PAUL Dickov has not even completed his first full season in charge of Doncaster Rovers – but he is already in a select club of Championship bosses.

Despite only taking over the reigns in May, the Scot is currently the 16th longest serving manager in the division and the 65th out of 92 in the Football League.

Dougie Freedman, eighth on the Championship list and 39th in all, has credited his former Crystal Palace and Scotland team-mate for the job he has done so far at the Keepmoat Stadium.

“Paul is very dedicated to his job,” he said. “He’s a real football man.

“I think he’s done a great job at Doncaster because behind the scenes there has been a lot of turmoil, upstairs in the boardroom.

“He’s got where he is this season without really being able to recruit as many players as he’d like.”

Wanderers executed a perfect game plan against Bournemouth a few weeks ago but fluffed their lines at home to fellow new boys Yeovil, escaping with a 1-1 draw thanks to Alex Baptiste’s late equaliser.

Facing the third of the promoted trio, Freedman feels his side are better equipped.

“We’re in a different stage than the Yeovil game – back then we were wishing things were going to happen,” he said.

“We’ve got to a place right now where we expect to do certain things, even against Huddersfield.

“We just need to approach this one right but if you slack off – as we did for the first half dozen games of the season – then it’ll be a very tough day for us.”