Half-term report

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Here we are at another International Break, nearly a quarter of this season gone. Time for a reflection on where we are.

This is the BBC's pre-season preview

Best Summer Signing: Mark Duffy
One to Watch: Harry Forrester

BBC Radio Sheffield's Rob Staton: "People might underestimate Doncaster, but it's worth noting that aside from one tough season a couple of years ago they've been a Championship mainstay for some time now.
"Winning the title last season after relegation to League One shows this is a club that deserves a lot of credit, particularly chairman John Ryan.
"Manager Paul Dickov has made a handful of astute signings and is hoping to make even more moves before the season begins with plenty of talk of potential investment in the pipeline. They could surprise a few people."

I think that was a fair pre-season appraisal and I think we've partly fulfilled it already. I think I would go as far as saying PD's signings have been extremely astute and we've yet to see Duffy, Forrester and De Val really get going.

Have we surprised a few? Those big city teams never learn do they. TLO Doncaster are coming to get you!

The only disappointments for me are a couple of thousand missing when the football deserves better and, the takeover saga. Other than that, with a couple of more decent results, I hope we'll see a few more being convinced to get down the KM.

Overall 8/10. Keep it up!   

[BillyStubbsTears]

Duffy is no higher than third on the list of best signings, behind Turnbull and Khumalo.

Good point about us being an established Tier 2 side. The way we have started this season, come May 2015, we'll have had 8 seasons where we've either been in Tier 2 or in the top 3 of Tier 3. I'm guessing this would be the best run in our history?

[Wild Rover]

BST I am sure you realise that the "Piece" was written and published before the players you mention joined.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Wild Rover.

Err...errr...yeah, of course I did. But with all that tax payers' money, the BBC should have been able to predict who we were going to buy.

I'll shut up now.

[Dutch Uncle]

Good point about us being an established Tier 2 side. The way we have started this season, come May 2015, we'll have had 8 seasons where we've either been in Tier 2 or in the top 3 of Tier 3. I'm guessing this would be the best run in our history?

Been away and just catching up

BST - I thought only I was obscure enough to think of looking for stats like that 

In fact it is not a club record if you count the regionalised tier 3 as a genuine tier 3 (as opposed to a tier 3.5). In the 17 seasons either side of WW2 from 1934-5 until 1957-8 we finished

1st in Div 3 North
18th & 22nd in Div 2
2nd, 2nd and 1st in Div 3 North
21st in Div 2
3rd, 1st in Div 3 North
11th, 16th, 13th, 12th, 18th, 17th, 14th, 22nd in Div 2

However since Tier 4 was introduced in 1958-9 you are correct, we would equal the 8 seasons in Division 2 above from 1950-1 to 1957-8 for being our longest run in Tier 2 or top 3 of a genuine Tier 3 

[BillyStubbsTears]

Dutch

Yer a legend mate.