Doncaster Rovers: '˜We could have played Jermaine Anderson is we'd agreed to sign him permanently in January'

Grant McCann has revealed he could have been handed permission to play loanee Jermaine Anderson in the FA Cup '“ had he agreed on Tuesday to sign the Peterborough United midfielder on a permanent deal.
Jermaine AndersonJermaine Anderson
Jermaine Anderson

Peterborough boss Steve Evans on Monday refused to allow Anderson to be included in Rovers' squad for Sunday's trip to Chorley as he is '˜not interested in helping anyone else.'

But McCann says he was told by Posh director of football Barry Fry at a game on Tuesday that Anderson would be permitted to play as long as Rovers committed to signing him in January.

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'Steve Evans has obviously decided he can't play,' McCann said. 'It is what it is.

'But I saw Barry Fry at Rotherham U23s against Peterborough on Tuesday and he's said the only way we can play Jermaine is if we take him on a permanent.

'I've no need to make that decision on Jermaine just yet so it is what it is.'

McCann is still set to decide whether to push for an extension to Anderson's loan, which expires in January.

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And he also revealed the blocking of Anderson's participation in the FA Cup tie has had the knock-on effect of forcing him to deny Tranmere Rovers permission to field Luke McCullough in their FA Cup tie with Oxford City on Saturday.

"Unfortunately because Jermaine cannot play, we cannot let Luke McCullough play,' McCann said.

'It's not only affecting Jermaine, it's affecting Luke too.

'We can't that risk with Joe Wright being injured now as well.

'We can't afford to let Luke play in that and leave us short if we do get further in the FA Cup, which I hope we do.

'It has a knock-on effect.

'If they had come back and said Jermaine could play then Luke could have played with Tranmere.

'It's catch 22.'