving elsewhere. George Pratt scored the winning goal for Bradford City against Notts County earlier this month with a strike from the edge of the area. Bradford picked up maximum points in the three games Pratt started and remain top of League One, a position that puts them nine points clear of Doncaster. This stark contrast shows the divergent paths of the club and its former players.

Former loanees abroad

Other players with past links to the Keepmoat Stadium are also in action across Europe. Sidnei Tavares has featured prominently for Polish side Wisla Plock, playing all but 18 minutes across three appearances. He helped his team pick up seven points from that run, including victories against Zaglebie Lubin and Cracovia, and holds an average rating of 7.4 according to FotMob.

In Denmark, Axel Henriksson has experienced a rollercoaster start with Randers. The midfielder received a red card just eight minutes into his debut against AGF but later scored a brace in a 3-1 victory over Vendsyssel. Randers, who also lost 4-3 to Sonderjyske in a match he featured in, currently sit eighth in the Danish table with 10 points from nine games.

Ex-Rovers forward in management

Colin Kazim-Richards, a former Doncaster Rovers forward, is now managing Crawley Town. At his club, goalkeeper Nick Michalski came on at half-time to replace the injured Vito Mannone on his debut and has since started a further four league games. Another player with Rovers connections, Osman Kamara, made 10 appearances for Crawley in all competitions. Crawley have one win from seven games and are bottom of their league table.

As the focus returns to the first team, Doncaster Rovers prepare for their next challenge. They travel to face Luton Town, who are 16th, on Saturday. The full schedule ahead can be found on the club's fixtures page.

The original report is at uk.sports.yahoo.com