Doncaster Rovers: Club captain Andy Butler heaps praise on newest signing Niall Mason

Andy Butler has heaped praise on Niall Mason for the way he coped with his first season in senior football and '˜slotted seamlessly' into the Doncaster Rovers squad.
Niall MasonNiall Mason
Niall Mason

Mason, 20, became Rovers’ first signing of the summer after turning his loan move from Aston Villa into a permanent one earlier this month.

The former Blackburn Rovers and Southampton youngster had not played a single game at senior level before his arrival at the Keepmoat Stadium but went on to make 42 appearances for Rovers’ promotion-winning side.

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His versatility, in particular, impressed club captain Butler.

“Niall’s been excellent since he came into the team,” said Butler.

“As players we didn’t know much about him to be fair but he came in and goes about his job like any other player.

“He’s been put in a lot of different positions and I think he did well in all of them. I don’t think there’s a position where he’s struggled.

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“He’s played in a back three, back four, left back, right back, right of a diamond, sitting midfielder - and he just gets on with it. There’s no prima donna about him.

“You know what you’re going to get from Niall every day.

“He’s great to have around the club. He fitted in with the group seamlessly.”

Reflecting on Rovers’ third place finish, Butler added: “I think you have to look back on the season positively. If you think about the clubs that have gone down the season before not many have bounced back like we have.

“Obviously it’s disappointing not to win the league but if you put that to one side we’ve won promotion and we’re back in League One. The main objective this year was promotion which we have done.”