Has IRWT been copied from anywhere?


It's unique to Doncaster Rovers although there are clubs that work on fan engagement such as Cardiff City who try and work with supporters to improve the club and listen to feedback. Since we have taken it on we have quite quickly been seen as 'Best Practice', we are the only club in the country who every 3 months go to our fan base and survey them to ensure we are doing a good job or see areas where we can improve and check that we haven't let anyone down.


What projects are currently going on within the club?  


The main one is trying to make sure that the Keepmoat Stadium feels more like the home of Doncaster Rovers. We have done things like paint the Belle Vue bar red and ask fans to bring down memorabilia as before it was called the Lakeside Suite which meant nothing to the fans. We have put banners up on the corners of the stadium and the concourses have changed finally and we are now speaking with painters to further make it feel like the home of the Rovers. We have had funding approved for a walking timeline inside the stadium and that will be a big consultation project on how the club has affected the people of Doncaster.   


What are the club doing locally?   


Schools-wise, we have a community scheme that is working hand in hand with the marketing department so that when we go into schools we have a PPA session and apprenticeship schemes so there is all sorts going on. We distribute season tickets to the schools and award prizes to kids who do positive things in the community such as 100% attendance which is rewarded with a matchday ticket. We take the players into schools who do physical activities with the kids and quizzes with them which they love and sell tickets. Junior football teams is a huge market for us with 5 a side tournaments and pitchside activities and this gets into the future fan base.   


Is IRWT championed throughout the club?   


All senior managers have bought into it due to the culture of it and all stewards and kiosk staff are going to be challenged to buy into it as well and take it one step further. Terry Bramall is obsessed with how the club works in the community, he loves the support liaison project and loves the fact we lead the way in the country with fan engagement. Paul Dickov on his first day rang me at 1045 and said he wanted to get in front of the fans as he had heard about the fan engagement. Basically, everyone buys into it and we hope to continue to build on it in the future.   


What are you most proud of?   


Probably the families area, it now has a bit of character about it as previously it was just the family area by name. Now we ensure that Donny Dog is in there on match day and also that the kids can play Nintendo Wii against first team players that aren't part of the match day squad. The kids are given free gifts just for being in that area, facepainting, magicians and also skill schools. Last year we put a price offer of £22 for an adult and a child and we had 95% capacity throughout the season which was a huge success. Its growing all the time and out of the 70 odd football league clubs we are one of 8 who have won the families excellence award year on year for the last 6 years.


What's the future for IRWT?   


We want to create a legacy, its not something we want to do for 1 or 2 seasons or a branding exercise its got to be here to stay. We want to create a Disney experience and IRWT is that experience.   


Care to comment on the rumoured investment?   


It can't be discussed here as it is above my level. I was at an AGM last week with Gavin and the question came up there, at the moment there is nothing more we can say on it.   


Some of the fans are worried about potential signings as well, care to comment?   


M'Voto has obviously gone to Barnsley and all at the club agree with Paul Dickov, if you aren't 100% Doncaster Rovers or buy into it then do we want someone like that at the club? In terms of existing players, last year we released 5 first team players, 3 of which played less than 5 games between them (2 former youth players and Fowler), we then had Martin Woods who was injury hit for last few years and Gary Woods who were released. Since then we have brought in 3 players Fernandez, Furman and Duffy all of which are first team players that will improve the clubs playing staff. Some players are still yet to sign and we are working hard to get that to happen and the agents are working hard too as they too have heard about the rumoured investment. I would say that by the 3rd of August we will have a squad in place that will compete and if players do come or go, that's football. Last year we built a team from scratch and we did alright!   


Finally, do you have a message to the supporters?   


Continue to give us feedback on what we are doing at the club and definitely become a member of the VSC as it is creating positive change, sometimes you have to be patient with positive change but we are getting there and moving in the right direction certainly in the last 12 months. Above all make the feedback constructive and if anyone wants to contact me I am always available and continue with your positive support. Many Thanks