What does everyone reckon?

[mrfrostsdad]

For our more mature fans 😄

My son bought me a book for Christmas: Doncaster Rovers, their greatest team.
It's all about the 1968/69 season when we won Division 4 on goal difference from Darlington. I remember the season as a 13 year old, especially the Darlo home game with a crowd of over 22,000. Laurie Sheffield scored 28 in 43 games and Alick Jeffrey 22 in 38 games.

Then I started to think: was this really our greatest team? We were in the bottom division. I know the game has changed out of all recognition, but surely the play off winning team to the Championship and then finished 10th (ish) three years later were much better than the 68/69 team?

For those of you who remember, what do you think?

[idler]

It was the 65/66 season not 68/69 when we again won the title.
We did have a good side and very entertaining at times. With the best will in the world you can't compare the likes of Watton,Rickets and Wylie etc. with some of our later players.
They have a place in our memory and our hearts and were the best team in the league that year but far from our greatest in my opinion.

[the vicar]

68-69 season we lost 0-1 at home to Darlington and there was 1 almighty battle on bennetthorpe after the game

[graingrover]

Gregg ,Makepeace,Graham,Patterson,Teasedale,Herbert,Mooney,Jeffrey,McMorran,Tindill,Walker ...1950’s.

[steve@dcfd]

What year was it when Tony Coleman smacked a Darlington player in the centre circle was that 65/66 season and was sent off

[drfchound]

What year was it when Tony Coleman smacked a Darlington player in the centre circle was that 65/66 season and was sent off

1968/69

[steve@dcfd]

What year was it when Tony Coleman smacked a Darlington player in the centre circle was that 65/66 season and was sent off

1968/69

Can’t have been then he was at Man City in those years. I’m sure it was 65/66 when we won the league and Darlington finished second.

[Glyn_Wigley]

What about the record-breakers of 45/46?

[mrfrostsdad]

It was the 65/66 season not 68/69 when we again won the title.
We did have a good side and very entertaining at times. With the best will in the world you can't compare the likes of Watton,Rickets and Wylie etc. with some of our later players.
They have a place in our memory and our hearts and were the best team in the league that year but far from our greatest in my opinion.

Idler, yes obviously you're correct. Must have been too much sherry in the Christmas trifle! 😄😄 and I was 10 not 13

[Donnywolf]

What year was it when Tony Coleman smacked a Darlington player in the centre circle was that 65/66 season and was sent off

Notts County - if I remember correctly - not Darlo - but it was the Ref Pickles he chinned.

Darlo though always went for him in particular their baldie Right Half Yeoman. We always used to say Yeoman Instant mashed Coleman (as they had a Smash type product about at the time)

[the vicar]

What year was it when Tony Coleman smacked a Darlington player in the centre circle was that 65/66 season and was sent off

1968/69

check again hound I'm sure he colman had gone to Man City before then. He was with Rovers 1965 till 1967

[Donnywolf]

Bloody hell - they still sell it !!!!

[Donnywolf]

What year was it when Tony Coleman smacked a Darlington player in the centre circle was that 65/66 season and was sent off

1968/69

check again hound I'm sure he colman had gone to Man City before then. He was with Rovers 1965 till 1967

Yes he played for Man City in April 69.

When he chinned the Ref I thought he would be banned forever and yet there he was in an FA Cup Final - and a winner at that

[drfchound]

What year was it when Tony Coleman smacked a Darlington player in the centre circle was that 65/66 season and was sent off

1968/69

Can’t have been then he was at Man City in those years. I’m sure it was 65/66 when we won the league and Darlington finished second.

You are correct mate, my first post was my first thought but having checked, yes it was 65/66.
But, he didn’t smack a Darlington player, he smacked the referee, Mr Pickles.
I also think we played Notts County that night.

[the vicar]

What year was it when Tony Coleman smacked a Darlington player in the centre circle was that 65/66 season and was sent off

Notts County - if I remember correctly - not Darlo - but it was the Ref Pickles he chinned.

Darlo though always went for him in particular their baldie Right Half Yeoman. We always used to say Yeoman Instant mashed Coleman (as they had a Smash type product about at the time)

He also chinned Malcolm Alison when at man City, you could say he was the first joey Barton

[the vicar]

Yes he did

[idler]

Coleman also got sent off shortly before we transferred him. He kicked out in frustration and although nowhere near the ball or man went off.
I think that we lost 2-4 or something like that. Might have been Colchester but without looking I can't remember.

[steve@dcfd]

What year was it when Tony Coleman smacked a Darlington player in the centre circle was that 65/66 season and was sent off

1968/69

Can’t have been then he was at Man City in those years. I’m sure it was 65/66 when we won the league and Darlington finished second.

You are correct mate, my first post was my first thought but having checked, yes it was 65/66.
But, he didn’t smack a Darlington player, he smacked the referee, Mr Pickles.
I also think we played Notts County that night.

Ok I remembered part of it but not all.

[i_ateallthepies]

It was the 65/66 season not 68/69 when we again won the title.
We did have a good side and very entertaining at times. With the best will in the world you can't compare the likes of Watton,Rickets and Wylie etc. with some of our later players.
They have a place in our memory and our hearts and were the best team in the league that year but far from our greatest in my opinion.

We won the title in the 68/69 season as well.

[Leedsrover]

I got the book in my Christmas stocking and it is a super read- but the excitement of reading it comes from the time in my life that enthusiasm for the Rovers came unconditionally.Selling Laurie Sheffield for peanuts brought me back down to earth, and introduced realism into my dreams!
Having watched Rovers ,only since 1956, I am not qualified to comment with any authority on the Peter Doherty teams but they must have been brilliant to watch I have no doubt.
Without a shadow of doubt, in my opinion, Mr O'Driscoll assembled the greatest Rovers team I have had the pleasure to watch maybe I should put pen to paper in the same way that Rob Marshall has,

[idler]

It was the 65/66 season not 68/69 when we again won the title.
We did have a good side and very entertaining at times. With the best will in the world you can't compare the likes of Watton,Rickets and Wylie etc. with some of our later players.
They have a place in our memory and our hearts and were the best team in the league that year but far from our greatest in my opinion.

We won the title in the 68/69 season as well.
[/quote
I said that in the first sentence pies.😉
Two great seasons but I still think that we wasted the momentum that the club had going for it in 1966. The drop in the size of the crowds in the three years following was really disappointing. Good investment and consolidation could have seen us achieve the same success that Coventry enjoyed around that time.

[i_ateallthepies]

Sorry Idler, now reading it again I see what you meant.  I misunderstood the first line 'what you wrote' 

[idler]

Sorry Idler, now reading it again I see what you meant.  I misunderstood the first line 'what you wrote' 

I never was good at one liners.😉