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Viking Chat => Viking Chat => Topic started by: VivaRovers on October 30, 2025, 09:16:01 am

Title: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: VivaRovers on October 30, 2025, 09:16:01 am
I assume it's Alick Jeffrey, but can't find anything concrete to back this up.

Can anyone confirm for me? Or put me right if it's someone else, like a youth team player in the Football League Trophy?
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Reg of the Rovers on October 30, 2025, 09:28:48 am
According to the dystopian hell that is AI:

Player  Age at Goal  Date of Goal  Competition
1. Alick Jeffrey  17 years, 2 months, 1 day   30 Mar 1956   Second Division
2. Adam Brown  17 years, 3 months, 30 days   16 Apr 2005   League One
3. Paul Raven   17 years, 5 months, 12 days   09 Jan 1988   Third Division
4. Will Longbottom   17 years, 9 months, 22 days   04 Oct 2016   EFL Trophy
5. Jordan Mutch   18 years, 1 month, 24 days   26 Jan 2010   Championship
6. Bobby Faulkner   18 years, 1 month, 29 days   04 Oct 2022   League Two
7. Brendan O’Callaghan   18 years, 6 months, 13 days   05 Jan 1974   FA Cup
8. Jacob Ramsey   18 years, 8 months, 7 days   04 Feb 2020   League One
9. Tiago Cukur  18 years, 10 months, 2 days   02 Oct 2021   League One
10. Alfie Beestin   19 years (approx.)   17 Oct 2017   League One

Interesting that Cukur takes a place in our record books!
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: VivaRovers on October 30, 2025, 10:41:38 am
Thanks Reg.

Surely Jeffrey was younger than that when he scored his first goal for Rovers?

He was 15 on debut, and scored more than 30 goals before his leg break in October 1956.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Hickleton Rover on October 30, 2025, 10:58:58 am
Alick Jeffery scored his 1st rovers goal at the age of 15yrs 10 months and 19 days on December 18th 1954
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Hickleton Rover on October 30, 2025, 11:01:48 am
It was against Liverpool in the old 2nd division
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Monkcaster_Rover on October 30, 2025, 11:28:20 am
If we’re counting our very own players and not loan products, Waide Fairhurst can’t be far off that top 10.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: VivaRovers on October 30, 2025, 11:48:28 am
Alick Jeffery scored his 1st rovers goal at the age of 15yrs 10 months and 19 days on December 18th 1954

Thank you!
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: VivaRovers on October 30, 2025, 11:49:05 am
If we’re counting our very own players and not loan products, Waide Fairhurst can’t be far off that top 10.

Fairhurst was 20 (and a few months) when he scored his first goal for us away at West Brom.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Draytonian III on October 30, 2025, 12:20:22 pm
What about Jordan Ball who came on verses Chesterfield in the Jonstones paint and scored with first touch, I think he was still eligible to play in the youth team
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: VivaRovers on October 30, 2025, 12:23:22 pm
What about Jordan Ball who came on verses Chesterfield in the Jonstones paint and scored with first touch, I think he was still eligible to play in the youth team

He was who I had in mind on my initial post (although I was getting him confused with Ben Jackson). Looks like Ball would've been 19 years and a few weeks when he scored against Chesterfield.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Hickleton Rover on October 30, 2025, 12:38:52 pm
By the way we won 4 - 1 how our path's have gone in different directions
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Bessie Red on October 30, 2025, 12:48:06 pm
Glynn Snodin scored his first goal for  Donny aged 17yrs, 10 months & 12 days, so is in the top 5!
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: drfchound on October 30, 2025, 01:19:25 pm
Ian Snodin must have been quite young when he scored his first a rovers goal too.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: number19 on October 30, 2025, 03:15:11 pm
What about Jordan Ball who came on verses Chesterfield in the Jonstones paint and scored with first touch, I think he was still eligible to play in the youth team

He was who I had in mind on my initial post (although I was getting him confused with Ben Jackson). Looks like Ball would've been 19 years and a few weeks when he scored against Chesterfield.

I can remember the hype around Ben Jackson after him scoring goals for fun in the reserves, but then didn't really do anything in the odd chance he got in the first team.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: scawsby steve on October 30, 2025, 03:33:13 pm
My first ever Rovers game was in January 1956, at home to Notts Forest in the FA Cup 3rd round.

We won 3-0 with goals from McMorran(2), and young Alick.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Draytonian III on October 30, 2025, 04:44:28 pm
Ben Jackson, wasn’t he Chris Brown’s cousin
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Surrey Rover on October 30, 2025, 06:20:15 pm
Is it not Ian Snodin at age 16? He was born on the 15th August 1963. He scored his first goal for Rovers on the 19th April 1980 in a 1-1 draw with Aldershot.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Ldr on October 30, 2025, 06:38:24 pm
Is it not Ian Snodin at age 16? He was born on the 15th August 1963. He scored his first goal for Rovers on the 19th April 1980 in a 1-1 draw with Aldershot.

Alick was 15
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Surrey Rover on October 30, 2025, 06:49:33 pm
Is it not Ian Snodin at age 16? He was born on the 15th August 1963. He scored his first goal for Rovers on the 19th April 1980 in a 1-1 draw with Aldershot.

Alick was 15

Well that’s me done with AI!
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Draytonian III on October 30, 2025, 06:55:35 pm
Is it not Ian Snodin at age 16? He was born on the 15th August 1963. He scored his first goal for Rovers on the 19th April 1980 in a 1-1 draw with Aldershot.


Born exactly the same day as David Harle.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: graingrover on October 31, 2025, 09:43:11 am
At the tender age of 16 Alick was already thumping in goals .
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: DRNaith on October 31, 2025, 10:10:34 am
My first ever Rovers game was in January 1956, at home to Notts Forest in the FA Cup 3rd round.

We won 3-0 with goals from McMorran(2), and young Alick.

I reckon my Dad must have started supporting Rovers around the same time
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: ForsolongaRover on October 31, 2025, 10:21:17 am
According to the dystopian hell that is AI:

Player  Age at Goal  Date of Goal  Competition
1. Alick Jeffrey  17 years, 2 months, 1 day   30 Mar 1956   Second Division
2. Adam Brown  17 years, 3 months, 30 days   16 Apr 2005   League One
3. Paul Raven   17 years, 5 months, 12 days   09 Jan 1988   Third Division
4. Will Longbottom   17 years, 9 months, 22 days   04 Oct 2016   EFL Trophy
5. Jordan Mutch   18 years, 1 month, 24 days   26 Jan 2010   Championship
6. Bobby Faulkner   18 years, 1 month, 29 days   04 Oct 2022   League Two
7. Brendan O’Callaghan   18 years, 6 months, 13 days   05 Jan 1974   FA Cup
8. Jacob Ramsey   18 years, 8 months, 7 days   04 Feb 2020   League One
9. Tiago Cukur  18 years, 10 months, 2 days   02 Oct 2021   League One
10. Alfie Beestin   19 years (approx.)   17 Oct 2017   League One

Interesting that Cukur takes a place in our record books!

I was going to open by saying AI is only as good as what’s online, but in fact, when I checked, at least some of what  I’m adding below IS online.

Some of you will remember Mike Elwiss born 2/05/54 who scored at Newport County on his debut on 16/10/71. He was 17 and 5 months.

One might make the observation that back then players were considered ready for “man’s football” much earlier than is now the case. Undoubtedly it was rather more robust in those days too.

Those a bit older will also recall Graham Watson born 3/08/49 who scored his first goal on 15/11/66 (17 and 3 months).

My point of reference is the booklet “100 Doncaster Rovers Greats” by Peter Tuffrey published in 2003 ISB No 0-7524-2707-5. I haven’t crawled through it all, but just picked out the ones that I thought most likely.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Draytonian III on October 31, 2025, 11:25:36 am
Another one to look up/think about Mickey Nesbitt, didn’t he score on his debut the first game of a season in the early eighties
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: VivaRovers on October 31, 2025, 12:02:37 pm
If nowt else, hopefully we've all learned how much AI search bots and info sources still need to be taken with a pinch of salt and fact-checked.

Thanks to those replying to this thread.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Pintolager on October 31, 2025, 12:07:09 pm
In the grand scheme of things it makes no difference, but I thought Paul Raven scored against York on Boxing Day (2-0 win) 1987.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on October 31, 2025, 12:24:32 pm
If nowt else, hopefully we've all learned how much AI search bots and info sources still need to be taken with a pinch of salt and fact-checked.

Thanks to those replying to this thread.

This!

Last year, just as a test, I asked Chat GPT to predict what the result would be of a certain standard experiment that my company does every day. The response started off very impressively. It quoted several very important and appropriate references, set out some correct formulae and looked to be on the money. It wrote in a very authoritative style. Then it started going totally off the rails into what was frankly, made up batshittery. The final answer it presented was wrong by a factor of about 10,000%.

That experience was actually quite frightening. The idea that people might use AI as some sort of oracle or easy path to the Objective Truth should scare the shite out of all of us.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: graingrover on October 31, 2025, 12:38:57 pm
I agree BST and  moreover AI was wrong in dating Alick’s first  goal in the Second Division .I tell my granddaughter to not imagine her AI companion is always 100 % correct with facts and that opinions are just that whatever source they emanate from .
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: DRNaith on October 31, 2025, 01:16:18 pm
It's not quite the same, but if any of you had an Amazon Echo, ask it who the current manager of Man Utd is. That shows how little you can trust what you're told.

For info, it says Erik Ten Hag

I also think there's a clear difference between genuine, and rare, AI and something working from a database or the internet and pulling out information
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Monolith No. 9 on October 31, 2025, 02:41:06 pm
If nowt else, hopefully we've all learned how much AI search bots and info sources still need to be taken with a pinch of salt and fact-checked.

Thanks to those replying to this thread.

This!

Last year, just as a test, I asked Chat GPT to predict what the result would be of a certain standard experiment that my company does every day. The response started off very impressively. It quoted several very important and appropriate references, set out some correct formulae and looked to be on the money. It wrote in a very authoritative style. Then it started going totally off the rails into what was frankly, made up batshittery. The final answer it presented was wrong by a factor of about 10,000%.

That experience was actually quite frightening. The idea that people might use AI as some sort of oracle or easy path to the Objective Truth should scare the shite out of all of us.

Totally concur.

I bought some music recording mixing and mastering software a long while back and I bought a fair bit of associated stuff and when I found time to load it all up I’d pretty much forgotten what it all was. So, I asked Chat GPT to give me a snapshot to help remind me, which to be fair, it did. But it also told me about the various advantages and qualities of all this kit. A couple of hours later when reading the various maker’s websites that most of this stuff had been quoted verbatim from the designer’s own marketing blurb. This is not good.

Like BST I decided to test it out by questioning it about my own sphere of work. Was XYZ a good thing? Was XYZ a bad thing? I received totally contradictory responses including several fundamental incorrect assertions.

I might continue to ask it for park & ride timetables but that’s all.

Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: graingrover on October 31, 2025, 03:23:05 pm
I often ask GPT chat plus and Deep Seek (  best Chinese AI ) the same questions...fascinating to compare the replies.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: ForsolongaRover on October 31, 2025, 03:29:26 pm
If nowt else, hopefully we've all learned how much AI search bots and info sources still need to be taken with a pinch of salt and fact-checked.

Thanks to those replying to this thread.

This!

Last year, just as a test, I asked Chat GPT to predict what the result would be of a certain standard experiment that my company does every day. The response started off very impressively. It quoted several very important and appropriate references, set out some correct formulae and looked to be on the money. It wrote in a very authoritative style. Then it started going totally off the rails into what was frankly, made up batshittery. The final answer it presented was wrong by a factor of about 10,000%.

That experience was actually quite frightening. The idea that people might use AI as some sort of oracle or easy path to the Objective Truth should scare the shite out of all of us.

Totally concur.

I bought some music recording mixing and mastering software a long while back and I bought a fair bit of associated stuff and when I found time to load it all up I’d pretty much forgotten what it all was. So, I asked Chat GPT to give me a snapshot to help remind me, which to be fair, it did. But it also told me about the various advantages and qualities of all this kit. A couple of hours later when reading the various maker’s websites that most of this stuff had been quoted verbatim from the designer’s own marketing blurb. This is not good.

Like BST I decided to test it out by questioning it about my own sphere of work. Was XYZ a good thing? Was XYZ a bad thing? I received totally contradictory responses including several fundamental incorrect assertions.

I might continue to ask it for park & ride timetables but that’s all.

As a tool for evil-doing, some of the public will believe it to be infallible whether it is "genuine" (and faulty as above) or deliberately and falsely labelled "AI" and designed to invest credibility. It is the era of the fraudster.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: i_ateallthepies on October 31, 2025, 04:38:10 pm
I have been using it for help with gardening and diy projects recently so nothing too critical and have found it to be both immensely helpful and in a few minor details just plain wrong.  Interestingly sometimes wrong apparently overlooking contextual information I have included in my question.  But, it can provide answers to questions that you could spend all day googling for and still fail.  Oh, and it is absolutely hopeless at identifying plants either from photo or narrative descriptions.  I gave it a photo of a plant with a flower much like helenium and it came back with Alchemilla Mollis.  Anybody who knows what that looks like will know it looks unlike anything else.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: ForsolongaRover on October 31, 2025, 06:07:03 pm
I have been using it for help with gardening and diy projects recently so nothing too critical and have found it to be both immensely helpful and in a few minor details just plain wrong.  Interestingly sometimes wrong apparently overlooking contextual information I have included in my question.  But, it can provide answers to questions that you could spend all day googling for and still fail.  Oh, and it is absolutely hopeless at identifying plants either from photo or narrative descriptions.  I gave it a photo of a plant with a flower much like helenium and it came back with Alchemilla Mollis.  Anybody who knows what that looks like will know it looks unlike anything else.

Well, you probably know that there is the "Picture This" App but you have to pay for it and whilst is seems to be credible for trees at least, I am no expert.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: i_ateallthepies on October 31, 2025, 06:09:07 pm
I have been using it for help with gardening and diy projects recently so nothing too critical and have found it to be both immensely helpful and in a few minor details just plain wrong.  Interestingly sometimes wrong apparently overlooking contextual information I have included in my question.  But, it can provide answers to questions that you could spend all day googling for and still fail.  Oh, and it is absolutely hopeless at identifying plants either from photo or narrative descriptions.  I gave it a photo of a plant with a flower much like helenium and it came back with Alchemilla Mollis.  Anybody who knows what that looks like will know it looks unlike anything else.

Well, you probably know that there is the "Picture This" App but you have to pay for it and whilst is seems to be credible for trees at least, I am no expert.

Thanks, didn't know about that one.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Branton Rover on October 31, 2025, 08:15:48 pm
From memory not AI, didn’t Dominico Tedaldi score coming off the bench at Rochdale in 1998? He was only 16 I think at the time.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Bristol Red Rover on October 31, 2025, 10:23:23 pm
I haven't looked at many of our early players in terms of age, but James Gresham could challenge Alick here.

His date of birth is given as 1875. He made his debut for Donny in 1890 and scored 7 in that season. He could have been 14!

These are others I spotted who played before WW1. And yes, don't think any are Football League goals, but such is our history.

Harry Thicket could have been 19.

Billy Linward could have been 17, 18 at the most.

Len Goodson probs 20, could have been 19.

Alonzo Drake possibly 18.

Frank Foxall possibly 19.

Jimmy Dyer possibly 18.

Post WW!:

Wilf Bot probably 20.

Dizzie Burton probably 20.

Clarrie Jordan was 18.

Bert Tindall 18 or 19.

Phil Robinson 19/20.

Ron Walker was 18.

Graham Watson was 17/18.

Alan Warboys was 17/18.

Steve Reed was 19.

Steve Uzelac could have been 18 - likely later.

Mike Elwiss was 17yrs 5 m and 14 days - scpring two on his debut.

Stan Brookes was just 19.

Peter Kitchen was 18, scoring in his debut.



Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: VivaRovers on October 31, 2025, 10:47:49 pm
From memory not AI, didn’t Dominico Tedaldi score coming off the bench at Rochdale in 1998? He was only 16 I think at the time.

Dino Tedaldi... he did... although from what I can see he was born in 1980, so would've been at least 17.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: drfchound on October 31, 2025, 11:29:44 pm
I haven't looked at many of our early players in terms of age, but James Gresham could challenge Alick here.

His date of birth is given as 1875. He made his debut for Donny in 1890 and scored 7 in that season. He could have been 14!

These are others I spotted who played before WW1. And yes, don't think any are Football League goals, but such is our history.

Harry Thicket could have been 19.

Billy Linward could have been 17, 18 at the most.

Len Goodson probs 20, could have been 19.

Alonzo Drake possibly 18.

Frank Foxall possibly 19.

Jimmy Dyer possibly 18.

Post WW!:

Wilf Bot probably 20.

Dizzie Burton probably 20.

Clarrie Jordan was 18.

Bert Tindall 18 or 19.

Phil Robinson 19/20.

Ron Walker was 18.

Graham Watson was 17/18.

Alan Warboys was 17/18.

Steve Reed was 19.

Steve Uzelac could have been 18 - likely later.

Mike Elwiss was 17yrs 5 m and 14 days - scpring two on his debut.

Stan Brookes was just 19.

Peter Kitchen was 18, scoring in his debut.

Plenty of research there then so well done.
However the thread title is Rovers youngest goal scorer and only one of your impressive list is potentially younger than Alick.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Branton Rover on November 01, 2025, 08:11:09 am
I was at Rochdale in 1998 when Dominico Tedaldi scored after coming off the bench, think he was only 16 back then.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: ForsolongaRover on November 01, 2025, 02:10:42 pm
I haven't looked at many of our early players in terms of age, but James Gresham could challenge Alick here.

His date of birth is given as 1875. He made his debut for Donny in 1890 and scored 7 in that season. He could have been 14!

These are others I spotted who played before WW1. And yes, don't think any are Football League goals, but such is our history.

Harry Thicket could have been 19.

Billy Linward could have been 17, 18 at the most.

Len Goodson probs 20, could have been 19.

Alonzo Drake possibly 18.

Frank Foxall possibly 19.

Jimmy Dyer possibly 18.

Post WW!:

Wilf Bot probably 20.

Dizzie Burton probably 20.

Clarrie Jordan was 18.

Bert Tindall 18 or 19.

Phil Robinson 19/20.

Ron Walker was 18.

Graham Watson was 17/18.

Alan Warboys was 17/18.

Steve Reed was 19.

Steve Uzelac could have been 18 - likely later.

Mike Elwiss was 17yrs 5 m and 14 days - scpring two on his debut.

Stan Brookes was just 19.

Peter Kitchen was 18, scoring in his debut.

Plenty of research there then so well done.
However the thread title is Rovers youngest goal scorer and only one of your impressive list is potentially younger than Alick.

Working through the list and using the Rovers publication "100 Doncaster Rovers Greats" data, so presumably authoritative, Bert Tindill signed when he was 19 and 8 months, but when he scored his first goal is not specified, but I don't expect it was long afterwards. (He always seemed a bit selfish to me because he would shoot when a pass to someone in a better position looked a preferable option.) I have already given  precise details about Graham Watson above. Dizzie Burton was 21 when he signed. Clarrie Jordan didn't sign till he was 24. Alan Warboys was 18 and 1 month when he scored his first goal. Steve Uzelac was 19 and 7 months. I included Mike Elwiss's data in my first post. Peter Kitchen was 18 and 9 months when he scored his first. Any that have been excluded are not included in the book so not considered "great"! or perhaps more likely that there were no earlier records and in the first 50 years the club was in and out of the football league.  I never saw Clarrie Jordan who scored 44 goals for the Rovers in 1946/47 making him very much the hero of the generations before me and I didn't come in until the Syd Bycroft/Bert Tindill/ Peter Doherty/Paul Todd etc era
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Chris Black come back on November 01, 2025, 03:04:49 pm
From memory not AI, didn’t Dominico Tedaldi score coming off the bench at Rochdale in 1998? He was only 16 I think at the time.

Dino Tedaldi... he did... although from what I can see he was born in 1980, so would've been at least 17.

Late consolation goal when we were already 4-0 down. That was one of the later games that season when I think we’d already been relegated and the senior players had been released or not being played as we had to pay them if they played. It was side full of 18 year old kids.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Belle_Vue on November 01, 2025, 05:31:20 pm
On the other hand Billy is chases Copps for eldest
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Bristol Red Rover on November 01, 2025, 06:04:50 pm
Working through the list and using the Rovers publication "100 Doncaster Rovers Greats" data, so presumably authoritative, Bert Tindill signed when he was 19 and 8 months, but when he scored his first goal is not specified, but I don't expect it was long afterwards. (He always seemed a bit selfish to me because he would shoot when a pass to someone in a better position looked a preferable option.) I have already given  precise details about Graham Watson above. Dizzie Burton was 21 when he signed. Clarrie Jordan didn't sign till he was 24. Alan Warboys was 18 and 1 month when he scored his first goal. Steve Uzelac was 19 and 7 months. I included Mike Elwiss's data in my first post. Peter Kitchen was 18 and 9 months when he scored his first. Any that have been excluded are not included in the book so not considered "great"! or perhaps more likely that there were no earlier records and in the first 50 years the club was in and out of the football league.  I never saw Clarrie Jordan who scored 44 goals for the Rovers in 1946/47 making him very much the hero of the generations before me and I didn't come in until the Syd Bycroft/Bert Tindill/ Peter Doherty/Paul Todd etc era
Apologies, I missed the Elwiss and Watson mentions you gave.

Yes re Dizzie Burton, my mistake. I did this without my Donny bible!

Clarrie Jordan first played for us in 1940 in the war leagues, born 20/6/22. League debut was when he was 24, so as far as official stats go then yes. For me, war years and first team non Football League games count. I'd guess he scored for us early in his career in the war games, but not got my hands on the book to check.

James Gresham is a firm challenger to Alick. DOB given is 1875, which means he will have been either 14 or 15 when scoring his first. A bit of a mystery untill his dob can be more accurately confirmed, although seems like a v impressive youngster even if what we currently have is a couple of years out. I might make that a project for my next round of Rovers reseach.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Gresham_(footballer)
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: idler on November 01, 2025, 06:29:25 pm
Working through the list and using the Rovers publication "100 Doncaster Rovers Greats" data, so presumably authoritative, Bert Tindill signed when he was 19 and 8 months, but when he scored his first goal is not specified, but I don't expect it was long afterwards. (He always seemed a bit selfish to me because he would shoot when a pass to someone in a better position looked a preferable option.) I have already given  precise details about Graham Watson above. Dizzie Burton was 21 when he signed. Clarrie Jordan didn't sign till he was 24. Alan Warboys was 18 and 1 month when he scored his first goal. Steve Uzelac was 19 and 7 months. I included Mike Elwiss's data in my first post. Peter Kitchen was 18 and 9 months when he scored his first. Any that have been excluded are not included in the book so not considered "great"! or perhaps more likely that there were no earlier records and in the first 50 years the club was in and out of the football league.  I never saw Clarrie Jordan who scored 44 goals for the Rovers in 1946/47 making him very much the hero of the generations before me and I didn't come in until the Syd Bycroft/Bert Tindill/ Peter Doherty/Paul Todd etc era
Apologies, I missed the Elwiss and Watson mentions you gave.

Yes re Dizzie Burton, my mistake. I did this without my Donny bible!

Clarrie Jordan first played for us in 1940 in the war leagues, born 20/6/22. League debut was when he was 24, so as far as official stats go then yes. For me, war years and first team non Football League games count. I'd guess he scored for us early in his career in the war games, but not got my hands on the book to check.

James Gresham is a firm challenger to Alick. DOB given is 1875, which means he will have been either 14 or 15 when scoring his first. A bit of a mystery untill his dob can be more accurately confirmed, although seems like a v impressive youngster even if what we currently have is a couple of years out. I might make that a project for my next round of Rovers reseach.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Gresham_(footballer)
I looked on the Free BMD site and the only James Gresham that came up between 1873 and 1876 was born in in 1875 the Jul/Aug/Sep quarter in West Derby which is a part of Liverpool.
Nothing to say he didn’t move to Doncaster though.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Highland Rover on November 01, 2025, 07:54:57 pm
 The 1891 census has James Gresham , aged 21 , lodging in Doncaster along with fellow Rover Tom Kisby but to confuse matters he put his place of birth as Lincoln ( as did Kisby ) !
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Bristol Red Rover on November 01, 2025, 10:17:37 pm
Interesting, and thanks for both those records researches. It was said Gresham came from Liverpool. Though the census data fits - maybe the birth data is a different person? Could be that he lied about his age in the census?
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: drfchound on November 01, 2025, 11:06:32 pm
There doesn’t appear to ge any concrete evidence to confirm that Gresham was the youngest Rovers scorer then.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: BobG on November 03, 2025, 10:55:39 am
Or that he wasn’t too....

BobG
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: roversdude on November 05, 2025, 09:34:26 pm
Ask Wolfie or Selby et al they’ll probably remember him
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: drfchound on November 05, 2025, 09:57:02 pm
Or that he wasn’t too....

BobG

As I said Bob, no concrete evidence.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: BobG on November 06, 2025, 12:33:17 am
Yes Hound. I read that. The point I was making clear is that there seems to be no evidence either way. You only focused on a single way.

Cheer!

BobG
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: drfchound on November 06, 2025, 04:27:58 am
No, I’m not, I agreeing with you.
Can I pay for the full five minute argument please.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Herbert Anchovy on November 07, 2025, 11:53:21 am
Here’s one for our resident researchers to look into.

Probably early-mid 80’s, night game away and I want to say its at one of the Welsh teams.

We win and one of our goal scorers was a really young blond haired kid who I think was Donny born and bred.

There was probably less than 100 Rovers fans there and around that time I’d probably gone on Webbo’s minibus if anyone remembers him.

That’s pretty much all I can remember about the game and our young goal scorer!
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on November 07, 2025, 01:04:33 pm
Here’s one for our resident researchers to look into.

Probably early-mid 80’s, night game away and I want to say its at one of the Welsh teams.

We win and one of our goal scorers was a really young blond haired kid who I think was Donny born and bred.

There was probably less than 100 Rovers fans there and around that time I’d probably gone on Webbo’s minibus if anyone remembers him.

That’s pretty much all I can remember about the game and our young goal scorer!

Micky Nesbitt at Newport?
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Draytonian III on November 07, 2025, 04:00:46 pm
Another one to look up/think about Mickey Nesbitt, didn’t he score on his debut the first game of a season in the early eighties

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Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: Herbert Anchovy on November 07, 2025, 05:48:34 pm
Another one to look up/think about Mickey Nesbitt, didn’t he score on his debut the first game of a season in the early eighties

..

Ha I missed your post fella! Apologies! I didn’t realise that it was the first game of the season either.
Title: Re: Rovers youngest goalscorer
Post by: danumdon on November 07, 2025, 06:16:35 pm
Working through the list and using the Rovers publication "100 Doncaster Rovers Greats" data, so presumably authoritative, Bert Tindill signed when he was 19 and 8 months, but when he scored his first goal is not specified, but I don't expect it was long afterwards. (He always seemed a bit selfish to me because he would shoot when a pass to someone in a better position looked a preferable option.) I have already given  precise details about Graham Watson above. Dizzie Burton was 21 when he signed. Clarrie Jordan didn't sign till he was 24. Alan Warboys was 18 and 1 month when he scored his first goal. Steve Uzelac was 19 and 7 months. I included Mike Elwiss's data in my first post. Peter Kitchen was 18 and 9 months when he scored his first. Any that have been excluded are not included in the book so not considered "great"! or perhaps more likely that there were no earlier records and in the first 50 years the club was in and out of the football league.  I never saw Clarrie Jordan who scored 44 goals for the Rovers in 1946/47 making him very much the hero of the generations before me and I didn't come in until the Syd Bycroft/Bert Tindill/ Peter Doherty/Paul Todd etc era
Apologies, I missed the Elwiss and Watson mentions you gave.

Yes re Dizzie Burton, my mistake. I did this without my Donny bible!

Clarrie Jordan first played for us in 1940 in the war leagues, born 20/6/22. League debut was when he was 24, so as far as official stats go then yes. For me, war years and first team non Football League games count. I'd guess he scored for us early in his career in the war games, but not got my hands on the book to check.

James Gresham is a firm challenger to Alick. DOB given is 1875, which means he will have been either 14 or 15 when scoring his first. A bit of a mystery untill his dob can be more accurately confirmed, although seems like a v impressive youngster even if what we currently have is a couple of years out. I might make that a project for my next round of Rovers reseach.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Gresham_(footballer)

Reading that Wiki write up (no idea if its correct or not) but young James sounded like a very progressive and forthright young fella, wonder if he had relatives that came from Denaby!