Great expectations

[Branton Rover]

Speaking personally and having been brought up as a Rovers fan who only saw only  one promotion in his first 21 years as a supporter that being the  1983/84 season finishing runners up to York City in the old Division 4 - the question I pose is this; would today’s fan base see missing out on the playoffs as an abject failure, because I don’t from last summer’s upheaval - I believe in DM & the board so wherever we finish come May I’ll be content with so long as we don’t endure a collapse on the scale of Fergie 16/17 campaign.

If we don’t make the top 6 this time round we’ve got a good, honourable man in charge who knows football to have a right good go at it 20/21 season   

[turnbull for england]

I've been going since 88,  and for years had no greater expectation than a good day out with friends and the hope of a win. To be where we are now and have people disappointed that we are still in contention and have had the last 10 years and the possibility of next season being really quite something will do me just fine

[scawsby steve]

Speaking personally and having been brought up as a Rovers fan who only saw only  one promotion in his first 21 years as a supporter that being the  1983/84 season finishing runners up to York City in the old Division 4 - the question I pose is this; would today’s fan base see missing out on the playoffs as an abject failure, because I don’t from last summer’s upheaval - I believe in DM & the board so wherever we finish come May I’ll be content with so long as we don’t endure a collapse on the scale of Fergie 16/17 campaign.

If we don’t make the top 6 this time round we’ve got a good, honourable man in charge who knows football to have a right good go at it 20/21 season

Like I've said on here many times Branton, the only trouble with that is every time we fail to get promoted, we inevitably lose some of our best players.

It happened last season, and I'd be very surprised if it didn't happen this year.

[SydneyRover]

But that's football Steve, it happens to all teams, even top PL teams lose players they want to keep. The only answer to that is having a white knight step in with bags of money and buy the joint but would we want that and lose the family nature of Club Doncaster? This is the best period of progression for the club as whole that I've seen, the new ground, new management, I think we're doing great. I don't mind the suspense of will we won't we about players, positions and of course results, and I keep saying steady growth over boom and bust any day.

[scawsby steve]

But that's football Steve, it happens to all teams, even top PL teams lose players they want to keep. The only answer to that is having a white knight step in with bags of money and buy the joint but would we want that and lose the family nature of Club Doncaster? This is the best period of progression for the club as whole that I've seen, the new ground, new management, I think we're doing great. I don't mind the suspense of will we won't we about players, positions and of course results, and I keep saying steady growth over boom and bust any day.

Wow Sydney, that's much more sensible than any of your posts in off-topic.

[BobG]

I remember Saturday 2nd May 1998. The day we lost at home to Colchester United. The day we lost our 34th league match of the season. The season we went out of both cups in the first round. The season we got beat 8-0 at home by Forest in the League Cup. The season Orient substituted their two strikers with half an hour to go because they felt sorry for us. The season Cardiff City supporters thought half our side were playing for their team - not ours. The season we had our lowest ever home league gate: 580. The season our average attendance was 1,772. The day we thought our club, our Donny Rovers, had gone. Finished. Folded. Shut. Died. Dead.

Read this if you wanna know about a bad season: https://thetwounfortunates.com/hopeless-football-league-teams-7-doncaster-rovers-1997-98/

This season? It's a f**king brilliant season.

BobG

[idler]

Some memories never die or  fade Bob.
By the way, as an exile you might find the Facebook sites, Memories of Doncaster, and Doncaster back in time sites very interesting.
I’m a member of both groups and there are some brilliant photographs from the  early days of photography to the more modern.

[andy didcott]

Great post BobG.

[ditch_drfc]

I'll support Rovers through thick and thin, but there's no problem with being ambitious. I'm not content for us to just sit in League 2 doing nothing.

Should we be happy if we don't get promoted? Yeah maybe, bigger picture we're doing pretty well.

But the chance and opportunity is there, and this league is as open as it's ever been. With January reinforcements our team is looking strong. So I for one will be disappointed if we don't make the play offs.

Having still that it doesn't affect my support for the club.

[NickDRFC]

I remember Saturday 2nd May 1998. The day we lost at home to Colchester United. The day we lost our 34th league match of the season. The season we went out of both cups in the first round. The season we got beat 8-0 at home by Forest in the League Cup. The season Orient substituted their two strikers with half an hour to go because they felt sorry for us. The season Cardiff City supporters thought half our side were playing for their team - not ours. The season we had our lowest ever home league gate: 580. The season our average attendance was 1,772. The day we thought our club, our Donny Rovers, had gone. Finished. Folded. Shut. Died. Dead.

Read this if you wanna know about a bad season: https://thetwounfortunates.com/hopeless-football-league-teams-7-doncaster-rovers-1997-98/

This season? It's a f**king brilliant season.

BobG

I think it's important to remember that season, it can put things in perspective when the moaning gets too much, but I don't see much evidence of anyone saying we're having a terrible season at the moment. Regardless, the impact of events 20 plus years ago shouldn't mean that we can't appraise or even criticise what's going on now compared to where we as a club want to be.

A long time ago I had my drink spiked on a night out and ended up in hospital, one of the worst nights of my life. A few years later I had my wallet nicked on a night out. When the missus asked me the next day how my night was, I told her it was shit because I had my wallet nicked. I didn't start banging on about the night several years earlier that I was hospitalised, which had been a much worse night, because it didn't stop this one from being a shitter as well.

[idler]

I'd go out with some different mates Nick.😉

[PDX_Rover]

I see DM with a long term vision here. He did wonders in youth development and community at WBA.

He’s a good coach and a good man.

We’ll be just fine.