There’s a great photo of Liam Mandeville’s free-kick against Grimsby, taken just as the ball strikes the inside of the post. Goalkeeper already flailing, the South Stand is a blanket of expectant faces; rows of mouths all caught in the early stages of guttural roars or yells of acknowledgement of the ball’s inevitable nestling in the back of the net. All that is, except one. Continue reading “Why can’t we just enjoy winning?”
Where do you go after football has finally given you all you’d ever dreamed of? After the joy unbounded of following Wales at Euro 2016 last summer, there was always a danger that watching football, any football, would feel decidedly anticlimactic. Continue reading “How I watched football: 2016-17”
‘Who’s the greatest player you’ve ever played against?’ From 90 minutes to Shoot to the matchday programme; a question asked of every footballer in every football interview I’ve ever chanced to read. Its true purpose as conspicuous as its asking; to tee up the interviewee for the biggest name-drop in their sepia-tinged locker. CLANG – Paul Gascoigne in a testimonial; CLANG – Eric Cantona in a beer advert; CLANG – Lothar Matthaus in some charity wheeze. Continue reading “Where have all the bald, fat footballers gone?”
Another frustrating afternoon at the Keepmoat serving to further peel the gloss from what, despite the prevailing mood, remains an emphatic promotion season. Continue reading “Doncaster Rovers 1-3 Exeter City; 250 word match report”
It’s a good job Rovers are already promoted. Losing to a side whose fans only got lively when chanting about furniture rankled; had more been resting on this, I fear I’d have chewed my arm off. Continue reading “Wycombe Wanderers 2-1 Doncaster Rovers; 250 word match report”
I took my mum to the game today; the sentiment of Mother’s Day overriding the deep-seated suspicion she’s an unlucky charm. A year unbeaten at home and she’s not seen us win in two – I really ought to have known better. Continue reading “Doncaster Rovers 0-1 Plymouth Argyle; 250 word match report”
There’s a lot to like about Leyton Orient; community club, old-school away stand, and in my case, little over half hour from my door. As such, finding their net four times, whilst they battle their very existence, felt somewhat like prodding a poorly puppy. But, whilst we will feel sympathy and empathy with their plight, we shouldn’t miss every opportunity to revel in this very good Doncaster side. Continue reading “Leyton Orient 1-4 Doncaster Rovers: 250 word match report”
Ahead of kick-off a Cheltenham fan, free of irony or intoxication, told me the area around the Keepmoat reminded him of California. I didn’t even know they had Beafeater Inns in LA. Continue reading “Doncaster Rovers 2-0 Cheltenham Town; 250 word match report”
On another day this could have been a second successive away victory, but at Broadfield Stadium Rovers found themselves up against a goalkeeper in determined mood. Continue reading “Crawley Town 0-0 Doncaster Rovers; 250 word match report”
A lovely spring afternoon, with punting on the Cam and three screaming emergency vehicles rushing to M&S Foodhall in the market square (apparently they had run out of guacamole!), gave way to a rain-soaked evening, ending with Rovers desperately punting the ball forward as the home team rushed towards their goal. Continue reading “Cambridge United 2-3 Doncaster Rovers; 250 word match report”
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