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| January
31, 2009 |
Rovers
1 Norwich 1 |
 |
Doncaster
Rovers and Norwich City played out a disappointing 1-1 draw at the Keepmoat
Stadium last night, with Rovers' four match winning sequence coming to
an end. At least the unbeaten run of 2009 continues, and maybe the result
will mean that Sean O'Driscoll will not get the dreaded "Manager
of the Month" award, which tends to put a jinx on the following few
matches! Rovers had been forced to leave Martin Woods out of the side after he went down with a virus which has affected several other players over the last few weeks, with Mark Wilson taking over his place in midfield. Both sides seemed to struggle to play any flowing football, with the ball spending far too much time high up in the air. Rovers gradually began to work their way into the game in the first half and took the lead when Paul Heffernan nodded the ball home from close range after the Norwich keeper had saved well from Brian Stock. However, in the second half, Rovers were pushed back and it was no surprise that Norwich equalised with Jonathan Grounds firing a cross past Neil Sullivan. After the goal, the game went back to a scrappy affair and whilst Rovers did push forward and create some good chances in the final half hour of the game, there were few open chances for either side to add to the game. The introduction of Gareth Taylor and Darren Byfield, if anything, diminished the Rovers' attacking potency rather than adding to it, and the game finished in a 1-1 draw. |
| January
31, 2009 |
Rovers
check out Shiels |
 |
Doncaster
Rovers have agreed a transfer fee with Scottish Premier League club Hibernian
for midfielder/striker Dean Shiels. The player is currently in Doncaster
undergoing a medical and to discuss personal terms with the club. Presuming
the deal goes through, Shiels will be the second player to join the club
during the January transfer window, with Steve Brooker having signed on
earlier in the week. Shiels is a 23-year old Northern Ireland international who has been at Hibernian since 2004, and has made over 100 appearances for the club, scoring 24 goals. Remarkably, he has achieved this despite being blind in one eye since his childhood. The transfer window closes on Monday. |
| January
31, 2009 |
Fairhurst
goes on loan |
 |
Rovers
striker Waide Fairhurst has joined Blue Square North club Solihul Moors
on a one-month loan and will be be available for their away game at Fleetwood
Town this afternoon. Fairhurst was given a professional contract last
summer, but has not been given the chance at first team level at Rovers
so far. The move to Solihull Moors will give him a chance at first team
football, albeit at a lower level. The youngster has recently been out
of action due to shoulder injury, but has now regained full fitness. The
loan runs until 28th February 2009. |
| January
31, 2009 |
Bayo
denies Leicester link |
 |
Former
Doncaster Rovers striker Adebayo Akinfenwa has denied any knowledge of
news reports which have been linking him with Leicester City. Akinfenwa
has only just regained full fitness after a long absence due to injury,
and is hoping for his first start of 2009 this afternoon - when Northampton
Town face Leicester City. Bayo told the Northampton Chronicle: "I've heard talk but for me it is just talk. I'm playing for Northampton and as it stands I'll stay a Cobblers player." |
| January
30, 2009 |
Rovers
v Norwich City |
 |
Doncaster
Rovers may have to shuffle their pack again for this evening's home game
against fellow strugglers Norwich City, with midfidlerrs Brian Stock (calf)
and Martin Woods (virus) doubtful. James Coppinger, Sam Hird and Lewis
Guy are all likely to return to the squad after being rested for Tuesday's
game at Sheffield United. Sean O'Driscoll said: "I think Brian Stock has got a bit of tendonitis in his calf so if it was a Saturday game he'd be ok, but Friday night will be a little bit difficult." Mat Mills also missed training on Thursday, but is expected to play. "Martin Woods has got a virus. Three or four players have had it in the past, and if it's the same one as Ritchie Wellens had then he's got no chance, but he's been in good form and I'm sure he will want to play." New boss Bryan Gunn is boosted by news that Mark Fotheringham and Jonathan Grounds will get over knocks sustained on Tuesday against Southampton, and David Carney may make his debut after signing on loan from Sheffield United, but he will have to prove his fitness first. Long-term injury victim OJ Koroma has had his season-long loan from Portsmouth terminated. Gunn told BBC Radio Norfolk: "I want them to go and play relaxed football, they will have the opportunity to express themselves under myself and Ian [Crook]. I don't want them pressurised in any way or nervous about anything. Let's go out and be positive, if we can play to our capabilities I feel we can get the result." |
| January
30, 2009 |
O'Driscoll
- it's a six pointer! |
 |
With
Rovers on a fine run of form at the moment, undefeated in 2009 and having
won their last four Championshp games, Sean O'Driscoll has warned that
his side must strive to maintain their recent good form and describes
tonight's game against Norwich as crucual. He said: "It's another
big game for us, a six-pointer if you want to call it that. They are around
and about us in the league so it makes it an even more important game." |
| January
30, 2009 |
Ryan
- tonight more important than the Villa! |
 |
Rovers
chairman John Ryan has said that tonight's home game against Norwich City
is more important than next Wednesday's FA Cup replay against Aston Villa.
He has pleaded with Rovers fans to turn out to watch tonight's game, and
he hopes for an 11,000 attendance tonight as City arrive in Doncaster
for the first time in fifty years. Ryan said: "Norwich won't bring many with it being a Friday night game so it would be nice to see all the Doncaster part of the ground full. We have got 8,000 season ticket holders so we need to attract another 3,500. I know a lot of people will be going to Villa Park for the replay next Wednesday, but the Norwich game is more important than the Cup game because if we beat them we'll go above them in the table and staying in this division has always being our main priority. Has there ever been a better time to be a Doncaster Rovers' supporter? If people don't support us now they are not fans." “We've got players who attract multi-million pound bids on the transfer market and I would have thought that people would want to come and watch fabulous players such as Mills, Stock, Wellens and others. It is not just the fact that we are winning games - we've won our last four league games - it is the style with which we are doing and the credit must go to manager Sean O'Driscoll.” On how well Rovers will do this season, Ryan has lifted his sights from mere survival. He said: “I think that we may finish at least 15th." |
| January
30, 2009 |
Tonight's
ref |
 |
The
match officials for tonight's home game against Norwich City have been
announced. They are: Referee: M Oliver Assistant referees: R T Hewitt and D I Storrie Fourth Official: R A Salt |
| January
30, 2009 |
Change
of Villa bus information |
 |
Due
to the fantastic response, please note that all Supporters Club buses
due to leave the Keepmoat Stadium will now leave from inside Car Park
3, and not car park 1 as previously advised. All buses will be numbered
and parked in numerical order. This means that if you are parking your
car at the Keepmoat Stadium, you should park in car parks 1 and 2. The
Supporters Club have already booked 20 coaches and expect more now that
tickets have gone on general sale. The change of detail is to avoid unnecessary
congestion on Stadium Way, and it ought to make it easier for supporters
to find the correct coach. The Supporters Club are also appealing for people to steward the coaches and to collect fares. In addition to Paul Mayfield and Len South, who are both at work and can't always take calls, you can book by calling Harry Bacon on 01302 854626. |
| January
30, 2009 |
Voting
results v Blades |
 |
John
Spicer's recent fine form was recognised in the "Man of the Match"
voting for Tuesday's away game at Sheffield United, which also saw one
of the highest number of votes ever received for an away game. There were
nine players who received nominations, with the top three being: 1 John Spicer (60.27%) 2 James O'Connor (17.81%) 3 Richie Wellens (8.22%) Thank you to everyone who voted. The next poll will open following this evening's home game against Norwich City. |
| January
29, 2009 |
Brooker
signs |
 |
Bristol
City striker finally joined Doncaster Rovers yesterday afternoon when
he signed a two and a half year contract with the club. The transfer fee
agreed between the two clubs was not disclosed. Brooker impressed in his only appearanace on loan for the club in November and, with the fact that he has slipped down the pecking order at Ashton Gate coupled with being out of contract in the summer, he was keen to find a new club. Brooker signed after spending the last two days in Yorkshire undergoing an extensive medical. Rovers boss Sean O'Driscoll confirmed: "Steve was up here for a thorough medical on Monday and it carried into a second day. We're not expecting to find anything untoward and the deal should go through by the end of the week." After the deal was confirmed, Brooker said: "It was frustrating first time round, but I'm delighted to come back. It was important for me to go somewhere where there is a good group of players. Since I came here on loan, I've been watching the results and the team have been playing extremely well - so when I do get fit, I may struggle to get into the side." Brooker is still recovering from a calf injury sustatined in training at Rovers, but expects to be back in full training in around ten days time. |
| January
29, 2009 |
Rovers
scheduled for TV? |
 |
Setanta
sports have revealed which FA Cup fifth round games they are planning
to show as their 'live' coverage. They will screen three matches - and
should Rovers emerge victorious from their replay at Villa Park, their
match on Merseyside against Liverpool or Everton will be shown live on
Sunday, 15th February, with a 2.30pm kick-off. The fourth round replay
against Aston Villa will not, however, be a 'live' televised match, as
the TV chiefs have selected Arsenal v Cardiff City instead. |
| January
29, 2009 |
More
goals |
 |
Former
Rovers loan striker Jack Lester scored twice last night as Chesterfield
came from behind to beat Exeter 2-1, their first home win sice October. On the previous evening, Stuart Elliott, on loan at Grimsby Town at the moment, scored for the Mariners in their 1-1 home draw against Dagenham & Redbridge. |
| January
29, 2009 |
Reds
let Leo go |
 |
Blue
Square North club Alfreton Town have parted company with former Rovers
striker Leo Fortune-West "by mutual consent", who has found
it difficult to hold down a regular first team place following the arrival
of the strike pairing of Liam Hearn and Paul Clayton. The 37-year old
striker has scored eight goals in 16 starts and 7 substitute appearances
this season. |
| January
29, 2009 |
Villa
info |
| |
Tickets
for next Wednesday's FA Cup replay against Aston Villa go on general sale
at the Keepmoat Stadium ticket office this morning, at a rate of four
tickets per person, subject to availability. Rovers have taken up their
full allocation of tickets, meaning that around 7,000 tickets are available
for Rovers fans. Please note that anyone wanting to collect tickets ordered
by phone can do so after midday on Friday, when they can be picked up
from the Keepmoat Stadium's Main Reception. Tickets are also on sale at the club's shop in Priory Walk. Please note that the ticket office will be open between the following hours this week: Thursday: 9am to 7pm Friday: 9am to 7.45pm (although tickets for the Aston Villa clash will be taken off sale at 4.30pm) Saturday: 10am to 1pm Sunday: Closed Monday: 9am to 4.30pm Tuesday: 9am to 4.30pm Wednesday: 9am to 4.30pm (although Aston Villa tickets will be taken off sale at midday) The Supporters Club coaches for the Aston Villa fixture will leave as follows: Retford 3.15pm, Harworth Pit Gates 3.20pm, Bawtry 3.30pm, Rossington Styrrup 3.30pm, Hare & Tortoise 3.35pm, Doncaster Royal Infirmary 3.45pm and the Keepmoat Stadium Car Park 1 at 4pm. The fares are as follows: Members £12, OAP's £11, U16's £10 Non-Members £14, OAP's £13, U16's £12 |
| January
28, 2009 |
Sheffield
United 0 Rovers 1 |
| |
A
vital three points were gained by Doncaster Rovers last night when they
registered their first victory at Bramall Lane thanks to a 50th minute
goal by James O'Connor - his first goal of the season. Sean O'Driscoll
made four changes to the side that played on Saturday against Aston Villa,
no doubt mindful of another match on Friday, which will be followed by
that FA Cup replay at Villa Park. Whilst the home side probably had the majority of the play in the first half, they were unable to break the defensive shield on the Rovers goal, with Sullivan denying Danny Webber in the 25th minute - but some wayward finishing by Billy Sharp and Greg Halford helping the Rovers cause. Saves by Sullivan, denying Webber and Quinn meant that the match finished its first half goalless. Rovers struck within five minutes of the restart, with the combined attempts of goalkeeper and defender unsuccessful in keeping James O'Connor's shot from crossing the line. After that, Sheffield United huffed and puffed, but they could not blow the Rovers house down, with the Rovers defence comfortably coping with anything that the Blades could throw at them. In fact, Rovers could, with a little more fortune, have increased their lead with the occasional speedy break out of defence at the home side threw caution to the wind by pushing forward. Rovers now entertain Norwich City on Friday evening - and three points from that game could take them up to the dizzy heights of 18th place, even if only overnight! As it is, Rovers are out of the relegation places for the first time since the end of September. Maybe the "Great Escape" is on? |
| January
28, 2009 |
Goals
review |
 |
With
a full fixture list being played last night, there were plenty of former
Doncaster Rovers players scoring goals. We begin in the Championship,
where Michael McIndoe scored Bristol City's first goal in the 62nd minute
on the way to a 2-0 win at Plymouth. In League One, Adebayo Akinfenwa
put Northampton Town ahead in the 18th minute - but the Cobblers went
on to lose 2-1 at Colchester United. In the Blue Square Premier, Jon-Paul Pittman scored for Crawley in their dramatic 4-4 draw at Ebbsfleet United. Neil Grayson scored Glapwell's final goal in their 4-0 away win at Sheffield FC in the UniBond First Division South, and Ben Saunders scored Shepshed Dynamo's second goal in their 3-2 home defeat against Quorn in the third round of the UniBond League Presidents Cup. On Monday evening, Kevin Horlock scored with a deflected shot for Needham Market to enable his side to win at AFC Fylde - the current holders - in the FA Vase. Finally, a few goals from the weekend that we haven't mentioned. Firstly, Gareth Owen and Neil Roberts scored for Welsh Premier League leaders Rhyl in their 3-1 win at Haverfordwest. In Scotland, Richard Offiong scored for Hamilton in their 1-0 win at Kilmarnock |
| January
28, 2009 |
Vote
for Sullivan! |
 |
Rovers
goalkeeper Neil Sullivan is one of the nominations for the "Player
of the Fourth Round" of the FA Cup, thanks to his great performance
on Saturday against Aston Villa. The ultimate winner will be decided by
you, the fans - and you can help the Rovers cause by placing your vote
today! Please click on the logo to the left to access the FA's website, where you can place your vote - and to see the other nominations. |
| January
28, 2009 |
Rovers
sign keeper on loan |
 |
Doncaster
Rovers have signed Barnsley's young Welsh goalkeeper Kyle Letheren on
loan for one month to cover for the absence of Ben Smith, who is sidelined
by an ankle injury. Letheren is a Welsh Under-21 international, but has
struggled to break into the Barnsley first team this season, with Heinz
Muller and Luke Steele ahead of him in the pecking order. Smith's injury
means that Rovers had no goalkeeping cover for Neil Sullivan, and with
Smith expected to be out for up to two months, Rovers felt it prudent
to make a loan signing now. |
| January
27, 2009 |
Brooker
has medical at Rovers |
| |
Steve
Brooker moved a step closer to being a Doncaster Rovers player yesterday
when he travelled to Doncaster to have a full medical examination ahead
of his proposed transfer to the club. Rovers and Bristol City have agreed
a fee for the player, who is out of contract in the summer with City,
and Rovers are now in discussion with the player over personal terms.
Brooker played one match for Rovers in November, scoring in his late substitute
appearance, and looks to be able to help solve the Rovers' goalscoring
problems. His loan at Rovers was curtailed by a calf injury sustained
in training, but Steve is now close to returning to action. However, Sean O'Driscolll warned that the deal is not likely to be completed until after tonight's away match at Sheffield United, so Brooker will not be eligible to play until this weekend's match against Norwich City. O'Driscoll said: "That probably won't get concluded until the middle of the week, I would imagine. These things take a little bit of time in order to get things right apart from that, the vast majority of the thing is done. Unless something big crops up in the medical, we think that by the end of the week, it will all be done and dusted." City's Chief Executive, Colin Sextone, said: "We've agreed on a fee with Doncaster and now it's up to Steve to discuss personal terms with them." |
| January
27, 2009 |
Man
of the Match v Villa |
 |
Goalkeeper
Neil Sullivan was voted as your "Man of the Match" for his performance
in Saturday's home FA Cup clash against Aston Villa, in which he pulled
off some magnificent saves to deny the Premiership opponents. Nine players
received nominations for their performance in the game, with those receiving
most votes being as follows: 1 Neil Sullivan (35.35%) 2 Richie Wellens (19.19%) 3 Martin Woods (18.2%) 4 Matt Mills (10.1%) Thank you to everyone who took the time to place their vote. The next poll will open after this evening's away game at Sheffield United. |
| January
27, 2009 |
Tonight's
match officials |
| |
The
match officials for this evening's away game at Bramall Lane have been
announced and are as follows: Referee: Mr A.G Wiley (Staffordshire) Assistants: G. Stott & T. Massey Fourth official: M. Haywood |
| January
27, 2009 |
Sheffield
United v Rovers |
.jpg){kind=small} |
Sean
O'Driscoll will have to wait upon the results of a late fitness test on
midfielder Brian Stock before naming his side for this evening's game
against Sheffield United. Stock received a knock on his ankle in Saturday's
game which has required treatment. Rovers are aiming to pick up their
fourth successive Championship victory, which should see them climb out
of the relegation places after this evening's games. Apart from that, all the players who were named in Saturday's squad are available for selection, but Steve Brooker will not be included as his transfer from Bristol City will not be completed in time. Long-term absentees James Hayter and Sean McDaid were joined in the treatment room last week by goalkeeper Ben Smith, who is likely to be out of action for a couple of months. James Chambers will be added to the squad after serving a one match ban on Saturday. Sheffield United could include new signings Jamie Ward and Leigh Bromby after their arrival from Chesterfield and Watford respectively last week. Midfielder Stephen Quinn is available after serving a one match suspension, but Danny Webber will probably need a fitness test on a shoulder injury before Kevin Blackwell names his team. Midfielder Lee Hendrie is pushing for a recall after scoring after coming on as a substitute on Saturday, with Brian Howard also hoping for a starting place tonight. BBC Radio Sheffield will be broadcasting a live commentary of the match this evening. |
| January
27, 2009 |
Greer
to Swindon |
 |
Rovers
defender Gordon Greer has moved to Swindon Town on an intial month's loan,
with Swindon boss Danny Wilson needing reinforcements to his side ahead
of their game against Walsall this evening. Greer has missed much of his
18 months at Doncaster Rovers with injury and has played only ten first
team games in that time and has not played a senior game in over a year
after suffering a hip injury that required surgery. Greer has now regained
full fitness and played the whole of Rovers' friendly fixture against
Huddersfield Town last Wednesday. |
| January
27, 2009 |
Smith
injured |
 |
Rovers
goalkeeper Ben Smith will be on the sidelines for two months after injuring
his ankle in training last week. The injury forced Sean O'Driscoll to
name a substitutes bench without goalkeeping cover for Neil Sullivan on
Saturday, despite being allowed to name seven subsitutes. Rovers will
be seeking to sign some goalkeeping cover whilst Smith is out of action. O'Driscoll confirmed: "Ben went over on his ankle in training and it was a precaution to put him in a brace and stick him on crutches to see how the ankle reacted. It's quite painful and to leave the training pitch on a stretcher was very worrying. We need to assess it and the prognosis is that he will be out for a couple of weeks rather than a couple of days - so again, that is a worry as we only have one recognised goalkeeper at the club, with Neil being 39, we may need to act in the loan market to get somebody in. We'll assess Ben on Monday and get a scan on it and if it looks like he is going to be out for a couple of weeks, we are going to need some cover. That becomes a major priority at this minute in time." |
| January
26, 2009 |
Villa
tickets on sale Tuesday |
| |
The ticket office
at the Keepmoat Stadium have now received the Rovers allocation of tickets
for the FA Cup replay against Aston Villa, which will be played at Villa
Park on Wednesday, 4th February. As advised this morning, adult prices
will be £15, with all concessions £5. |
| January
26, 2009 |
New
Reading date |
| |
The
home game against Reading, which was due to be played on Tuesday, 3rd
February, will now be played on Tuesday, 17th March with a 7.45pm kick-off.
The new date is caused by the FA Cup replay, which is being played that
week. All tickets which have already been bought for the original date
are still valid for the rearranged match. |
| January
26, 2009 |
Cut
price tickets for Villa replay |
| |
It
has been announced that Rovers and Aston Villa directors have agreed to
reduce the prices for the FA Cup replay in a bid to get as large a crowd
to the match as possible. Prices will be fixed at £15 for adults
and £5 for all concessions. However, please note that there has been no announcement as to when tickets will go on sale, or how Rovers are going to allocate tickets given to them. We will publish details as soon as we hear anything. |
| January
26, 2009 |
Replay
date confirmed - Reading game postponed |
| |
The
FA Cup fourth round replay against Aston Villa will be played on Wednesday,
4th February, with a 7.45pm kick-off. With two draws yesterday, there
are six ties that have to go to a replay, which will be played as follows: Tuesday, 3 February 2009 Arsenal v Cardiff City (7.45pm) Burnley v West Bromwich Albion (7.45pm) Wednesday, 4 February 2009 Aston Villa v Doncaster Rovers (7.45pm) Blackburn Rovers v Sunderland (8pm) Everton v Liverpool (8pm) Nottingham Forest v Derby County (7.45pm) The FA Cup replay means that Rovers' scheduled league game against Reading on 3rd February has been postponed. |
| January
26, 2009 |
Fifth
round draw |
| |
Should
Doncaster Rovers emerge victorious in their FA Cup replay at Villa Park
a week on Wednesday, they have been drawn away to the winners of the Liverpool
v Everton replay. The fifth round is to be played over the weekend of
14th and 15th February. The full fifth round draw is: Sheffield United v Hull City Watford v Chelsea West Ham United v Middlesbrough Sunderland or Blackburn Rovers v Coventry City Derby County or Nottingham Forest v Manchester United Swansea City v Swansea City Liverpool or Everton v Doncaster Rovers or Aston Villa Cardiff City or Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion or Burnley |
| January
26, 2009 |
Villa
coach information |
| |
The
Supporters Club have released information for coaches to the FA Cup game
at Villa Park on 4th February. Coaches will leave Retford at 3.30pm, Harworth 3.35pm, Bawtry 3.45pm, Rossington (Styrrup) 3.45pm, Hare & Tortoise 3.50pm, Doncaster Royal Infirmary 4.00pm and Keepmoat Stadium Car Park 1 at 4.15pm. Prices will be as follows: Members £12, OAPs £11, U16s £10. Non members £14, OAPs £13, U16s £12. To qualify for your members discount, please remember to bring your Supporters Club card with you. To book a seat, please phone Len South on 01302 817347 or Paul Mayfield on 07740 453 066. |
| January
25, 2009 |
Rovers
0 Aston Villa 0 |
| |
Doncaster
Rovers and Aston Villa played out an entertaining goalless draw and both
sides will feel that they had the chance to win the tie yesterday. As
it is, Rovers will have to travel to Villa Park a week on Wednesday for
the replay. The woodwork was struck on three occasions - twice by Martin Woods (or Danny, as he was called on ITV's coverage!) and once by Villa's Agbonlahor, who out paced the Rovers defence before lifting the ball over Neil Sullivan, only to see his shot crash onto the top of the crossbar and out for a goal kick. Rovers made just one change to the starting eleven from Tuesday's game against Cheltenham, with Gareth Roberts replacing the suspended James Chambers, and it was the Rovers left back who found himself under pressure in the opening stages before Rovers settled into the game. Sullivan then had to pull off a superb save to deny Agbonlahor, pushing the ball to safety from point blank range, and then a shot by Woods struck the woodwork with the goalkeeper beaten. Rovers were pushed back on numerous occasions in the second half, but some dogged defending and some wayward finishing by Villa meant that the score remained goalless. The double substitution of Jason Price and Paul Heffernan seemed to put a bit more life into the Rovers attack, with both causing the Villa defenders trouble. Three minutes from time, Rovers gained a free kick five yards short of the penalty area, and Woods curled the ball around the right side of the wall to hit the post. Even at this late stage, Sullivan had to produce one more save to deny Gardner, meaning both sides now have to replay at Villa Park. |
| January
25, 2009 |
What
the managers said |
 |
Looking
back on yesterday's goalless draw, the managers passed their verdict of
the game. Rovers boss Sean O'Driscoll said: “We could have done without a replay. Martin would probably say the same. It’s another game and we only have a small squad and a lot of people injured. I’m not saying we’re disappointed to go to Villa Park because it will be a great experience, but the Cup games are taking us away from the league. It makes no sense to play well here and not turn up against Sheffield United in midweek. Is it a good result financially? Ask the chairman." "We gave a good account of ourselves and we were indebted to keeper Neil Sullivan on a few occasions, but it was a good game. Villa are an excellent side but we matched them and caused them a lot of problems. I’m pleased with the performance. In general what you do with the ball is more important than what you do without it. You’ve got to do more than just compete or you’ll end up spending the afternoon chasing it. We controlled part of the game. We had a bit of luck too because they are a threat and have a lot of pace." "Villa are an excellent counter-attacking side, but we matched them and gave them problems, so I'm pleased with the performance and the result. Villa boss Martin O'Neill commented: “They had the better of the first half. We were more like ourselves in the second half and had some great chances but could have been out of it in the last few minutes. I thought it was a good game, and I was impressed with Doncaster. They played particularly well in the first half, had the better of it, and it took us some time to get into our stride, but in the second half we were more like ourselves. We had a couple of great chances but didn't take them. We’re still in the Cup, that’s the main thing. We had our chances and probably should have won it during that period. But full marks to them and all the fans. It was a typical Cup tie." 'We are still in it and we'll be looking to progress at Villa Park. I am hoping the home tie will hand us the advantage but I am still worried about the replay. I was very impressed with Doncaster but they didn't play any differently from how I expected them to, having watched them twice. They are a fine footballing side and they'll be wondering why they are in the position they are.' |
| January
25, 2009 |
Fifth
round draw! |
||||||||||||||||
| |
The
draw for the fifth round of the FA Cup will be drawn at around 6.15pm
after this afternoon's Merseyside derby in the fourth round has finished.
Doncaster Rovers and Aston Villa are ball number 10 in the draw, which
will be shown live on ITV. Six or the 16 balls are subject to either matches
this afternoon or replays in the week commencing Monday, 2nd February. The full list of teams in this afternoon's draw are:
|
| January
25, 2009 |
Replay
date |
| |
It
appears that the fourth round FA Cup replay between Doncaster Rovers and
Aston Villa will be played on Wednesday, 4th February, with a 7.45pm kick-off.
We will publish ticket information and Supporters Club travel information
as soon as it is available. |
| January
25, 2009 |
Stanley
set to bid for Blundell |
 |
Accrington
Stanley are reported to be set to make an offer for Darlington's former
Doncaster Rovers striker Gregg Blundell, who spent a successful loan spell
at the club before Christmas, but his stay was curtailed due to a knee
injury. The Reds are said to be hoping to take Blundell back to the club
initially in a loan deal until the end of the season, with the option
to sign him on a full transfer in the summer. |
| January
24, 2009 |
Rovers
v Aston Villa |
| |
Doncaster
Rovers face the might of Premiership side Aston Villa at the Keepmoat
Stadium this afternoon hoping to cause a cup upset in the Fourth Round
of the FA Cup. Rovers will be able to name a virtually full strength squad for this afternoon's game, with only James Chambers, who is suspended, definitely missing the match. Apart from that, only the long term absenteesare James Hayter, Sean McDaid and Waide Fairhurst. Gareth Roberts will deputise for Chambers at left back this afternoon, but apart from that, we expect an unchanged squad from Tuesday's game against Cheltenham Town, although Paul Heffernan, who has recovered from a virus that kept him out of last Saturday's game at Southampton, may be recalled to the starting line-up. Matt Mills and James O'Connor both missed training on Thursday with groin strains, but are expected to be fit to face Villa this afternoon. Martin O'Neill has hinted that he may bring a weakened side to the Keepmoat Stadium this afternoon as his priority is on success in the Premiership this season. However, they will be boosted by yesterday's news that England striker Emile Heskey has signed for the club in a £3.5 million move from Wigan Athletic, and could be in line to make his Villa debut this afternoon. Ashley Young and Curtis Davis are suspended for this afternoon's fixture, whilst Martin Laursen, John Carew and Wilfred Bouma are on the injured list. The match is being broadcast as BBC Radio Sheffield's live commentary this afternoon. |
| January
24, 2009 |
The
managers preview |
| |
Rovers
manager Sean O'Driscoll says of this afternoon's game against Aston Villa:
"I have been in Martin O'Neill's company a couple of times, he is
very charismatic and he's someone you can't help but like. He talks a
lot of sense, which sometimes is unusual for football managers, he doesn't
just say the obvious. They've had one defeat in nine, they're fourth in
the Premier Division and they've got a talented group of players, so in
some senses whenever a Premier Division side plays a team from the lower
league they are on a hiding to nothing. We can create chances, we are
in a run of form where those chances have been going in and so we hope
that will continue against Villa and then Sheffield United on Tuesday."
Villa boss Martin O'Neill says of the clash at the Keepmoat Stadium: "The first thing we have to do is be alert from moment one. You have to be right and know the crowd is going to be right up for the game. The noise and expectation levels at the stadium will be raised and the crowd will stay with the home team throughout the game. There will be more 'up and unders' played than in a Premier League game and you have to cope. It would be great if we could get through some rounds because our record since the club got to the final in 2000 has not been great." |
| January
24, 2009 |
Today's
match officials |
| |
The
match officials for this afternoon's FA Cup tie against Aston Villa have
been confirmed as follows: Referee: M Halsey Assistant Referees: G T Stott & S A Child Fourth Official: D Deadman |
| January
24, 2009 |
Villa
tickets |
| |
Doncaster
Rovers have announced that a limited number of tickets for this afternoon's
game remain on sale, and will be on sale when the ticket office opens
at 9 o'clock this morning. Subject to availability, they will remain on
sale until kick-off this afternoon. Anyone who has ordered tickets via
the Internet or have them reserved through the "Cup Direct"
scheme should collect their tickets from South Stand Reception. |
| January
24, 2009 |
Traffic
warning |
| |
With
Doncaster Rovers expecting a sell-out for this afternoon's home game against
Aston Villa, traffice could be heavy in the Keepmoat Stadium area this
afternoon, especially since there is also a race meeting being held in
Doncaster this afternoon, along with a home game for Doncaster Knights
at Castle Park. You are advised to leave plenty of time to travel to the
game, as congstion is likely to build from lunchtime. The council and
police are taking special measures to ensure the smooth flow of traffic,
with CCTV being used alongside the manual changing of traffic lights to
avoid traffic becoming congested. Whilst the racing begins earlier than
both the football and rugby, all events are due to end around 5pm, so
you may well experience heavier than usual traffic when leaving the match
this afternoon. |
| January
23, 2009 |
Villa
tickets from town shop |
| |
Doncaster
Rovers have announced that a limited number of tickets for tomorrow's
home game against Aston Villa will be on sale from the club shop in Priory
Walk. The tickets on sale are printed out and are all from one block,
so as a result, you will not be able to select your seat. The first two days of sale have seen long queues at the Keepmoat Stadium ticket office and well over half of the available tickets were sold on the first day of sale. Seats for season ticket holders were reserved until close last night, meaning all remaining tickets will be on general sale this morning. The ticket office is open between 9am and 7pm today, and from 9am until kick-off tomorrow. |
| January
23, 2009 |
Hughes
- will he, won't he? |
 |
Mixed
messages are being circulated about whether Oldham striker Lee Hughes
will be signing for Doncaster Rovers during the January transfer window.
Rovers manager Sean O'Driscoll said: "We've not made a bid, we've
just talked. He is available for the right price. We've chatted to the
player's agent regarding personal terms, as there is no point in agreeing
a fee if you can't afford personal terms, so you need all of the information
you possibly can." O'Driscoll has previously claimed that he has been given permission by Oldham to speak to the player - but his counterpart at Oldham, John Sheridan, insists that Hughes will not be leaving Boundary Park. He told BBC Radio Manchester: "Lee's very happy at the club and I've made it clear I want him to stay so that's the end of it. I've had a chat with Lee and he's made it clear he's happy and I'm happy for him to stay. I just want him to concentrate on scoring goals. Everyone knows Doncaster are interested and have made offers or what-have-you. Everyone knows there is a clause in his contract and I just want him to get back to playing well." |
| January
23, 2009 |
Brooker
deal close |
| |
It
seems that Steve Brooker is likely to become a Doncaster Rovers player
in the next few days, with Sean O'Driscoll confirming that the deal is
near to completion. He said: "Steve's probably as near to a completion
as it possibly could. We've got what Bristol City would deem a fair fee
and we have spoken to the lad's agent as to understand what his requirements
are wage wise or contract wise, so that is looking nearer completion.
We would think that the deal will be done before the end of this window." "He's not fully fit and there wouldn't be a rush to get him in games - but he's 27 and has a good record in the Championship, he wants to come to Doncaster, so all things should work out. Everybody has compromised on everything, so it has been a win-win situation for everybody. We know we obviously need to work to get him fit and keep him fit, but any deal will be based on the amount of games he plays, so that makes sense as well. That deal is close to fruition." |
| January
23, 2009 |
Greer
on the way back |
| |
Defender
Gordon Greer took a big step towards a first team return after playing
the whole of Wednesday's friendly match against Huddersfield Town. He
came through the match without any problems and may be close to being
included in the first team squad in the near future. Rovers assistant manager Richard O'Kelly said: "I would imagine that Gordon will be feeling a bit sore this morning, but the fact that he came through the game without any ill effect will have been great for his confidence. He did excellently and he could play in the team if picked." Rovers included all players who did not start Tuesday's game against Cheltenham, with Paul Heffernan scoring the goal in Rovers' 2-1 defeat at the Cantley Training Ground. O'Kelly continued: "The opposition was very strong and it was a very competitive game. These sort of games are always helpful. With so many games coming up in the next few weeks, we felt it necessary to give those players who haven't been in the starting line-up in recent games, for whatever reason, some competitive action. You never know when you are going to need them due to injuries and suspension." |
| January
23, 2009 |
Voting
results in cup replay |
 |
Two
goal hero Brian Stock was the clear winner of the "Man of the Match"
voting for Tuesday's home game against Cheltenham Town. He gained nearly
two out of every three votes cast, with the remaining votes being shared
between eight players. The players receiving the most votes were as follows: 1 Brian Stock (65.12%) 2 Richie Wellens (13.95%) 3= Matt Mills, John Spicer (4.65% each) Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote. The next vote will open following Saturday's home game against Aston Villa. |
| January
22, 2009 |
Ticket
update |
| |
Tickets
for Saturday's home game against Aston Villa go on general sale this morning
- but season ticket holders will have their seats reserved until 9am tomorrow
morning, meaning the only seats on general sale will be those not currently
occupied by season ticket holders. Please remember that it is limited
to one ticket per season ticket, membership or applicant, due to high
demand and limited availability. The ticket office will be open between
9am and 7pm today and tomorrow, and from 9am until kick-off on Saturday. You can also buy tickets on-line as long as you are on the Keepmoat Ticket Office database - and everyone who is should have already received an email from them with your log-in information. Please also note that anyone who is a member of the "Cup Direct" scheme will not have their tickets posted out due to the short time available, and tickets cannot be guaranteed to arrive. All these tickets will be available for collection from South Stand Reception any time until kick-off. |
| January
22, 2009 |
O'Driscoll
looks forward to cup tie |
| |
After
overcoming the challenge of Cheltenham Town on Tuesday evening, Rovers
boss Sean O'Driscoll is looking forward to the visit of Premiership club
Aston Villa to the Keepmoat Stadium on Saturday. He said: "It will
be a great occasion for the supporters. We’ve had a difficult season
and it’s something for them to look forward to. They’re a
very attractive Premier League side and we will have to play well to get
something out of the game. If we can be clinical and defend well we’ve
got a chance. I’m sure Martin O’Neill will play the strongest
side he can and it will be tough." |
| January
22, 2009 |
Rovers
in practice game |
| |
Doncaster
Rovers played a "behind closed doors" friendly fixture against
Huddersfield Town yesterday afternoon, according to the Huddersfield Daily
Examiner. No further details of the match are given, apart from Huddersfield
winger Dominik Werling and striker And Booth were due to take part in
the game at Rovers' Cantly Park training ground. Doncaster Rovers have not even confirmed that the game was due to take place, so no details are available on which Rovers players took part. |
| January
22, 2009 |
Weaver
out! |
 |
Kings
Lynn have announced that they have released experienced defender Simon
Weaver. The 31 year old former Doncaster Rovers loan central defender
has scored three goals in 22 games played this season, but has not featured
in recent weeks due to the arrival of Bradley Thomas and Luke Graham. King's Lynn's statement said: “It was felt by both club and player that a move to another club would be in the best interests of both parties. King's Lynn FC wish to place on record it's thanks to Simon for his efforts in his time as a linnet and we wish him well for the future.” |
| January
21, 2009 |
Rovers
3 Cheltenham 0 |
| |
Rovers
eased through to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 3-0 victory that
was achieved even though they did not play as well as in recent matches.
They were helped by some wayward finishing from the visitors, who had
their chances, particularly after the break when Rovers appeared to be
content with maintaining their lead. Rovers took the lead in the 26th
minute when a Martin Woods free kick hit the bar and bounced down for
Brian Stock to prod the ball home. It was 2-0 later in the first half
when John Spicer's shot from a corner was deflected into the path of Sam
Hird, who promptly scored his first senior goal from the club. The best waited until last, however. In the second half, a Brian Stock left-footed thunderbolt from 30 yards saw the net bulge as the ball flew past a helpless Cheltenham keeper. In fact Stock could have had a hat-trick, as an 88th minute long range shot rattled against the crossbar with the keeper well beaten. Rovers now face Aston Villa in a keenly anticipated fourth round tie on Saturday - demand for tickets is likely to be heavy, so be prepared to wait if you're joining the queue today! |
| January
21, 2009 |
Villa
tickets |
| |
The
Keepmoat Stadium ticket office will start selling tickets for Saturday's
home game against Aston Villa from 9am this morning to season ticket holders
and members only, at the rate of one Villa ticket per season ticket book. General sales will begin from 9am tomorrow (Thursday), again at the rate of one per person. Anyone who has joined the Cup Direct scheme will have their tickets bought automatically, however, due to the short timescale, tickets will NOT be posted out - they will be held for collection from Main Reception in the South Stand from Friday, 23rd January. Tickets can also be bought on-line. All season ticket holders should have, by now, received an email reminding them of their log-in details to enable them to order on line. The ticket office will be open between 9am and 7pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and from 9am on Saturday until kick-off. Tickets are available at the following prices: Category A - Adults £23, Senior Citizens/Disabled £17, Juniors (12-16) £17, Under 11s £10 Category B - Adults £20, Senior Citizens/Disabled £14, Juniors (12-16) £13, Under 11s £5 Category C - Adults £15, Senior Citizens/Disabled £8, Juniors (12-16) £8, Under 11s £5 The concourses near the Ticket Office will be open so that supporters may use the toilets, and also to buy refreshments from kiosks. |
| January
21, 2009 |
Ryan
- hands off our players |
| |
Rovers
chairman John Ryan has issued a "hands off" warning to any clubs
who are having any hopes of signing any Rovers players in the January
transfer window. Press reports continue to circulate that Matt Mills is
a target for Birmingham City, whilst Brian Stock is reported to be interesting
a number of Premiership clubs - the last club to allegedly join the chase
is relegation-threatened Fulham. Ryan said: "We are not a selling club. Every player has a price if they want to go – but none of our first-team players are available for sale. There is not a hope of any club taking our best players on the cheap," he stressed. "It would have to be for millions of pounds – and the manager is under no pressure to sell." Ryan believes that Rovers' recent form is due to the players having adjusted to life in the Championship. He continued: "I always had faith in what we were doing. The players have now adjusted to this level, so, too, the manager, the chairman, and the directors. I think we have got the best midfield in the division and, if we stay up this season, I am confident that we will do well at the other end of the table next season." The money which should be generated from Saturday's potential sell-out against Aston Villa may well be sufficient to persuade the board to agree to the signing of Oldham's Lee Hughes, with Sean O'Driscoll also keen to sign Bristol City striker Steve Brooker, as long as he recovers from injury whilst the transfer window is open. Explaining the delay in the arrival of any new faces at the Keepmoat Stadium, boss Sean O'Driscoll said: "When a big transfer goes through that will release money for something else to happen. It is a bit like the housing chain. If you're bottom of the list, you have to wait for everything else to happen. If you are at the top, you can instigate it. We are not at the bottom but we are definitely not at the top." |
| January
21, 2009 |
Nelthorpe
sets United up for victory |
 |
Former
Rovers winger Craig Nelthorpe played his second match for Oxford United
last night, and set up Yemi Odubade for the winning goal by providing
the vital cross in from the left wing 20 minutes from time. Nelthorpe
has now played for the whole 90 minutes of both games for Oxford since
being released by Doncaster Rovers last week. |
| January
20, 2009 |
Rovers
v Cheltenham |
| |
Sean
O'Driscoll is set to make late checks on Paul Heffernan, Richie Wellens
and James Coppinger ahead of this evening's FA Cup replay against Cheltenham
Town. Heffernan missed Saturday's away game against Southampton as he
was suffering from a virus, but returned to training yesterday and is
expected to play. Wellens picked up a thigh injury, and Coppinger a twisted
ankle during the Southampton game, and will be assessed later today. Apart from that, the only injury problems are long-standing injuries to James Hayter and Sean McDaid, who are both recovering from knee injuries - but news has emerged that young striker Waide Fairhurst is injured with a shoulder problem. Cheltenham will have to make several changes for this evening's match. New loan Chris Westwood, Lewis Montrose and Nicholas Bignall, who all played on Saturday, are ineligible to play tonight as they joined after the original meeting was due to be played on January 3rd. Also missing will be skipper John Finnigan (suspension), midfielder Josh Low and Michael Townsend (both cup-tied), Drissa Diallo and Damian Spencer (knee ligament). Paul Connor picked up a hamstring injury on Saturday and is rated as doubtful, but defender Shane Duff may return after missing matches due to an Achilles tendon problem. |
| January
20, 2009 |
Villa
ticket arrangements |
| |
With
only four days between this evening's Third Round replay and the FA Cup
Fourth Round on Saturday, arrangments have been put in place for the sale
of tickets for the Aston Villa tie. Whilst all arrangments are, of course,
subject to Doncaster Rovers winning this evening's match, at least supporters
will know in advance as to when they may buy tickets for the game. Tickets will go on sale to season ticket holders at 9am on Wednesday, 21st January, and on general sale from 9am on Thursday. Ticket office opening hours for this week, should Rovers be in the fourth round, will be 9am to 7pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Refreshment kiosks will be open during ticket office opening hours. Standard match day ticket prices will apply for the Aston Villa match. |
| January
20, 2009 |
Belles
reach final |
 |
Doncaster
Rovers Belles were the comfortable winners of Sunday's Sheffield &
Hallamshire County Cup semi-final on Sunday, registering a 6-1 win over
Sheffield United. This means that they qualify for their seventh successive
final appearance in the competition. The Rovers Belles goals were scored
by Nat Shaw (3), Vicky Exley, Chelsea Weston and Naomi Chadwick. |
| January
20, 2009 |
McIntyre
breaks a leg |
 |
Former
Doncaster Rovers defender Kevin McIntyre appears to have suffered a double
fracture of his right fibula after taking a knock in Saturday's match
between Shrewsbury Town and Port Vale. The early signs were that he had
picked up a calf injury, but further investigation revealed the break.
He took a knock in the first half and then needed to be helped from the
pitch during the second half. Shrewsbury will have a better indication of the length of time that McIntyre will be missing once a specialist has assessed teh injury, but early signs appear to be that he will be missing fro the rest of the season. Town manager Paul Simpson said: "It's a big blow for Kevin and for us as he's been doing well for us recently. We will have a better idea of the long term prognosis once we've seen the specialist and will have a better understanding how it will affect us." 31-year old left-back McIntyre has had spells with Tranmere Rovers, Barrow, Doncaster Rovers, Chester City and Macclesfield Town. He joined Shrewsbury in January 2008. |
| January
20, 2009 |
Voting
results |
 |
It
was a close contest between James Coppinger and Neil Sullivan for the
"Man of the Match" of Saturday's away game at Southampton. In
the end, the Rovers keeper finished just ahead of the rest, although between
the two of them, they accounted for three quarters of all votes submitted. The players receiving the most votes were: 1 Neil Sullivan (39.13%) 2 James Coppinger (36.96%) 3 Martin Woods (6.52%) Thank you to everyone who took part. The next vote will open following this evening's home game against Cheltenham Town. |
| January
19, 2009 |
Goals
review |
| |
We
begin our review of former Rovers players scoring goals this weekend in
League Two, where Gregg Blundell scored his first goal for Darlington
after returning from his loan spell at Accrington Stanley. His 85th minute
goal came as Darlington stunned boss Dave Penney with a 5-1 victory over
bottom club Luton Town - a result that leaves the Quakers nicely placed
in the automatic promotion places. In Scotland, Colin Cramb scored with a superb curling free kick in the 90th minute for East Stirlingshire in their 3-2 home win over Forfar. Another late goal to note came in Wales, where ex-Rover Neil Roberts scored in the 85th minute as Rhyl kept their title campaign going with a 2-0 home win over Porthmadog in the Welsh Premier League. |
| January
19, 2009 |
Sheffield
United ticket info |
 |
Tickets
for next Tuesday's away game at Sheffield United are now on general sale
from the Keepmoat Stadium ticket office after a period on sale to season
ticket holders and membeship holders. Remaining tickets are priced as follows: Adults £25 Senior Citizens (60+), Full time students, Under-16s, Ambulant & disabled (& carer) £15 |
| January
19, 2009 |
Coaches
to Bramall Lane |
| |
The
Supporters Club are running coaches to the away game at Sheffield United
on Tuesday, 27th January. Coaches will leave Retford at 5pm, Harworth
Pit Gates 5.05pm, Bawtry 5.05pm, Rossington Styrrup 5.15pm, Hare &
Tortoise 5.20pm, Doncaster Royal Infirmary 5.30pm and Keepmoat Stadium
Car Park 3 at 5.45pm. Fares are as follows: Members £8.00, OAP's £7.00, U16's £6.00 Non-Members £10.00, OAP's £9.00, U16's £8.00 |
| January
18, 2009 |
Southampton
1 Rovers 2 |
| |
Doncaster
Rovers made it three wins in a row yesterday when they took three valuable
points away from St Mary's - a result that leaves Southampton deep in
relegation trouble and their supporters calling for the head of Rupert
Lowe, their plc chairman, who they blame for the club's current plight. The deadlock was broken just seconds after the restart - but Rovers could have gone ahead ten minutes before the break when a spectacular James Coppinger overhead kick flew just past the post, then had another shot tipped around the post seconds later. Rovers broke from the kick-off for the second half, with Coppinger playing the ball through to Martin Woods, who was in acres of space - and Southampton's defence waited for an offside flag that never came, leaving Woods with the simple task of slotting the ball past Davis, the Southampton keeper. Neil Sullivan was called upon to keep his goal intact 15 minutes from time by tippping a long range shot round the post. Rovers made sure of the points when Coppinger's goal put Rovers two up as he tapped in Wellens' cross from inside the six yard box. Southampton pulled a goal back in added time, but Rovers came away with the points to give themselves a fighting chance of escaping from the dreaded drop zone. |
| January
18, 2009 |
What
the managers said |
| |
Rovers
manager Sean O'Driscoll hailed his side's performance yesterday, which
kept Rovers' recent good form going. He said: "That is three back-to-back wins and is promotion form at any other stage in the season. It was a tremendous match and (Saints keeper) Kelvin Davis looked in the sort of mood where we were never going to get the ball past him. This was a massively important result and it means we are unbeaten in 2009." Southampton boss, Jan Poortvliet, commented on the angry supporters who vented their anger on chairman Rupert Lowe. "I can understand their frustration. They paid to see the team and they have every right to be angry. All I can say is that we train every day to make the team better and it does not help if they criticise the players and put pressure on them." |
| January
18, 2009 |
Enjoy
The Match - a hit with families |
 |
Attendances
boosted in family areas The Football League’s ‘Enjoy the Match’ campaign has had an immediate and positive impact upon the behaviour of fans on matchdays. This has helped to produce a significant rise in attendances in family areas between August and December 2008. Attendances in family areas are up 12%, compared to a rise in total crowds of 3% across League football as a whole. This has generated more than £1.5m in additional ticket sales. The Enjoy the Match campaign was launched at the start of the 2008/09 season. It aims to encourage even more families to attend matches at their local League club by creating a family friendly environment at grounds. This includes the eradication of abusive language and aggressive behaviour from family areas. Of The League’s 72 clubs, 68 have already pledged their support to the campaign. Recent research shows support for the campaign is widespread, with 91% of fans agreeing that by eradicating abusive behaviour, Football League matches are more appealing to families, and consequently 95% agreed that the ‘Enjoy the Match’ campaign is important. 65% of fans who are aware of the campaign feel it has already made a difference to behaviour in family areas. Commenting on the results, Football League Chairman, Lord Mawhinney, said: “These findings are encouraging. They show that fans support our efforts, both to get more families attending club games, and also to grow the supporter base. Our aim is to build the next generation of Football League supporters and this initiative is a positive step in that direction.” |
| January
18, 2009 |
Ryan
- big clubs could go bust |
| |
In
an interview with Sky News, Rovers chairman John Ryan has predicted that
there could be some "big casualties" as the recession bites
and most clubs having huge wage bills as on the back of huge TV deals. Ryan said: "I think the cold wind of recession has hit virtually every club. In the next few months, you might see some big casualties. Any club that's got massive debt is going to find the bank on their back, giving them a real hard time, possibly putting their interest rates up and that's going to put even more pressure on them, so it's not good times." Rovers have seen the wage bill jum from £800,000 to £5 million in just over four years, thanks to financial input from the major shareholders, and apart from an overdraft, are without debt unlike most Football League clubs. Ryan continued: "I think football's been in recession for a long time, but it's been buoyed up by various benefactors that have bridged the gap between profit and loss - and now a lot of those benefactors probably are finding times a lot tougher." Ryan believes, in the long term, recession could prove to be football's saviour. "In a strange way, it might bring it back to reality. I think that's the problem with football, it lives in this fantasy world." |
| January
17, 2009 |
Southampton
v Rovers |
 |
Doncaster
Rovers have no new injury worries for this afternoon's away game at cash-strapped
and relegation-threatened Southampton. That means that only Sean McDaid
and James Hayter are unavailable due to injury, with no players still
suffering from the virus that swept through the squad a couple of weeks
ago. With Rovers enjoying improved form in recent matches, we expect that
Sean O'Driscoll will name an unchanged line-up this afternoon as Rovers
bid to overcome Southampton, who have dropped into the relegation battle
in recent weeks. The Rovers boss told Radio Sheffield: "Southampton away is a big game for us because they're in and around us, and wherever you are in the league, if you play teams in and around you, there's always a little more on them." Southampton welcome back midfeilder Adam Lallana, who has been missing since mid-December with an ankle injury, but definitely out will be striker Jamie Whie, who broke his leg and dislocated his ankle whilst playing for the reserves this week. Striker Matthew Paterson is serving the second of a three match suspension after being sent off against Manchester United, with Michael Svensson (achilles) and Wayne Thomas (knee) still absent as they recover from injury. With Southampton beating Barnsley last weekend, we expect that their side will be fairly unchanged this afternoon. |
| January
17, 2009 |
Handbook
ready |
| |
The
Supporters Club have announced that this season's handbook is now available
for collection from their shop, which is located in the North Stand near
the Community Changing Rooms on match days. The Supporters Club are also holding a race night in the bar at the Keepmoat Stadium on Friday, March 13th. Everyone is welcome to attend. |
| January
17, 2009 |
Blayney
future in doubt |
 |
Ballymena
United boss Roy Walker is unclear on the future of United's former Doncaster
Rovers goalkeeper Alan Blayney, whose contract at the club expires at
the end of this season. Newspaper reports have suggested that the former
Northern Ireland international has agreed a three year contract with Linfield. Walker said: "I can neither confirm nor deny the report, simply because I don't know what the situation is. If he has agreed to join Linfield, then certainly Alan has yet to tell me. I had heard a suggestion that something like this might be in the offing but I didn't want to raise it with Alan because his form and focus have been excellent." "I'm not a position to say whether any wrongdoing has been committed by anyone until I speak to Alan this week. Certainly, the right thing for a player to do would be to talk to all parties and outline his intentions, but if these reports are true, I haven't been afforded that luxury by Alan." he continued. Linfield have been connected with a number of players with current keeper Alan McManus keen to move to England or Scotland for next season, with the club hoping to add three new players during the January transfer window. |
| January
17, 2009 |
Voting
results |
 |
Defender
James Chambers was the clear winner in the "Man of the Match"
voting for Tuesday evening's away game at Cheltenham Town. James gained
nearly half of all the votes cast. Six players were nominated, with most
votes going to the following: 1 James Chambers (43.75%) 2 Paul Heffernan (18.75%) 3 Neil Sullivan (15.625%) Thank you to everyone who voted. The next voting will open following this afternoon's away game at Southampton. |
| January
16, 2009 |
Pittman
hat-trick |
 |
Former
Rovers striker Jon-Paul Pittman hit the first senior hat-trick of his
career this week when scoring three of Crawley's five goals in their 5-0
away FA Trophy Second Round win at Cambridge United on Wednesday evening.
Amazingly, Crawley were without six first team players for the tie, although
Cambridge were not helped by Jon Challinor being sent off for receiving
his second yellow card 21 minutes from the end of the game. |
| January
16, 2009 |
Tomorrow's
ref |
| |
Steve
Tanner will be the referee for tomorrow afternoon's away game at Southampton
- maybe his appointment is a lucky omen as last season he was in charge
of three Rovers matches, which Rovers drew one and won twice, including
the 1-0 win at Elland Road. Referee: Mr S. Tanner (Somerset) Assistants: S. Rubery & A. Williams Fourth official: O. Langford |
| January
16, 2009 |
Ameobi
in Mansfield loan |
 |
Young
Rovers striker Tomi Ameobi has joined Blue Square Premier club Mansfield
Town on one month's loan. Tomi, the younger brother of Newcastle hit-man
Shola, has struggled to make the first team since arriving at the club
last summer, and didn't impress in a brief run out from the bench against
Wolverhampton Wanderers last month. The 19 year old will be included in Mansfield's sqaudf for tomorrow's home game against Crawley Town. "Tomi gives us another option, he is strong athletic and can run the channels for us," said Stags boss David Holdsworth. "I'm a big believer that you needs options as a manager and he will help give us that. Crawley will come up against five maybe six very strong attacking players on Saturday. Interestingly, the move does not indicate the end of Ameobi's career at Doncaster. Mickey Walker said: "The way we are playing at the moment, Sean and myself feel it is important for Tomi to go out and get games under his belt. When a player goes out on loan, everybody gets fearful that we are wanting to get rid of the player. We're not, we are trying to progress people and, being a Championship club, we do have some talented players and the way through for Tomi is difficult with the amount of strikers we have at the first team." |
| January
16, 2009 |
Southampton
coaches |
| |
A
reminder that the Supporters Club will be running coaches to Southampton
tomorrow. They will leave Retford at 7.30am, Harworth Pit Gates 7.35am,
Bawtry 7.45am, Rossington Styrrup 7.45am, Hare & Tortoise 7.50am,
Doncater Royal Infirmary 8.00am and the Keepmoat Stadium Car Park 3 at
8.15am. The fares are as follows: Members £25.00, OAP's £23.00, U16's £21.00 Non-Members £27.00, OAP's £25.00, U16's £23.00 |