The 2015-16 season in microcosm: Rovers defended with the resilience of a soufflé, attacked with the cutting edge of a wooden spoon and capped things off with the sort of individual error that’d make a pub footballer blush. Continue reading “Crewe Alexandra 3-1 Doncaster Rovers; 250 word match report”
My grandmother, a Lancastrian, nursed a lifelong disdain for Wigan and its inhabitants. I can’t say I share this, because Wigan Athletic have been unwontedly generous to Rovers; they haven’t beaten Doncaster for 20 years and haven’t won here for 28. Continue reading “Doncaster Rovers 3-1 Wigan Athletic: 250 word match report”
SAME OLD STORY FOR NEW-LOOK ROVERS
Like Doncaster Rovers circa 2016, the England cricket team of the 1990s boasted a Gooch and a Stewart in their ranks. They also often gave the impression that their team had been selected via the expedient of drawing names out of a hat. Rovers’ XI for the ‘must win’ game against Shrewsbury Town suggested some kind of random process at work.
Continue reading “Doncaster Rovers 0-1 Shrewsbury Town; 400 word match report”
WELLENS MAKES BREWERS DROOP
The last time Rovers played a competitive away match against Burton Albion, the game was played at the old Eton Park ground, now a housing estate, and Mitchell Lund was a six-year-old boy growing up in Leeds. Tonight young Lund made an assured senior debut for Rovers as they progressed in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy with a 3-0 victory over their hosts at the Pirelli Stadium. However, it was one of Rovers’ veterans who stood out, Richie Wellens giving a dominant display in midfield.
After a quiet opening, Rovers began to take charge and went ahead after 33 minutes. Good build-up down the right ended when James Coppinger pulled back a cross which struck a defender and fell for Harry Forrester to shoot home emphatically. They doubled their advantage on 42 minutes when Mousinho felled Nathan Tyson in the area and the striker got up to slot home the penalty. Burton made changes at the break and around the hour mark they enjoyed a brief spell of dominance. Blyth headed over the bar when well placed and then sprang the offside trap only to drill a low shot wide.
Stung by this, Rovers began to pick up the pace again and with Wellens pulling the strings Forrester forced a smart save from Lyness. With three minutes left Wellens got the goal his evening’s work merited. Substitute Theo Robinson won the ball and fed the rampaging midfielder who clipped the ball over Lyness to complete the scoring.
by John Coyle
Another day, another piece of gold plucked from the pages of popular STAND as we continue our showcase of some of the best content from the fanzine last season. John Coyle has been writing for popular STAND since the very first issue back in 1998; a true font of Rovers knowledge, a gentleman, and, lucky for us (and you), a very engaging writer as well. In issue 68 he looked back at the career at Rovers’ forgotten international, the great Charlie Richards. Continue reading “Charles Richards – The Forgotten International”
During Doncaster Rovers’ 1998-99 season, as the club resurrected itself in non-league the matchday programme was put together by a group of very committed supporters. Within that group, contributing to an excellent publication, was long-serving popular STAND contributor John Coyle, who penned a series on the men who have managed the club since re-entering the Football League in 1923. John has very kindly let us reproduce this series here on the popular STAND website, and today we reach the seventh episode, the brief reigns of Jack Crayston and Jackie Bestall. Continue reading “Doncaster Rovers Managers | Jack Crayston and Jackie Bestall”
Back in 1998-99, during Rovers’ first season in non-league the matchday programme was put together by a group of very committed supporters, and an excellent job they did of it too. Among them was long-serving popular STAND contributor John Coyle, with one of his contributions a series looking at the men who have managed the club since re-entering the Football League in 1923. John has very kindly let us reproduce this series here on the popular STAND website, and today we reach the sixth incumbents; Syd Bycroft and Jack Hodgson. Continue reading “Doncaster Rovers Managers | Syd Bycroft and Jack Hodgson”
During Rovers’ first season in non-league the matchday programme was put together by a group of very committed supporters, and an excellent job they did of it too. Among them was long-serving popular STAND contributor John Coyle, with one of his contributions a series looking at the men who have managed the club. John has very kindly let us reproduce this series here on the popular STAND website, and today we reach the fifth man on the list, the great Peter Doherty. Continue reading “Doncaster Rovers Managers | Peter Doherty”
With Rovers enduring something of a dip in form lately it seems apt to hark back to a more enjoyable time for the club as we continue John Coyle‘s excellent series on Doncaster Rovers’ managers, which was first published in the match programme over a decade ago. We’re up to the fourth manager in the series, Jackie Bestall, as League football returns following the Second World War with a bang.
Continue reading “Doncaster Rovers Managers | Jackie Bestall”
Continuing his look at Doncaster Rovers managers, which was first published in the match programme over a decade ago, long-serving popular STAND contributor John Coyle turns his attention to Rovers’ record League appearance maker; Fred Emery..
Continue reading “Doncaster Rovers Managers | Fred Emery”
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