The JR challenge.....

[gartom]

Just been speaking to John...who is looking over his shoulder now after his comments about free season tickets if we get promoted.....not so far fetched at the moment eh ?

Anyway..the JR challenge....John wants to know when we were so highly placed in the 'second tier' as we have reached the heady heights of 8th place.
John reckons it was Christmas 1953/54 - after we beat Everton 3-2 at Belle Vue - and were then top of Div 2.

Any other ideas ?

Over to the VSC massive.....
Cheers
Gareth

[rimmington]

Dont forgetthere were 22 teams in top division so 8th in 2nd tier this season is 28th best in England. in JR`s challenge we would have been 30th best

[Snods Shinpad 2]

http://www.drfc-vsc.co.uk/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=57&func=view&catid=999999&id=62600#62976

There's a thread here with a bit of info.

According to Dutch Uncle:

In the 1953-54 season we were top of the then Division 2 table after 18 games, still second after 26 games, but then fell off badly to finish 12th

Our best ever end of season position of 7th is actually longer ago than mentioned above - it was in our first ever season in the football league in 1901-2. Since there were 18 teams in each Division then we were thus ranked 25th nationally (would now be equivalent to 5th in the Championship)

Just to clarify Gartom, the free season ticket offer was if we get promoted next season, not this. Is that right?

[gartom]

You can see the promise from JR in the season ticket section on the OS......if we get to the premiership next season, then season ticket holders will get free premiership season tickets....so its for those who are buying / renewing from now....
Worth a punt !??

[The L J Monk]

OS says - \"If we make it to the Premiership next season I guarantee we will give you your Premiership Season Ticket FREE.\"

It's as clear as mud and can quite easily be interpreted one of two ways.

[gartom]

lets get there first - then I'm happy as can be to sort out the free tickets....no worries!

[DonnyBazR0ver]

You can see the promise from JR in the season ticket section on the OS......if we get to the premiership next season, then season ticket holders will get free premiership season tickets....so its for those who are buying / renewing from now....
Worth a punt !??

Gartom as said before his satement could be read both ways. So, why not make hey while the goings good.

Try and get JR to clarify to the masses now, that if we get promoted to the Premiership this season, anyone who buys as ST for next year before early bird deadline, will get a free season ticket.

(Small print: monies can be refunded by showing proof of purchase at the ticket office once Rovers place in the Premiership is confirmed or, you can opt to have season 2011/12 paid for in advance)  

or something like the above.

Thing is we need to be selling this message to the rest of the Donny public, not just ST holders or regulars

[Bikka]

Thus putting more pressure on the manager and team, Destination Championship anyone!!

[Dutch Uncle]

Snods Shinpad wrote:

http://www.drfc-vsc.co.uk/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=57&func=view&catid=999999&id=62600#62976

There's a thread here with a bit of info.

According to Dutch Uncle:

In the 1953-54 season we were top of the then Division 2 table after 18 games, still second after 26 games, but then fell off badly to finish 12th

Our best ever end of season position of 7th is actually longer ago than mentioned above - it was in our first ever season in the football league in 1901-2. Since there were 18 teams in each Division then we were thus ranked 25th nationally (would now be equivalent to 5th in the Championship)

Just to clarify Gartom, the free season ticket offer was if we get promoted next season, not this. Is that right?

Thanks Snods

Actually to answer the exact question of when we were last so high,  we 'only' need to go back to the 1956-57 season - the one a 17 year old Alick Jeffrey set Division 2 on fire with 15 league goals in 13 games until he broke his leg playing for England B. Also it was the last full season that Peter Doherty was manager (he left in the middle of the next one and we were relegated). The next 1957-58 season was also the season when I believe JR said he watched Jimmy Hill score 5 for Fulham at Belle Vue.

In 1956-57 we  were 4th after 10 games and still as high as 7th until after 22 games, after which point we dropped down eventually to finish 13th

I must get out more

[BobG]

And here's me thinking the Rovers had never been as high as this in my entire lifetime......

BobG

PS Right old blast from the past today Brian. Was talking with the Account Director of a company wanting to sell me something - I gave hima  flea in his ear last time we spoke, but before we tarted again, he said 'Is your real name ______'? Yes quoth I. Did you go to Danum Grammar School? Yes again. Did you... He's good mates with Philip Davies - who Pete will certainly remember. Not spoken or heard of him in 30 years - but when this bloke mentioned me in conversation, both Phil and his wife's ears shot up. (She was one of the strange femlae types from the Girls school who ended up with us in the 6th Form!)

Bob

[Ldr]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1901%E2%80%9302_Football_League

1901 - 02, finished 7th in the old division 2. 18 in division 1 so 25th in the system

[ScillyRover]

BobG wrote:

And here's me thinking the Rovers had never been as high as this in my entire lifetime......

BobG

PS Right old blast from the past today Brian. Was talking with the Account Director of a company wanting to sell me something - I gave hima  flea in his ear last time we spoke, but before we tarted again, he said 'Is your real name ______'? Yes quoth I. Did you go to Danum Grammar School? Yes again. Did you... He's good mates with Philip Davies - who Pete will certainly remember. Not spoken or heard of him in 30 years - but when this bloke mentioned me in conversation, both Phil and his wife's ears shot up. (She was one of the strange femlae types from the Girls school who ended up with us in the 6th Form!)

Bob

Interesting reading that Bob, when were you at Danum Grammar ?. I left in 1968. That years sixth form was the first to have a mixed class.

[BobG]

evening Scilly. I left in '74. So you must have been leaving just as I was starting. I was the very last year when they had an influx of 1st formers. we were bottom of the school for 3 whole years! entrance after us started with the third form. And we got mixed just as we entered the 6th form.

I'm afraid I didn't care to notice much about those HUGE and terrifying 6th formers when I was in the first

Cheers

BobG

[TheRev]

And for good measure I left in 1980 - just a whipper snapper I know  

[BobG]

So I must have been that BIG scary 6th former then Rev?!

Cheers

BobG

[TheRev]

It was bad enough having Pete Davis (the Mayor) as my RE teacher  

I was at Danum Road so I was protected from the scary ones  

[BobG]

Full o'girls that place Rev!

BobG

PS. Well, it was when I knew it anyway. Real men on Armthorpe Road. Girls on Danaum Road.

[TheRev]

And very nice they were too Bob  B) (the full female variety that is)

[BobG]

Mmm. More than slightly scrumptious from what I can remember..... Where oh where are they now?

Cheers

Bob

[3gP]

According to the book \"DONNY\" the official history of
top of page 67, after 7 games we were top of Div 2 for the first time in our history.
So if, 22 teams made up Div 1 + us top, would equal 23rd in grand scheme of things!
Therefore i think it was September 1953.
In the book the Everton home game JR refers to was a 2-2 draw on Jan 23 1954 !

[The Red Baron]

Sorry I've come rather late to this one- I've had a busy week! However, Dutch Uncle and 3gP are correct. I've summarised the position as follows:

1935-36. Rovers in 2nd place going into the Christmas programme- behind Leicester City on goal average. However, from then on Rovers slumped, finished in 18th and were relegated the following season.

1950-51. Back in D2, Rovers were 7th after nine games (three wins, five draws, one defeat) but dropped back after defeat to Blackburn Rovers in the next game. However, they finished the season in 11th place.

1953-54. Rovers won six of the first seven games (the other was drawn) to top the D2 table for the first time. They lost the next game 1-4 at Everton but they retained top spot until three successive defeats dropped them to fifth. However, by Christmas they were back to 2nd, but two 0-2 defeats by Blackburn (something of a bogey side in those days)  knocked them from their perch and a poor late season run saw Rovers finish 12th.

1956-57. Rovers lost two of the first three games, but after 12 games they were in 4th place, with Alick Jeffrey having scored 14 goals. He scored in the next game, at Swansea, but Rovers lost that and then lost Jeffrey with a broken leg (playing for England Under-23s). They never recovered their form and finished 14th.


As for the 1901-2 team, they enjoyed the highest finishing position of 7th in an 18 team League. I believe that 7th was their highest position of the season- they won the last three matches of the campaign, all at the Intake Ground against Leicester Fosse (2-1), Preston North End (4-0) and Burnley (3-0).