by Paul Williams

This survival malarkey is getting a bit tiresome – why don’t the bottom three just accept their fate and chuck in the towel?

We’re only TLO Donny Rovers so you just know we’re going to do this the hard way and it can’t be easy lining up with a different back four every week. Lucas Neill limped out of Tuesday’s game against Bolton, preceded by Richie Wellens - we may not see either at Ipswich. Let’s hope the defenders’ curse isn’t infectious and has been passed on to the midfield. Our centre-back partnerships have seen more changes in personnel than the Sugababes this season.

Portman Road is our next port of call for a re-match with the Tractor Boys, who gave us a right drubbing at the Keepmoat on Boxing Day. We’ve strengthened and improved since then but Ipswich, under the guidance of Ireland’s most famous Yorkshireman Mick McCarthy, still have designs on the top six so won’t make it easy, though we’ve won on two of our last four visits to the Suffolk back waters and it’s a ground where Billy has had plenty of luck in recent years; another couple of goals wouldn’t come amiss this Saturday.

Doncaster Rovers - Financial performance

Introduction

 

As many fans will know companies and football clubs must prepare published statutory accounts on an annual basis.  Doncaster Rovers are no different in doing so and have recently published the accounts for the year ended 30^th June 2013.  Accounts for a limited company have to be filed with Companies House 9 months following the year end date however the Football League stipulate that accounts should be filed within 7 months of the year end date, both of which the football club has complied with. 

 

As key stakeholders and holders of a number of shares in the football club, the Viking Supporters Co-operative was given pre-release access to the financial statements. These were analysed by directors with a finance background and following this trust secretary Martin O'Hara met the Finance Director of the football club to discuss items included in the financial statements.

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by Paul Williams

Considering the players at their disposal, Bolton really shouldn’t be languishing in the bottom half of the table – but you could say that about quite a few teams in the Championship.

Dougie Freedman’s side have improved to pull away from the relegation zone in recent weeks and are unbeaten in four, having only conceded one goal in their last three games. They boast some names familiar to Rovers fans including former loanee David Wheater, who has been a rock at the centre of their defence. Jermaine Beckford spent our play-off final victory peeking out of Matt Mills’ pocket but looks to have been let out now they are team-mates at the Reebok. Matt was a great favourite at the Keepmoat but has only just returned from injury – I wonder if he still aims that long pass from right to left looking for Mark McCammon’s head?

I hate the non-word ‘bouncabackability’ but that’s what Rovers need to show after Saturday’s second-half collapse against the bruising Brummies. Keep an  eye on those scores from elsewhere, however, just in case.

by Paul Williams

So on to Leeds United and Elland Road – both relics of the past in many ways.

No doubt the wheelie bins have been taking a pasting in darkest West Yorkshire lately as United have had their defences breeched 16 times in the last five games. Now that the Football League has put the kaibosh on Massimo Cellino’s bid for ownership, fans are more worried about their club’s future than what’s happening on the field and, judging by recent results, so are the players.

That said, we’ve never had much luck against our neighbours from West Yorkshire since that play-off triumph and, as the United board seem to think visiting fans should service their debt, there probably won’t be a significant away attendance this weekend. Some clubs get sympathy when they are in dire financial straits but maybe the sympathy should be reserved for Leeds’ creditors given what’s happened in the past. The authorities are likely to take a very dim view if administrators are called in again - might this be the last time we meet up with our misguided old friends the Donny Whites before they start looking up locations in the Evo Stick League?

by Paul Williams

It’s 24 years since we last won at Turf Moor and Burnley haven’t lost a league game at home for more than a year. We have only won once of the road all season, which just so happened to be against the Owls back in September, so it’s a foregone conclusion that we ain’t going to get much from our trip against the Pennines this week – or is it?

Championship form is notoriously fickle and you could argue that this is a bonus fixture for Rovers after three wins and 10 points from a possible 12 in our last four. Sean Dyche’s team looked organised and hard-working when winning at the Keepmoat in the autumn but still needed a penalty and a late own goal to take the spoils. Top scorer Danny Ings is injured and maybe the Clarets will just be a little distracted ahead of a potential title decider against Leicester next weekend. On current form, Rovers need to fear no-one and Turf Moor is as good a place as anywhere to upset the odds.