Donny Knights

[scawsby steve]

Have not met the minimum requirements needed so can't be promoted

Just read this myself. Strange that they applied knowing the criteria for stadium capacity.

Real shame this. Could be the only realistic chance of seeing one of the towns teams playing at the most elite level in the country in any sport. Apparently no ground share option was put forward (ruling out KMS) and no permissions are in place to extend castle park to the 10001 capacity needed.

What an utter shame given the position they are in. You sometimes have to wonder where the ambition is for sports teams in our area

Just a bit of my usual pedantry, CC. The Dons actually played at the most elite level for just one season. It wasn't called the Super League then; it was referred to as the "Big League".

A bit like the old First Division in football, before it became the Premier League. It was still always the elite level.

[phil old leake]

I’ve just read the article in the free press saying that they were going to be denied promotion
I do feel sorry for them but also feel that their owners have been a bit short sighted and naive

They know the requirements for promotion and knowing they were looking good should have started to put things in place before now

It seems from the article that all they needed was to have planning in place
Such a shame.  I hope they can maybe recover this situation because they deserve it

[rich1471]

If they want it they should put the planning application in place ,cannot see it being refused for temporary stands being put up and appeal which they can do in writing or ask to share the football ground which was not in the original application.

[rich1471]

The knights have put in an appeal to the RFU ,saying the will be able to erect temporary stands in time ,but if that fails they have agreed to play at a ground that has the 10k capacity which would allow them promotion if they win the league

[DRFCSouth]

Shame about it being all about the money and nothing to do with fairness, from the authorities.

[Campsall rover]

They want a closed shop.
Don’t want Northern upstarts like Doncaster infiltrating their precious Premiership.
Surprised they haven’t found a way of expelling Newcastle and Sale Sharks yet.

Without a promotion system that goes all the way through to the top then the game is pretty pointless and does not create the incentive for clubs to progress and grow.

The RFU needs to take a good look at itself and it’s elitist ethos.

[BobG]

Rotherham played in the top league years ago. There was a big fuss about letting them in too.

BobG

[Donnywolf]

Yes they did ... and there was a huge controversy the 2nd time when they were refused entry even though they were playing at Millmoor

Eventually they won't a long long Court case which stopped a closed shop in Premiership

[BobG]

I'd forgotten about the second time Wolf. Thank you. Reinforces the general consensus that, just like football, Rugby Union is viewed as something for The Haves only. Whoever can possibly think a closed shop can survive longer term?? It's ridiculous

BobG

[glosterred]

I'd forgotten about the second time Wolf. Thank you. Reinforces the general consensus that, just like football, Rugby Union is viewed as something for The Haves only. Whoever can possibly think a closed shop can survive longer term?? It's ridiculous

BobG

Smacks of Bolton wanting a closed shop in the Premiership when they were there

[Wiltshire Exile]

Promotion to the Premiership refused:

https://www.drfc.co.uk/doncaster-knights-statement-on-rfu-minimum-standards-findings/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-10565457/Gallagher-Premiership-NOT-expand-14-teams-Ealing-Doncaster-fail-meet-criteria.html

Not surprised. What a shock it would be for the elite of rugby union if they had to play in ‘little ole Donny’!

[ravenrover]

Bit like when little ol' donny were in the Championship

[rich1471]

Promotion to the Premiership refused:

https://www.drfc.co.uk/doncaster-knights-statement-on-rfu-minimum-standards-findings/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-10565457/Gallagher-Premiership-NOT-expand-14-teams-Ealing-Doncaster-fail-meet-criteria.html

Not surprised. What a shock it would be for the elite of rugby union if they had to play in ‘little ole Donny’!

But they waiting to see what happens as they have put in an appeal with a ground share option if the temp stand is not in place when the season starts , so watch this space

[roversdude]

Big win yesterday against Cornish Pirates

[rich1471]

just need Cornish Pirates to beat Earling in a couple of weeks time for them to have a chance of winning the league

[Filo]

Bit like when little ol' donny were in the Championship

Or when like Donny Belles were the top Womens side in the Country until kicked out for the mega money teams

[Branton Red]

Bit like when little ol' donny were in the Championship

Or when like Donny Belles were the top Womens side in the Country until kicked out for the mega money teams

The Belles were relegated after playing only 1 game in the WSL to make way for Manchester City the following year.

Stinks to high heaven as does the RFUs attitude to the Knights here.

[Donnywolf]

RFU or maybe more correctly the Clubs within the Elite League have been hankering for a closed shop for maybe 10 Seasons

The Clubs that drop like Harlequins Worcester etc seem to ease their way back at first attempt and the ones from Knights Division tend to have poorer facilities and they don't have Teams full of Internationals and without the latter they come straight down

The Clubs had a problem or two though ... One being they regarded Leeds or Yorkshire Carnegie as "big" so it was difficult to shut up shop with them marooned but now they have effectively become a small team the big boys have their chance

Knights Cornish Pirates Jersey can be Pooh poohed and they might get their wish this time round because it could be Bath who drop this time and I expect they would bounce back so the ducks are in a row

However as posted on here already what good is a Division you can't fail in ?

And what good is a pyramid set up in RU which allows a Team like Knights to climb to the dizzy heights and maybe stay there ... but sorry no place at the top table for you boys

[colincramb]

Doesn’t need worrying about now, Ealing will now win the league. Superb effort from the knights though. A couple of games at the start of the season has cost them

[rich1471]

Doesn’t need worrying about now, Ealing will now win the league. Superb effort from the knights though. A couple of games at the start of the season has cost them

they have won more than Earling and lost less,it's not picking up the bonus points that has cost them

[Metalmicky]

If they were in Club Doncaster would it have been different.... ?

 

[knockers]

Yeah, they would have finished bottom of the league!

[Donnywolf]

Bloody hell .... Knights now proposing Ground share if they get Promo

Eco Stadium .... Er ..... No

Craven Park home of those other Rovers (Hull Kingston Rovers) I checked date in case it was April 1

[idler]

How many Knights fans would want to trail to Hull every week and especially to see them get hammered in most games?

[Donnywolf]

Unless they had their Curry and Chips available I would choose one Game and go , just to say I saw them in Premiership

Die hard Knights fans will be feeling its a kick in the teeth for them - and I feel it is a "how to kick Donny as a Town in the teeth" especially when it appears they could have used Eco Stadium [but that bits a guess on my part]

[rich1471]

It does not matter where they want to play,Earling will finish top of the league they are 5 points clear with 1 game to go

[knockers]

It’s Ealing and they are 3 (three) points clear.
If Doncaster win and Ealing don’t then Doncaster finish top.

[RedRover45]

That doesn’t mean the winners of the league would get promoted. There are play offs at the end. 1 v 4 and 2 v 3 with the highly placed team getting home advantage in the final game. They are already advertising Knights v Cornish Pirates (2 v 3) on April 9th at the ground.

[wilts rover]

Ealing's ground doesn't meet the standards either, nor do Cornish Pirates or Jersey (and they have already said they dont want promotion) - so as it stands at the moment whoever wins the league/play-off's wont be promoted.

[Metalmicky]

It's a non starter as Ealing must be nailed on to beat Richmond anyway.  Although, never the less a great season by them though