Clean Slate

[Jersey Rover]

Well the games all about opinions and here's mine for what it's worth.

As a Rovers fan for over 40 years I've seen triumph and despair, promotions and relegations on a fairly regular basis, scandal, fires you name It we've had it. Entertaining looking back, despair at the time.
Well here we seem to be at another crossroads in our beloved clubs history. New owners setting out a plan for the future, Club Doncaster and now investing the future with a more youthful team for the future to rumblings of discontent in the background. The game has changed so much over the last few years driven to the detriment of the national team in my opinion of instant success,no time to bring young players through the ranks, managers sacked within a season having to buy players in, attempting to buy success in the form of ready made players with no connection or heart for the club they play for. If we look at the situation we find ourselves in now, players not turning up for pre season, failed take overs, poor transfer budgets etc etc. all down to money driven industry attempting to buy success. Well either by choice or not we've jumped off the bus and I'm glad we have. I would much rather us attempt to invest in youth, local if possible to give the team a little longevity, energy and passion rather than joining the transfer day market of instant answers at over inflated prices and wages that usually fall flat within the seasons end. Looking at the squad from last season if it's going to happen the timings probably about right. Players, good players and servants over the years for DRFC are just about coming to the end of their playing careers and a good time if they so wish, due to wage demands etc, to move them on. Here's the start of a new chapter in our history. Good, bad who knows but sustainable I believe so. I for one look forward to the next exciting episode of The Life and Times of a DRFC supporter. RTID

[Metalmicky]

Here here...

Nowt to worry about - just another day at the office for a hardened Rovers fan...

[BigH]

Having tried virtually every form of football business model - with the exception of netting an oligarch with more dosh than sense - it looks like the club are now alighting on the 'Crewe' model of footballing sustainability. Not a bad model to my mind - particularly for lower division clubs - although very reliant on a Dario Gradi type to make it succeed. It also needs a long term commitment from the Board and shareholders; not a time for anyone to break ranks and try and make a run for it at the first sign of external investor interest.

If TB/JR/DW are prepared to give it a go then so am I.   

[River Don]

Having tried virtually every form of football business model - with the exception of netting an oligarch with more dosh than sense - it looks like the club are now alighting on the 'Crewe' model of footballing sustainability. Not a bad model to my mind - particularly for lower division clubs - although very reliant on a Dario Gradi type to make it succeed. It also needs a long term commitment from the Board and shareholders; not a time for anyone to break ranks and try and make a run for it at the first sign of external investor interest.

If TB/JR/DW are prepared to give it a go then so am I.   

Exactly the model I would favour.

[dknward2]

Better this way than shit or bust which has a very high risk to fail

[roversdaft]

Crewe are favourites for relegation this season....oops 

[BigH]

Crewe are favourites for relegation this season....oops 

Right now I reckon we must be second favourites so what's to lose?

[roversdaft]

I can handle anything this season, as long as we don't do another "willy McKay experiment"

That was a total disaster.

[roversdaft]

According to the bookies there are 18 teams ahead of us for relegation...

Crack the champagne now, were promoted 

[The Red Baron]

Having tried virtually every form of football business model - with the exception of netting an oligarch with more dosh than sense - it looks like the club are now alighting on the 'Crewe' model of footballing sustainability. Not a bad model to my mind - particularly for lower division clubs - although very reliant on a Dario Gradi type to make it succeed. It also needs a long term commitment from the Board and shareholders; not a time for anyone to break ranks and try and make a run for it at the first sign of external investor interest.

If TB/JR/DW are prepared to give it a go then so am I.   

Exactly the model I would favour.

I think that model worked 10 years ago, but I don't think it does now. Under EPPP(?) it is far too easy for the big clubs to hoover up any real talent in the smaller Centres of Excellence.

In any case, Gradi was particularly astute at picking up good young players who hadn't quite made it at bigger clubs- David Platt and Robbie Savage spring to mind. I think Flynn might have the ability to do that for us, but he's suddenly got to do it with very little time to prepare the ground.