The board

[dickos1]

Last summer every interview with sod he seemed deeply annoyed with the board because he wasn't being given a straight answer with regards his budget, we missed out on players because of it, he had expensive trialists in and cheaper ones, because he didn't know which he could sign.
This summer Saunders has 3 lists of players he wants to sign expensive, less expensive and cheap because he doesn't know which he can sign. Why can't the board get their fingers out and just tell the manager what he can spend, yes we're over budget but obviously some are going to go, it's just like they're sitting on their sun loungers thinking it will sort itself out, it pissed sod off last year and it's probably pissing Saunders off this year.
Why don't we transfer list some of the contracted players?

[Sammy Chung was King]

Or even reach a settlement to release some of the players who are unlikely to interest anybody,surely the contracts they are on are not that big that the board couldn't afford to pay them,this would then let Dean get on with his job,at the moment he seems to be taking most of the heat,it's the board who sort out the wages side,come on release some and let him get on with it and give us a chance to be successful next year

[donnyroversfc]

I dont think there is enough hours in the day for me to talk about the Doncaster Rovers board.

I know people brown tongue them (idiots basically) and think its a crime to question them, but seriously... My kitten who died about 8 years ago probably as more ambition than our board do right now.

For a good 2 years or more our board have done nothing but sell our best assets, without investing that money back... They've slagged the fans off constantly (the ones who stay away, by that i dont mean me! I still had a ST last season) alienating the loyal existing fans in the process... They were hypocritical in a lot of the things they said and did... (about Sheff U) short term players never works (well done for last year then)...  I wont sack SO'D (im on both so'd's and Saunders' side)... Thats just 2 examples.


John Ryan (as much as he is a legend) is an hothead (his own words), who right now is out of his depth. I'd rather he be completely honest with us, than make us lose our good reputation (EXPERIMENT) and make us a laughing stock.

Probably get slated yet again for this comment but who cares really, it's my comment, its my feelings. I say exactly what i feel and think.

Nobody can honestly say that our board have done any good these past 2 years. Amateurs i'd describe them as.

[Chris Black come back]

We failed to compete financially the last few years in the Championship. We couldn't afford Shackell. We couldn't afford Ward. We could afford an adequate replacement for Sully. This much is true.

But the fault is not the Board. Just to keep the show on the road they were having to put in each season, out of their own pockets, 3-4 million quid each and every season. Even when players were sold we were still running this huge loss.

If they would have bought the kind of players that you seem to have wanted, you could add another 1-2 milllion quid in to that once you throw in transfer fees, wages, signing on fees etc.

Without any sign of rising attendances (you can see why now and again JR gets a little concerned about this...) this was a crazy business model. You cannot rely on bail outs season after season just to stay safe in mid-table. Economics of the madhouse.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

So this is a board that still has us 2 levels higher than when we took over, in a new stadium with an improved training ground, better youth system and bigger crowds and has take us to Wembley but they haven't done enough - amazing.

Portsmouth were supposedly backed, would you rather be in their position?

[Norfolk N Chance]

I dont think there is enough hours in the day for me to talk about the Doncaster Rovers board.

I know people brown tongue them (idiots basically) and think its a crime to question them, but seriously... My kitten who died about 8 years ago probably as more ambition than our board do right now.

For a good 2 years or more our board have done nothing but sell our best assets, without investing that money back... They've slagged the fans off constantly (the ones who stay away, by that i dont mean me! I still had a ST last season) alienating the loyal existing fans in the process... They were hypocritical in a lot of the things they said and did... (about Sheff U) short term players never works (well done for last year then)...  I wont sack SO'D (im on both so'd's and Saunders' side)... Thats just 2 examples.


John Ryan (as much as he is a legend) is an hothead (his own words), who right now is out of his depth. I'd rather he be completely honest with us, than make us lose our good reputation (EXPERIMENT) and make us a laughing stock.

Probably get slated yet again for this comment but who cares really, it's my comment, its my feelings. I say exactly what i feel and think.

Nobody can honestly say that our board have done any good these past 2 years. Amateurs i'd describe them as.

No they just put back the millions we lose.

Until you are doing the same then just be grateful I know I am!

[The Red Baron]

Last summer every interview with sod he seemed deeply annoyed with the board because he wasn't being given a straight answer with regards his budget, we missed out on players because of it, he had expensive trialists in and cheaper ones, because he didn't know which he could sign.
This summer Saunders has 3 lists of players he wants to sign expensive, less expensive and cheap because he doesn't know which he can sign. Why can't the board get their fingers out and just tell the manager what he can spend, yes we're over budget but obviously some are going to go, it's just like they're sitting on their sun loungers thinking it will sort itself out, it pissed sod off last year and it's probably pissing Saunders off this year.
Why don't we transfer list some of the contracted players?

I think SO'D was more p*ssed off by the fact that his budget kept being used by the board to offer contract extensions and higher wages when he wanted to freshen up the squad, even if that meant taking offers for established players.

I do think they should loosen the purse strings and let Saunders bring in a player or two- especially if the alternative is missing out on players he really wants. It is unlikely that we'll get offers for any contracted players until next month at the earliest- maybe not until the end of the August window. Maybe we'll learn something more on 18th June!

[dickos1]

I'm not criticising the board for not spending just think they drag their heels each summer before giving the manager the green light, if he has to go for the cheap ones tell him that then.
Last year sod said he got told different everyday what his budget was, one day it was massive the next day he had no money,

[Rovin Reporter]

The board are here because they can afford to be , money is not going to flow ever from these guys because thats not their style. We are Doncaster Rover a team with less than 10.000 supporters at best  and this means the Board have to subsidise the club so no matter what they do it will never be enough to satisfy our urge to see top flight football . but that is a LONG way off until we can produce our best from our own youth policy and we  will also sell our best of them  , therefor  investment is not just long term but short term and this board are not in this for the ever they want to see return short term hence we sell Sharp, Wellens, Mills . We do not have those type  assets now so short it means going out and find the next gruop of players. So long term we start to again and build with the Championship in mind.

 The Board are doing their bit it's unto us to see the best of a promising situation and hope the club can win back the moaners stay away , because our future is dependent on larger crows or selling out best players  every year .

[DonnyNoel]

I'm not criticising the board for not spending just think they drag their heels each summer before giving the manager the green light, if he has to go for the cheap ones tell him that then.
Last year sod said he got told different everyday what his budget was, one day it was massive the next day he had no money,

I'm not going to criticise you for feeling that way but this season the board can't do anything as their hands are surely tied by the situation of existing contracts to top earners like Copps, Stock, JOC, Woods, Friend and Spurr. If they all stay then we're looking at recruiting from Saunders "C-list". The problem is we don't know yet who is staying so it makes it hard to know which signings to sanction.

If we wanted to start signing players now they'd have to be cheap and therefore if we did subsequently lose the better contracted players we'd be relegation fodder. It's a shit situation I agree but it seems the tail is going to wag the dog in the short term.

[wilts rover]

I beleive you are confusing 'the budget' with 'the money available to buy players'. These are two totally seperate but interconnected things. I cant be bothered to explain it in detail as people do seem to prefer to winge and moan like kids not having their favourite toy in a nursery, but if a player leaves - there are funds avaiable for transfers, but the budget is still the same.

Sean didnt know how much he had to spend on new players - as he didnt know which of the existing would be staying/offered bigger contracts, thus leaving less for new players. Would you have preffered Sharp and Coppinger left and risked the wrath of the fans when their favourites leave- and we get 5 new players in - or would you have given them improved contacts and looked to bring in loan playerd and bargains?

[RobTheRover]

...and this is where the In Rovers We Trust agenda comes in.

Many of the comments in this thread have hit the spot, and the club already know that.  Change is happening in the way that the club is engaging with fans, and the VSC is right in the middle of that.  These activities need to happen on a number of levels simultaneously in order to grow the fanbase.  The Forum for the Future event on the 18th marks the start of the next phase, and I urge all forum users (VSC members or not) to attend.

[dickos1]

I beleive you are confusing 'the budget' with 'the money available to buy players'. These are two totally seperate but interconnected things. I cant be bothered to explain it in detail as people do seem to prefer to winge and moan like kids not having their favourite toy in a nursery, but if a player leaves - there are funds avaiable for transfers, but the budget is still the same.

Sean didnt know how much he had to spend on new players - as he didnt know which of the existing would be staying/offered bigger contracts, thus leaving less for new players. Would you have preffered Sharp and Coppinger left and risked the wrath of the fans when their favourites leave- and we get 5 new players in - or would you have given them improved contacts and looked to bring in loan playerd and bargains?

In a direct question to sod last summer he was asked if he knew what his budget was, he stared angrily at the interviewer and said no, I get given a different figure every day.

[MartinB]

I guess SOD was being given a figure every day as the board didn't know who was "on board" and we still don't...months have passed by and I can honestly say I don't know who the board are.

JR seems to be on his own as th "money man" despite the rumor of a return of Watson & Bramall.

IMO we do seem to have a big set up especially in the "player health, marketing & commercial division"

Club President: Trevor Milton

Chairman: John Ryan

Managing Director: Stuart Highfield JP
Directors: Mike Collett, Peter Hepworth, David Blunt, Richard Hirst,
Acting Chief Executive: Gavin Baldwin
Director of Football: Mickey Walker
Manager: Dean Saunders
Assistant Manager: Brian Carey
Goalkeeping Coach: Lee Butler
Kit Manager: Dave Richards
Chartered Physiotherapist: John Dickens
Club Physiotherapists: Craig Schofield, Oliver Freeman
Fitness Coach: Mal Purchase
Performance Analyst: Paul Fernie
Club Doctors: Dr. Ken Sykes, Dr. Tim Douglas
Head of Youth: Paul Wilson
Youth Coach: Paul Stancliffe
Club Secretary: Jenny Short
Administration: Denise Pickersgill, Suzanne Uttley, Holly Smart
Accounts Managers: Dave Grant, Lee Ferraby
Accounts Office: Debbie Nelson, Kelly Craddock
Commercial Manager: Laura Whiting
Commercial Team: Danny Ireland, Andrew Whitham, Lisa Meek, Ray Thomas
Media Manager: Steve Uttley
Media Executive: Masroor Ahmed
Marketing Manager: Shaun Lockwood
Marketing Assistant: Jade Sims
Customer Services Manager: Charles Swallow
Retail Manager: Tracy Fernie
Retail Assistants: Carol Haith, Sam Sims, Paul Waller
Doncaster Rovers Sports & Education Foundation Manager: Eric Randerson
Doncaster Rovers Sports & Education Foundation Officers: Richard Bailey, Wayne Galloway, Liam Scully, Jenna Cauwood
Doncaster Rovers Lottery: Ken Porter, Hilary Forbes, Suzanne Uttley
Doncaster Rovers Groundsmen: Tom Lindley, Andy Cartwright, Ken Westfield
Doncaster Rovers Catering Assistants: Sam Turner

[silent majority]

...and this is where the In Rovers We Trust agenda comes in.

Many of the comments in this thread have hit the spot, and the club already know that.  Change is happening in the way that the club is engaging with fans, and the VSC is right in the middle of that.  These activities need to happen on a number of levels simultaneously in order to grow the fanbase.  The Forum for the Future event on the 18th marks the start of the next phase, and I urge all forum users (VSC members or not) to attend.

That's exactly right Rob!!

I've said it before but most people don't know how far reaching this 'In Rovers We Trust' programme is and how much change has come about and will come about over the next 6 months or so. The Forum on the 18th will provide some of the answers, but, again, trust the club, they are doing the right thing.