Sam Hird returned to Doncaster Rovers this week following what the player describes as a successful loan spell at Grimsby Town.

Hird was loaned to the Mariners, shortly after Rovers' dramatic exit from the Johnstone's Paint Trophy at the hands of Alan Buckley's side - and had since made eighteen appearances for the League Two outfit. The Grimsby manager went on record as saying that he was delighted with the job that Sam had done for the Mariners and that he was a player he would fight for if he became available.

However, now he has returned to the club he joined permanently after being released by Leeds United, Sam insists that it's his aim to be part of the Rovers squad - a task he sees as being a tough one.

"It was a good loan spell and it was great to get regular games - but the main thing now is that I am back at Doncaster Rovers. Hopefully I can just be involved as much as possible - but it is going to be hard considering how well the team is doing at the moment. All around the squad there are some great players and it's going to be hard to get in."

"I think the best thing about the loan spell was getting the regular games - rather than being at Grimsby Town. I see myself at Doncaster in the long run; I saw myself at Doncaster anyway, whether or not I am here in years to come; this is where I see myself. So, for that part - the main thing was me just getting the games, getting the fitness and just having a taste of first-team football."

"I've obviously been keeping in touch with people at Doncaster and keeping tabs of how the team are doing and I think it's hard not to be impressed with how the team are doing at the moment. The team are second in the League and playing well. [Adam Lockwood then decides to interrupt the interview]. Skipper Adam Lockwood carrying the team [both laugh]."

"All I can do is do my best, train hard and keep working hard. Hopefully, then I can keep improving and try and get involved from now until the end of the season."

"I wouldn't so much say that I have grown as a player - I think that I am a lot more confident as a player. I've gained a lot of confidence playing games. I think that my sharpness as well; I'm certainly a lot sharper than I was prior to going out on loan."

"In terms of my future, I have no plans to go out on loan again or be anywhere other than Doncaster. I see myself here and this is where I want to be; whether it take me one month or six months or even twelve months to get into the team and do well - this is where I want to be."

"It's always nice when Alan Buckley, who is a manager who has had many years in the game, comes out and says good things about you. When I went to Grimsby; they were third from bottom. Since I was there; they went on a run of twelve games unbeaten. I was told that I was going in there to tighten up the defence - and I would like to believe that that is what I did at Grimsby."