This is only the penultimate edition of the fanzine for 2021-22, but you won’t have to get far through its pages to see that the majority of our correspondents are already accepting of it ending in relegation. Rovers have had a mini resurgence, just before this issue went to print, but it hasn’t been enough of a revival to switch faint hopes the way of creeping beliefs.
It’s a weird time to be a Rovers fan, particularly on in exile. On top of the increasing stockpile of defeats, there’s an often poisonous atmosphere amongst fans online. It’s hard to fathom what’s fuelled it – we’ve certainly been in more dire straights than this as a club – but its lingering presence coupled with abject on field offerings makes supporting Rovers at the moment a real slugfest. This is supposed to be a pastime; it’s supposed to be fun.
Ah well, if nowt else it gives us plenty to write about; so much so we’ve had to bolt four extra pages onto issue 107, in which you’ll find the following.
Editorial: Glen Wilson poses some questions for the Rovers board
Bernard Glover’s Diary: A look back at the previous two months in the hope that revisiting past trauma really is therapeutic
The Fan Panel: The original panel of Rovers fans answer questions on the season so far
Remembering the First Time: Joseph Mattey takes us back to 1973 and a Fourth Division fixture with Peterborough
Follows the Rovers: Mike Follows casts his eye over Rovers January additions
The Belles The Belles: Some positive Doncastriam football news, courtesy of Alan Brown’s Belles round-up
Voice of the Pop Side: John Coyle looks to a season in the past to draw some hope for the present
Gary Brabin Memorial Lounge: James McMahon takes Aristotle to task over the subject of hope
Jacob’s Selection: Can you find hope in a loveless place? Jacob Goodwin tries to offer us some
Howard’s Marks: Howard Bonnett resumes his non-league travels
Waugh, Huh, Yeah: David Waugh takes time out from watching Rovers… to go and watch the Rovers
Marshall’s Matters: Rob Marshall explains why he’s taking Rovers fortunes by the mug handle
Caught Between the Hoops: Can you have two hometown teams? Stephen Blair contemplates his Rovers support
For Peat’s Sake: Jack Peat looks for uplifting reasons to support our club in the most downbeat of seasons
Throw-in the Towel: Marvin the Paranoid Android offers us the real story behind Wigan’s recent win at Doncaster
Ask Reece Wabara: The ex-Rover’s tweets answer your problems
Lazarus Comes Forth: What can a tedious jigsaw teach us about being in the relegation places? Over to Lazaurus
Losing My Favourite Game: Jacob Goodwin takes us to Oakwell in the autumn of 2008.
Windmills of Your Mind: A journey of football, travel and self discovery with Laurie Sheffield and Dutch Uncle
For the 2021-22 season popular STAND is a subscription-based fanzine, however we have a small number of individual copies of issue 107 available for sale via our back issue page.
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