Legend is a term that gets thrown around a lot in football, usually out of context or applied to people to whom the term is wholly inappropriate. James Coppinger does not belong in that category. 

Today saw genuine Rovers legend Coppinger play his last competitive game for us in the defeat to Peterborough at the end of his 17 seasons here.  This past week or so has seen Copps confirm that this really is the end, and many of the fans (including us at the VSC) were hoping for one more season, especially as fans haven't been able to see any of James's performances this season in the flesh at a game due to the Covid restrictions.  

The increasing emotional intensity of James's interviews over the past week or so have made us all realise that this was actually happening.  Our hope of a U-turn evaporated and James's decision was made, and this was real. His tears in interviews cut through us all.  The most stoic of us had a lump in our throats, as the man who many see as the cornerstone of the club, "Mr Doncaster Rovers" himself, finally drew the curtain on his playing career.

We all have our own special Copps-inspired memories, and now is definitely the time to remember them, catalogue them, savour them. There will be no more. Don't let the ones we all have and share get lost.

Thank you, James. For everything.

It is with sadness that the VSC learnt the news of Andrew Watson taking the decison to leave his position on the Board of Doncaster Rovers.

We have been aware for some months that Andrew had been considering stepping down from his Board position as Vice Chairman, which he undertook in 2016, and had been expecting this day to come.  Obviously, we would have preferred Andrew to stay, especially as a lifelong and passionate Rovers fan with the club's best interest firmly front and centre in all he did for and with the club, and we did express that opinion, but we have the utmost respect for him reaching this difficult decision.

It would be remiss of us not to mention that his participation in our club, and that of the wider Watson family, has been incredibly beneficial to all of us. Their presence in our club has seen the success, on and off the field, exceed anything that we could possibly have imagined as recently as 15 years ago. They have helped create the conditions to enable some wonderful memories, but what many fan's maybe wont appreciate is just how Andrew has participation in our fan engagement schemes. Our meetings with him found him to be enthusiatic and productive and helped the club and fans build something enduring and beneficial, something that he can always be proud of.

Andrew's sister, Sarah, is also stepping down from club involvement.  We hope to see them and the family around the stadium sometime soon, when we all can get back to enjoying our club and supporting the team. Andrew and Sarah leave with our best wishes and our continued friendship.  

It just remains to say a huge thank you to them for all they've done for the club and the fans.

Following months of discussions with Doncaster Rovers Football Club over formalising the commitment of the club and fans to work together, the VSC is delighted to announce that we and the club have now signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).  This document provides a written framework for how the club and the VSC will operate together to ensure that fan's views are represented in the key decisions taken at the club that have an impact on supporters.  It defines activity around regular contact and meetings and defines actions placed on both the club and the co-operative.

Martin O'Hara, the VSC's secretary said "We are delighted to announce this MoU as a pathway to ensure that supporter's views are consistently heard in the strategic decisions directing the club forward that have an impact on them.  This document provides a written agreement to supporters with an assurance that the club will be receptive to their comments and ideas, and that communication will be open and constructive between the club and the VSC.  It is a major achievement for club and trust to be one of the first to agree this approach and underlines the relationship that the VSC already has with the club and the value within that which is recognised by both parties"

The terms of the MoU operate with immediate effect.

VSC Secretary Martin O'Hara talks to partners Fansbet about how the trust's relationship with the club has developed over the years. Martin also explains how the trust's first payment from FansBet will be spent.

by The Rovers Review

Grant McCann is set to take charge of his first competitive home league game this Saturday, as Rovers welcome League One new boys Wycombe Wanderers to the Keepmoat.

McCann highlighted Wycombe's high energy as the key threat for Rovers this weekend, stating they need to match or better that in order to pick up a result,

"First and foremost, we must match their energy, they're a very energetic team - especially in midfield so we have to make sure we match than if not better it.

"They're a very strong team, Gareth's done an outstanding job there to move them to League One with very limited resources but they're a threat, they have threats all over the pitch without naming anyone but we have to make sure we nullify them but make sure out threats can hurt theirs.

"Home form is key - if you want to have a promotion season then you have to be picked up as many points as you can at home. It would be wrong of me to say you have to win every game at home but we want to make sure we have a huge chunk of wins here this year."

Rovers will be without new signing Ali Crawford, who picked-up a recurring knee injury in the 3-2 win over Southend, meaning he won't be able to make his Keepmoat debut. MCann refused to put a timescale on the 27-year-olds recovery.

The Chairboys will be bringing former Rovers striker Adebayo Akinfenwa back to Doncaster, who featured nine times for the club in 2004, scoring four goals during that time before moving away to Torquay.

At the age of 36, Akinfenwa is still going strong, netting 29 goals in 82 appearances under Gareth Ainsworth.

Wanderers have a new number one in town, Ryan Allsop who joined on a permanent deal from Premier League side Bournemouth, after originally being on loan from the Cherries in 2016, where he made 18 appearances.

Most recently, Allsop has had spells at Blackpool - where he guided them to promotion out of League Two - and Lincoln City where he won the Checkatrade Trophy.

The last time Rovers and Wycombe met was in League Two during the 2016/17 season, where Ferguson's side failed to beat the Chairboys on both occasions, drawing 2-2 at the Keepmoat before losing 2-1 at Adams Park that April.

In fact, Rovers have never beaten Wycombe in their history out of the five times they have faced each other.