Exactly 10 years ago today

[Chris Black come back]

2003-05-10

14:30 BST

Dagenham & Redbridge   2–3   Doncaster Rovers   

Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent
Attendance: 13,092

Referee: Andre Marriner (Birmingham)

Stein  63'
Mustafa  78'      

Green  39'
Dave Morley  55'
Tierney  110'

[Chris Black come back]

Two interesting points about that day.

Firstly, every single player on the pitch and on the bench and both managers, were British.

Secondly, not only was Tarkan Mustafa playing for Dagenham despite being on loan at Rovers earlier the same season, but starting the game for Dagenham was John McGrath who a few months later would sign for Rovers.

[Belle-Vue-Ghost]

Wow - memories.

I still think that day beats Brentford 

[roversdude]

Never realised John played for Dagenham

[Donnywolf]

Never realised John played for Dagenham

I still cant believe that there were only 8 minutes between Dave Morleys goal and Steins goal

I STILL think to this day that the Clock was stuck - and I should now as I could not take my eyes off it

Similarly after TM's equaliser the remaining 12 Minutes went in a relative flash !

[DonnyNoel]

Never realised John played for Dagenham

Wasn't he the one on the line who tried to punch Morley's header away?

[DonnyNoel]

Great day. I've never known a match go so much against my gut instinct. If you told me at 2-0 there was going to be another 2 goals I'd have wagered my house on it being 4-0 to Rovers. We were so comfortable. Similarly, if you told me at 2-2 there was a to be a winner I would have said Dagenham all the way such was the momentum shift.

Maybe my footballing balance was out of kilter after the Deva Dramatics previously.

[ck-rtid]

I was gutted to not be at the game, instead i was watching it in a tent 3000 miles away in the Iraqi desert with about 5 other Rovers fans!! Good times!! Luckily my mates covered my guard shift so i could go and watch!

[RedRover]

Anyone else think the club should of organised something? The importance of that game and that goal by Sir Francis should not be downplayed/ignored!

Jusy an idea but it would be great to reunite that squad perhaps at the 1st home game of next season.

[bedale rover]

Anyone post a link to the video of the game?

Ta

[scaley back rover]

same for me rtid in basra but with no tele . phoned up home to find out we had gone up made my tour that did

[GM-MarkB]

I remember nose to tail on the M1 trying to get on to the A38

I remember a sea of Red & White at that pub on the A50 at the Uttoxeter turn off

I remember propping up Tim Ryan in a town pub on the Saturday night after the game and all he could say was ' It'sh f****n great innit '......and the rest of the squad pretty worse for wear too.

Great day

[mrfrostsdad]

We should have been 5 or 6 up and out of sight. And if my memory serves me correctly, Daggers had a stone wall penalty for hand ball at 2-2.
Excitement wise, the semi final second leg at Chester with the penalty shoot out was, IMO, more exciting.
And I nearly got locked up that day for running on the pitch after the game!!

[Donnywolf]

....AND in extra time they had a header at the far end which looked offside - and thankfully was off target because as far as I recall it would have been allowed by Lino/Ref

Incidentally we were talking recently about being "in the away end" and I am sure that in Lakeside Bar the Photo of Franny T celebrating has 99.9 % Daggers fans looking "stunned" but at least 2 who are positively leaping out of their seats AND appear to have Rovers shirts on

Could be wrong but can anyone confirm ? If they are Rovers Fans why did they need to go in that end unless with Daggers friends ?

[RoversAlias]

So, about 04:35pm today we salute the moment that Sir Francis kick-started the revival of the Rovers?

I will never forget that moment or that day. It has shaped the 10 years that follow it.

[les@donr]

I was there

[Nudga]

I was there

Along with 35k others. I was also there.

[not on facebook]

recall getting off the train with close on 90 ddr and donny lads.

police got most of the lads into an escort to a named pub in stoke
city centre.

3 of us did a left out of the station and got away,where a stoke lad
picked us up in his car and drove us to a pub down a side street in
stoke which was full of their firm.

we did not have to buy a drink all afternoon as their main lads
told all the stoke lot to treat us propper and forget about the
punch up.

even got drove to the ground and dropped off and good lucks all round.

[VivaRovers]

recall getting off the train with close on 90 ddr and donny lads.

police got most of the lads into an escort to a named pub in stoke
city centre.

Ninety lads into the one Escort? Was it for charity Oslo?

[RoversAlias]

Glen

My best memory of that day was having to run down to the front to see Paul Green score with my mate as we were both too small to see the goal area when everyone stood up from where we were sat.

[JonWallsend]

recall getting off the train with close on 90 ddr and donny lads.

police got most of the lads into an escort to a named pub in stoke
city centre.

Ninety lads into the one Escort? Was it for charity Oslo?

I have nearly choked- brilliant.

[afro goal machine]

recall getting off the train with close on 90 ddr and donny lads.

police got most of the lads into an escort to a named pub in stoke
city centre.

Ninety lads into the one Escort? Was it for charity Oslo?

I have nearly choked- brilliant.

choking, were you also on the receiving end jon ?

[Rovers-on-Thames]

Thank god we had the 'DDR' there representing us against the harsh gangs of Dagenham. I for one think my own personal safety in this last 10 years has been down to these knights of justice.

[1879Rovers]

Never been so nervous at a Rovers game. By far the biggest game in my lifetime following Rovers, so much depended on it, in terms of a League return and not just promotion. I remember the winner going in and me along with another middle aged bloke (we didn't know each other) just hugging and close to tears. His little lad (about 7 or 8) was wondering what was going on.

Amazing what's happened in the last ten years. If someone had said before that final, we would win the fourth division the year after, reach the quarter-finals of the League Cup (and were robbed), win our first domestic trophy, go to Wembley and beat Leeds, spend four years in the championship and then win League One in our first season out of the division in one of the most dramatic finishes ever - I would have called for the men in white suits.

[ridgewoodrover]

one of the most eventfull weekends of my life , when i got back from stoke was  told my  dad had been rushed into hospital . spent a traumatic 12 hours watching him lose his  long battle with cancer

[1879Rovers]

I can't believe I can't find it on Youtube

[godlike1]

Never been so nervous at a Rovers game. By far the biggest game in my lifetime following Rovers, so much depended on it, in terms of a League return and not just promotion. I remember the winner going in and me along with another middle aged bloke (we didn't know each other) just hugging and close to tears. His little lad (about 7 or 8) was wondering what was going on.

Amazing what's happened in the last ten years. If someone had said before that final, we would win the fourth division the year after, reach the quarter-finals of the League Cup (and were robbed), win our first domestic trophy, go to Wembley and beat Leeds, spend four years in the championship and then win League One in our first season out of the division in one of the most dramatic finishes ever - I would have called for the men in white suits.

It makes you wonder what is going to happen in the next 10 years? Hopefully just as much excitement for the newer crop of fans to keep their interest and build back the fan base time forgot

[BillyStubbsTears]

Oslo

There's a touching hint of homo-eroticism in that post.

Stoke-back Mountain and all that.

Are you trying to tell us summat?

[drfc1951]

....AND in extra time they had a header at the far end which looked offside - and thankfully was off target because as far as I recall it would have been allowed by Lino/Ref

Incidentally we were talking recently about being "in the away end" and I am sure that in Lakeside Bar the Photo of Franny T celebrating has 99.9 % Daggers fans looking "stunned" but at least 2 who are positively leaping out of their seats AND appear to have Rovers shirts on

Could be wrong but can anyone confirm ? If they are Rovers Fans why did they need to go in that end unless with Daggers friends ?

The lino had is flag up for offside,i have the video and watched it recently.

[wilts rover]

Never been so nervous at a Rovers game. By far the biggest game in my lifetime following Rovers, so much depended on it, in terms of a League return and not just promotion. I remember the winner going in and me along with another middle aged bloke (we didn't know each other) just hugging and close to tears. His little lad (about 7 or 8) was wondering what was going on.

Amazing what's happened in the last ten years. If someone had said before that final, we would win the fourth division the year after, reach the quarter-finals of the League Cup (and were robbed), win our first domestic trophy, go to Wembley and beat Leeds, spend four years in the championship and then win League One in our first season out of the division in one of the most dramatic finishes ever - I would have called for the men in white suits.

Its easily overlooked but we both bought and then sold a player for over £1m in that time too.