O'Driscoll: Tough start

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Doncaster manager Sean O'Driscoll has been assured his job is safe despite the club's difficult start to life in the Championship.

Rovers climbed back into English football's second tier for the first time in 50 years with victory over Leeds United in the League One play-off final in May.

But the Yorkshire club have found life tough at the higher level and are currently in the relegation zone with just seven points to show from their opening 10 games.

O'Driscoll's men suffered a humbling 4-1 defeat to local rivals and fellow strugglers Barnsley last time out, when the Tykes claimed a memorable victory at Oakwell despite playing most of the second half with only 10 men.

That setback led Rovers chairman John Ryan to question his own position at the Keepmoat Stadium, but he believes chopping and changing the club's hierarchy would only have a detrimental effect.

Improve

Ryan told the Yorkshire Post: "No-one is putting their heads in the sand - we are second bottom of the Championship table and we want to improve that situation - but both Sean and I agree that our performances have warranted better results.

"I was bitterly disappointed after the Barnsley game and I did think that maybe I should quit... but this club needs stability, that is why we have had so much success over these last five or six years.

"There will be no changing the manager either. In fact, I see Sean O'Driscoll in this job for many more years to come."

Confident

Ryan knows Rovers will have their work cut out to survive in the Championship, but believes that if they do avoid the drop the celebrations will match those after their Wembley triumph.

He added: "It was never going to be easy for us because you can't expect to keep going up without things getting tougher.

"But I am confident that we will stay up and, as long as we do, that will feel just as good as any promotion."