FC United of Manchester, one of the most high profile supporter-owned clubs in England, opened its new ground on Friday with a friendly match against European giants Benfica. VSC Secretary and FSF Deputy Chair Martin O'Hara tells us more...

In recent years numerous football clubs have had the thrill of moving to a new stadium. There’s nothing better than leaving behind a decrepit stadium that has seen better times and setting foot inside something that promises a better future, an optimism that inhabits all football supporters who wish for nothing but good times, on and off the pitch.
Yet on a damp and blustery Friday evening in Moston, a suburb of Manchester, this official opening of a stadium known as Broadhurst Park carried significance far beyond its size. As they proudly say ‘we do things a little differently around here’.

And so they do. And that’s because this isn’t a replacement stadium, this is the first stadium that this club can call home. This is FC United of Manchester. A club born out of the trials and tribulations that Manchester United supporters went through some years ago, facing an unwelcome American invasion.
Those years number ten exactly. And Friday was the culmination of those ten years, a fitting result to the years of hard work by thousands of people and the dedication of staff, players, supporters and everyone involved with this fan owned club.

Read the full article at http://www.fsf.org.uk/blog/view/fc-uniteds-new-home-significance-beyond-its-size

The Viking Supporters Co-operative would like to thank all Rovers fans who bought one of our "Coppinger #26 Legend" mugs either online or from the Belle Vue Bar. Putting Copps' mug on a mug has helped raise a massive £300 for Bluebell Wood Childrens Hospice. Visit http://www.bluebellwood.org and follow @BluebellWoodCH for more information on the charity.

by Rich Colby

The final game of the season before the players jet off on their summer holidays should be a cracker as Doncaster host Scunthorpe in the M180 derby.

Both sides will be battling it out to finish above the other with just two points separating the teams.  Rovers should be the favourites at home, but as we’ve discovered this season, games at the Keepmoat Stadium more often than not do not finish with the required result.

Rovers form is pretty appalling over the last ten games resulting in just two victories and eight points on the board.  They remain without Paul Keegan but otherwise Paul Dickov should have a fully fit squad to choose from.  Theo Robinson has returned from his successful loan spell with Scunthorpe and could feature.

The Iron will be boosted after their plans for a new 12,000 seater stadium were approved this week.  Mark Robins side have lost just once in the last eight games and will be looking to take that victory to move above Doncaster in the final standings.  Ex-Rovers loanee John Lundstram will be the one pulling the strings in midfield and will be the one to watch for them.

The sides last met back in October.  Rory Fallon gave The Iron the lead mid-way through the first half, but Jamie Coppinger levelled the scores just five minutes later.  Nathan Tyson’s early second-half strike gave Paul Dickov’s men all three points.  The last meeting at the Keepmoat Stadium was in November 2012.  Goals from Martin Woods, David Cotterill, Rob Jones and Billy Paynter saw Rovers win 4-0.

Doncaster have won the last six meetings between the two teams and are unbeaten in the last eight.  You have to go back almost nine years to find the last Scunthorpe victory.  Lets have some more of that this weekend.

See you next season!  Come on you reds!

Overall record vs Scunthorpe:  P 61/W 24/D 20/L 17

The club are offering Rovers supporters the chance to come and enjoy some fun on us when we face Scunthorpe United on May 3rd at the Keepmoat (12.15 KO).

Read more at http://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/news/article/to-say-thanks-2415863.aspx