History awaits Marquis and Co.

Valentine’s spirit will soon make way for FA Cup romance this weekend as fans of League 1 club Doncaster Rovers could see their side break new ground when they face Premier League outfit Crystal Palace.

It wasn’t so much Cupid’s arrow as Ian Wright’s hand which bequeathed Doncaster a home tie against former England boss Roy Hodgson’s side and it is they who stand in the way of the Yorkshiremen penning a previously untold chapter in their 140-year history.

A win against the two-time runners up would present the play-off hopefuls with another sizeable cash injection – doubling their prize money alone to a figure in the region of £750,000 – but the scent of history making is what appeals most to 22 goal striker, John Marquis.

“Whether this Doncaster team does or doesn’t get through, we’ve already made a bit of history in being the first for 63 years (to get to the fifth round) but if we can just go that next step then in 50 or 60 years from now, people will hopefully be talking about the likes of John Marquis, Ben Whiteman, (James) Coppinger, the list goes on playing in that cup run,” said the Lewisham-born front man.

 “If there is an opportunity for us to get to the quarter final stage, it would be the furthest that the club has ever been. It would be fantastic for all the players involved to be in a great cup run like this and to make some history.

“People look from the outside in and think ‘little old Doncaster’ but in 50 years’ time, to be mentioned in the team that got to the quarter finals – and maybe further – would be nice so we want to be part of that hopefully.”

Marquis, the man with the Midas touch, has netted in three of the four rounds to date and his goalscoring exploits have not gone unnoticed with several higher ranked clubs coveting a player whose services, it’s safe to say, would command a seven-figure fee.

His links with the Selhurst Park club are deep-seated. Once rejected as a youngster by the Eagles, he’ll have friends in the away end come kick off, but his focus remains on the job in hand with his current club, with whom he has settled after a nomadic existence.

“It’s a Premier League side, a good opportunity for a sell out and a winnable game,” the skipper pressed.

“I think we said if we could draw anyone bar a top-six side then we’d like to think that we can give them a good game on the day. Obviously, there’s no replay, it’s a one-off and anything can happen.

“When it’s a one-off, anyone has got a chance and I think that’s a good belief to have. That’s why the FA Cup is so good, it springs up surprises and hopefully there’s one on Sunday.”