Accrington Web - 2016/17 Prediction League; Game 1 v Doncaster (home)

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Doncaster Rovers

2016/17 Prediction League; Game 1 v Doncaster Rovers (home)

“Donny” (or “The Rovers” or “The Vikings”) was formed in 1879 by one Albert Jenkins, a fitter at the local Great Northern Railway works, who gathered together some mates to play the Yorkshire Institute for the Deaf and Dumb in September 1879. The first match under the name Doncaster Rovers was on 3 October 1879 (a draw away against Rawmarsh) and their first professional players signed up in the 1887–88 season. They entered the FA Cup in 1888–89, losing 9–1 to Rotherham Town at home, and the next season they were one of the founder members of the Midland Alliance League, finishing second.

They were elected to the Football League in 1901, replacing New Brighton Tower. Sadly, that first season in the League saw them peak – a touch early for many people - with their highest-ever League position (7th in the old Second Division). Worse still, they only lasted two seasons before being voted out of the League in favour of Bradford City. They spent the following season in the Midland League, finishing 11th out of 18, but they were still re-elected to Division 2; in 1904–05 they finished last with a record of P34 W3 D2 L29, adrift by 12 points (winning only 8 points – a record which still stands), and unsurprisingly they were voted out of the League once again. Eventually they moved to Belle Vue (as in “burned down”, see below), and in 1923/24 they rejoined Division 3 North, replacing Stalybridge Celtic; their first match back in the League was a 0–0 draw against Wigan Borough, the game featuring Rovers legend Tom Keetley who later went on to become the Club's highest scorer with 186 goals in 241 appearances. Thereafter, basically, they yo-yo’d ......

In 1946 they were involved in the longest-ever competitive (pro) match, against Stockport in the Div3North Cup; locked at a Desmond after 90 mins, they played ET (10 mins each way), then – as the rules at that time dictated – they played “Golden Goal” (not that they called it that) .............. but there wasn’t one. After 203 minutes the game was stopped (many fans had apparently gone home for their tea and come back later), and the replay was won 4-0; 1946/47 was also the season that saw them record the most League wins in a season (33) ................ jumping ahead to the late 90s, they were relegated again, with a record of P46 W4 D8 L34 GF30 GA113 (GD -83!) for 20 points (and 15 adrift of 23rd placed Brighton) ............. whether that was in any way connected with the then majority shareholder (one Ken Richardson) hiring three men to torch Belle Vue so that he could sell it for development and/or claim on the insurance is a moot point; Richardson got four years in prison to think about it, and eventually – some years later - Donny got a new ground (the Keepmoat Stadium). In 2007/08 they won the Football League Trophy 3-2 against BrizzleR, and the following season they won promotion to the Championship again, winning the Playoff Final 1-0 against Leeds, having seen off Southend 5-1 after a goalless first leg in the semis. In 2009/10 they became the first side to be bottom at Christmas but still to stay up, in 2011/12 they were relegated, in 2012/13 they went to Brentford for Game 46, and won 1-0 in the last seconds of ET after Brentford’s Marcello Trotta (who didn’t take penalties) took a penalty and hit the bar, the ball ending up in Brentford’s net instead, giving Donny promotion (at Brentford’s expense!) ......how fickle is fate! At the end of 2013/14 they went down to League One; last season they went (came?) down to League Two

Famous ex-players include Peter Doherty (initially as player-manager), Harry Gregg – hero of Munich and Man U and NI GK – Alick Jeffrey, destined for great things until a broken leg ended his career, cricketer Chris Balderstone, England LB Terry Cooper (after his Leeds days), Mike Elwiss (ex PNE, who I played with in a 5-a-side league some years ago!), and my mate You Fat Bastard (who played nine times in 2004); famous managers cover the likes of Peter Doherty (May 1949 to January 1958, managing NI at the same time), Billy Bremner (twice), Dave Mackay, Maurice Setters (ex Baggies and Man U), Lawrie McMenemy, and - for 1950/60 Man City fans – Bill Leivers ..............

In days gone by they’ve beaten us 4-1, 5-0, 5-1 (three times), 6-1, 6-2 and 7-1; we did them 6-0 in 1928! We haven’t met since 1960/61, when we played the “Good Friday/Easter Monday” double, losing 1-0 away and drawing (a Desmond) at home; before that it was 1958/59 (0-3 away, 2-0 at home) .......... Times gone by ......... counts for nothing, really.

Current Manager (Darren Ferguson who can sometimes do it at Peterborough but hasn’t done it anywhere else) pruned his squad, allowing several of last year’s team to join Free Agent FC – including ex PNE GK Thorsten Stuckmann, Accie-born MF Richard Chaplow (31) – who has since joined US side Orange County Blues, and CF Nathan Tyson; CF Curtis Main, now 24 and formerly of Darlington and Middlesbrough, went to Pompey; and 30 year old CB Gary McKenzie (Rangers, Dundee, MK Dons and Blackpool) went to St Mirren; then he went a-signing, including nicking our GK Ross Etheridge and taking Joe Wright from Huddersfield; he also ‘captured’ French CB Matthieu Marien Ghislain Baudry (28) – ex Troyes and Bournemouth – from Clapton Orient; LB Tyler Garratt (19) from the Trotters and LM Tommy Rowe (27 – Stockport, Wolves and the Posh), both for £undisclosed; wingers Matty Blair (York, Fleetwood, Mansfield and 10 Downing Street) and Gary McSheffrey (who was at one time the youngest player ever to play in the Premiership), whose career began in 1998 and still continues at age 33, and who’s played for Coventry (twice), Birmingham, the Iron and (briefly) Chesterfield; and finally, Millwall’s former striker John Marquis (24); they also have Villa MF Riccardo Calder (20) on loan.

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3.00pm on Saturday 6th August ............... So; here we are ..........where did the last three months go? We didn’t play 75 pre-season friendlies this year, and didn’t cover ourselves in glory in the ones we have played, which is a bit of a worry – Stalybridge, Barrow and Halifax, and not a win in sight .......Obviously we’re lulling everyone into a false sense of security .................. isn’t it!

Good luck to everyone! ............ Keep the Faith! .......... And thanks for playing!

And by the way, please have a look at the separate thread about the demise of the “season ticket” for this season’s Prediction League ...................

:alright::alright::alright: