A few thoughts

[BillyStubbsTears]

Just a personal take about this coming to an end. Not expecting everyone to agree, as my take is very much coloured by the fact that two very close, non-Rovers friends are seriously ill. Whatever Bill Shankly might have said about that, he was wrong.

I've been coming to this conclusion for a while now.

Football isn't about where you end up. It's about the journey.

It's not about winning stuff. Being above rivals. Going up the leagues.

It's about what happens on the way. The individual moments of depression and elation. Sharing it with mates and with strangers.

So yes, last night was a kick in the gonads.

But next year will come and it'll be another journey. And it will be whatever we, each one of us, makes of it.

And if we win or lose, succeed or fail, it doesn't really matter. It's about the journey and the people you make it with.

[GazLaz]

Just a personal take about this coming to an end. Not expecting everyone to agree, as my take is very much coloured by the fact that two very close, non-Rovers friends are seriously ill. Whatever Bill Shankly might have said about that, he was wrong.

I've been coming to this conclusion for a while now.

Football isn't about where you end up. It's about the journey.

It's not about winning stuff. Being above rivals. Going up the leagues.

It's about what happens on the way. The individual moments of depression and elation. Sharing it with mates and with strangers.

So yes, last night was a kick in the gonads.

But next year will come and it'll be another journey. And it will be whatever we, each one of us, makes of it.

And if we win or lose, succeed or fail, it doesn't really matter. It's about the journey and the people you make it with.

That’s true, for me anyway. I don’t enjoy watching the Rovers any more if we are in the Championship or the Conf. Great times and horror times been had at all levels.

[BobG]

Seconded Billy. Seconded Gaz.

Indeed, in plenty of circumstances I still prefer the Conference tbh.

BobG
.

[GazLaz]

Seconded Billy. Seconded Gaz.

Indeed, in plenty of circumstances I still prefer the Conference tbh.

BobG
.

Having said that, I was really looking forward to some of the potential away days next season.

[Chris Black come back]

Morecambe, Carlisle, Accrington, Fleetwood…

[belton rover]

I really don’t understand the horror, the horror that some are showing regarding some of the teams in Division 4, which is has been our home (i think) more than any other division. This ‘TLO’ attitude is a bit ugly and disrespectful, in my opinion.

[StocksArmy]

For me its about connections. I met a lad when we were 10yrs old and my Dad brought him along to the Rovers with us. We grew up together as kids and always kept in touch through facebook in a fashion. Before the Crewe away game he contacted me to ask how I was getting to the game and if I had any interest in going on the train with him as his mates were not STH. We had a place on our mini bus so he came with us. Speaking about what got us all into the Rovers my mate told me that he never stopped going since my Dad took him as a kid. It was so good to hear. There are so many people i grew up with who he got into supporting the club. Its people like my old man who make Rovers so special. Its so easy to sack it off and support a top prem club but, you encourage people to stick with it, enjoy the ride and support their local team or they go and hunt for continuous glory.

[acacia94]

Its a great point Bill.
Its moments, little things that happen and sometimes big'uns. Last night was of course a right piss off but daft as it seems I right enjoyed it. Jason Price was sat a few seats in front, had a chat, he was great and looked like he could still play. I thought bearing in mind we never winning in the game, the crowd, who were swelled with people who might not have been before, were great. They gave it some on the night.

[River Don]

Just a personal take about this coming to an end. Not expecting everyone to agree, as my take is very much coloured by the fact that two very close, non-Rovers friends are seriously ill. Whatever Bill Shankly might have said about that, he was wrong.

I've been coming to this conclusion for a while now.

Football isn't about where you end up. It's about the journey.

It's not about winning stuff. Being above rivals. Going up the leagues.

It's about what happens on the way. The individual moments of depression and elation. Sharing it with mates and with strangers.

So yes, last night was a kick in the gonads.

But next year will come and it'll be another journey. And it will be whatever we, each one of us, makes of it.

And if we win or lose, succeed or fail, it doesn't really matter. It's about the journey and the people you make it with.

Life is about stories. Few sports have a narrative as compelling as football.

I've said it before and I stand by it now. Rovers are a club of highs and lows. It's not often middling.

Nothing demonstrates it better than this season. Shite, shite, shite, brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. And then failure clawed from the jaws of success.

The story is all

[philsky]

Just a personal take about this coming to an end. Not expecting everyone to agree, as my take is very much coloured by the fact that two very close, non-Rovers friends are seriously ill. Whatever Bill Shankly might have said about that, he was wrong.

I've been coming to this conclusion for a while now.

Football isn't about where you end up. It's about the journey.

It's not about winning stuff. Being above rivals. Going up the leagues.

It's about what happens on the way. The individual moments of depression and elation. Sharing it with mates and with strangers.

So yes, last night was a kick in the gonads.

But next year will come and it'll be another journey. And it will be whatever we, each one of us, makes of it.

And if we win or lose, succeed or fail, it doesn't really matter. It's about the journey and the people you make it with.

The recent run saw me and my lad go to most of the games.

You’re spot on as it’s the journey that was wonderful - we had a ball :-)

[JonWallsend]

Couldn't  agree more BST.  The biggest disappointment  from last night was that we are no longer going to Wembley with the potential for making memories and sharing the journey with friends and strangers alike.

The ten in a row was incredible and each win a moment to savour. I have heard people saying it was irrelevant,  because we ultimately didn't  win promotion but that's nonsense, football is about moments and memories and that run created loads of those.

If you were to take the 'we didn't gain promotion, so the season was a failure' argument to its logical conclusion, there wouldn't  be a game at all. You wouldn't be able to  celebrate a goal, in the moment,  because you'd recognise the futility in that ultimately we all die.

I'm wanted us to win but it wasn't to be. The greatest memories  from 2013, and that  final 30 seconds at Griffin  Park, that can never be taken away, it was a fantastic  moment. There will be others but I doubt there is a Brentford  or Bournemouth  fan that feels any anguish about that now.

We have had moments and next year we will have more, as we journey  on. Let's enjoy them.

Last night the atmosphere  was great and really emphasised this club is heading in the right direction.

Enjoy the journey

It was  disappointing but just another moment

[les@donr]

In a nutshell we are all RTID. That sums it all up.

[LincsRover]

For me its about connections. I met a lad when we were 10yrs old and my Dad brought him along to the Rovers with us. We grew up together as kids and always kept in touch through facebook in a fashion. Before the Crewe away game he contacted me to ask how I was getting to the game and if I had any interest in going on the train with him as his mates were not STH. We had a place on our mini bus so he came with us. Speaking about what got us all into the Rovers my mate told me that he never stopped going since my Dad took him as a kid. It was so good to hear. There are so many people i grew up with who he got into supporting the club. Its people like my old man who make Rovers so special. Its so easy to sack it off and support a top prem club but, you encourage people to stick with it, enjoy the ride and support their local team or they go and hunt for continuous glory.

Same here, couldn’t agree more. My mum and I didn’t have much in common when I was younger until, by accident really, she overheard a conversation between me and my brother about a spare ticket I had for a rovers game. She said she would come along as she’d never been to a football match but enjoyed watching on telly. She loved it so much she ended up with a ST for the next 20yrs (from me, every birthday) and we shared some amazing memories - Wembley, Brentford, cold Tuesday nights in December!

When she was dying 3 years back the one thing that would make her smile through the pain was when we talked about these days, esp Brentford, and that will be with me my whole life. She loved rovers and our last 20yrs were shared. She’d have loved our unbeaten run, she’d have been gutted about losing friday but she’d have been up for it again next season.

Remember Brentford, they were beaten in the play offs (by Yeovil I believe) the year we were champions. Next season they went up and up, look at them now, look at Yeovil now. We need to embrace that Brentford spirit and move forward with pride and determination after this years (eventual) disappointment. 

[Lesonthewest]

For me its about connections. I met a lad when we were 10yrs old and my Dad brought him along to the Rovers with us. We grew up together as kids and always kept in touch through facebook in a fashion. Before the Crewe away game he contacted me to ask how I was getting to the game and if I had any interest in going on the train with him as his mates were not STH. We had a place on our mini bus so he came with us. Speaking about what got us all into the Rovers my mate told me that he never stopped going since my Dad took him as a kid. It was so good to hear. There are so many people i grew up with who he got into supporting the club. Its people like my old man who make Rovers so special. Its so easy to sack it off and support a top prem club but, you encourage people to stick with it, enjoy the ride and support their local team or they go and hunt for continuous glory.

Thanks son, lovely post. So blame me!!

[BillyStubbsTears]

Here's the thing for me. I meant to add this yesterday but I forgot.

That moment when Biggins scored against Barrow is up there in the top 3-4 experiences I've had in 50-odd years watching the Rovers.

This is what I've realised.

I'd rather have a season like we've just had, with despair turning to hope, turning to just madness at that moment, even if it ended like it did, than have a season where we were consistently better than everyone else and won the league by 10 points.

Genuinely.

Because it's not about winning or progressing. It's about those moments where you are transcended out of the ordinary.

[Spud]

Cracking OP & love Reading all the comments.
I've always said I don't really care what league we're in, it's a day out, I go to be entertained, sometimes it's on my own but more often it's with one of my lads, the nephew, the grandson, or a combination of the above.
Always enjoy the day, moreso if we get the results bit not the end of the world of we don't.
RTID.

[colincramb]

Here's the thing for me. I meant to add this yesterday but I forgot.

That moment when Biggins scored against Barrow is up there in the top 3-4 experiences I've had in 50-odd years watching the Rovers.

This is what I've realised.

I'd rather have a season like we've just had, with despair turning to hope, turning to just madness at that moment, even if it ended like it did, than have a season where we were consistently better than everyone else and won the league by 10 points.

Genuinely.

Because it's not about winning or progressing. It's about those moments where you are transcended out of the ordinary.

The barrow game is probably my favourite rovers game of all time. The 3rd goal elation was like nothing I’d ever experienced at a football match before, or possibly ever again. Those players and THIS club did that, not some soulless oil rich premier league club.

[BobG]

You support a team out of love. Or you ought to. And where love is concerned, bad days, bad times, come with the  territory.  Why the hell else did thousands of folk, all over this planet, take the time and the trouble to take up their swords 25 years ago to save a frankly terrible club?

The answer, of course, is because somebody was trampling on our love, our dreams....

Winning is nice. But it ain't the reason we're all here.

BobG

[drfchound]

You support a team out of love. Or you ought to. And where love is concerned, bad days, bad times, come with the  territory.  Why the hell else did thousands of folk, all over this planet, take the time and the trouble to take up their swords 25 years ago to save a frankly terrible club?

The answer, of course, is because somebody was trampling on our love, our dreams....

Winning is nice. But it ain't the reason we're all here.

BobG

Hi Bob, the reaction of the locals in that club in Stow when me, you and Richard celebrated our goals was something else wasn’t it.
They “got” what supporting a L2 club was all about and ended up supporting Rovers on the night.
It was good to meet you as well.

[Jonathan]

Despite the result and outcome, Friday will still go down as one of my favourite occasions. The build up and turning up at the stadium, it felt like we were a big club. Seeing the stands full with people and the build up of the atmosphere, not just in the South Stand (where I stand) but across large sections of the East and West felt memorable. It’ll forever hurt that we didn’t get the goal to celebrate or the big moment to really get us going, but by the same measure the heartache is a huge part of football. Not least for a Doncaster fan that also follows England, the beauty of the hope followed by heartache is what we’ve all known for so long. That was just another one, but I loved everything around the occasion. I even love it now, we’re all suffering together but I think most of us share the feeling of pride in how we got there. We’ll be back.

[mushRTID]

Despite the result and outcome, Friday will still go down as one of my favourite occasions. The build up and turning up at the stadium, it felt like we were a big club. Seeing the stands full with people and the build up of the atmosphere, not just in the South Stand (where I stand) but across large sections of the East and West felt memorable. It’ll forever hurt that we didn’t get the goal to celebrate or the big moment to really get us going, but by the same measure the heartache is a huge part of football. Not least for a Doncaster fan that also follows England, the beauty of the hope followed by heartache is what we’ve all known for so long. That was just another one, but I loved everything around the occasion. I even love it now, we’re all suffering together but I think most of us share the feeling of proud in how we got there. We’ll be back.

When you could see the stadium filling up, all sides, even that North stand all slowly filling up 30mins from kick off it felt different.

It felt like we were at another ground, or even at a gig.

It just felt different and it was incredible.

[Colin C No.3]

All of the said (& I apologise for ‘crating it’ into a ‘sameness’ because of course, it’s not) before, means that we ALL know, despite the hurt we will feel by not ‘quite getting over the line’ & all that may mean in current players (that we as supporters would like at the club) leaving or not, means above all else that we feel we have ‘our identity’ back.

With this management team from TB to GM, I ‘know’ we will get out of this division next season.

It’s taken me a few days to even bring myself to look at this, our forum.

I can’t think of a more fitting op to bring myself back ‘to the table’ & lay my feelings bare in the knowledge that I do so amongst a ‘kinship’.

Onwards & upwards, onwards & upwards.

[drfchound]

Despite the result and outcome, Friday will still go down as one of my favourite occasions. The build up and turning up at the stadium, it felt like we were a big club. Seeing the stands full with people and the build up of the atmosphere, not just in the South Stand (where I stand) but across large sections of the East and West felt memorable. It’ll forever hurt that we didn’t get the goal to celebrate or the big moment to really get us going, but by the same measure the heartache is a huge part of football. Not least for a Doncaster fan that also follows England, the beauty of the hope followed by heartache is what we’ve all known for so long. That was just another one, but I loved everything around the occasion. I even love it now, we’re all suffering together but I think most of us share the feeling of pride in how we got there. We’ll be back.

All of the above Jonathan but for me, one of the best parts of the night was when “stand up, if you love Rovers” was sung and all the way along the West Stand, everyone stood up.
I didn’t notice if it happened in the East Stand.

[PDX_Rover]

Possibly the best thread ever.

It would have been easy to support Leeds, Liverpool, Man Utd etc as a kid, just as it is now I expect. But where’s the joy in that?

Next season will be my 50th since my Dad took me to Belle Vue aged almost 7 with some of his mates from the Ridgewood in Edo. It was life changing. Cigarette smoke, beer, lots of swearing… thrilling. I couldn’t see anything but went down to the front on the main stand side towards the town end.


I think it was against Mansfield and we won 2-1. Kitch and Big Bren were playing. We went to the Jolly Friar chippy in Edo on the way home.

It was magic.

When my Mum and Dad split up in 1978, and both remarried in the early 80’s, my Mum and Stepdad (who was an avid Rovers fan) went together. They became heavily involved with Retford Branch. My Dad stopped going around that time, but I used to go home and away with my Mum and Stepdad. Those years were fantastic - 83 onwards.

I’ve never lost that love for Rovers. It’s in the heart and soul and blood. It’s painful and ecstatic. It’s a visceral relationship. It’s our club. It’s my roots. It’s part of my family. Even though I’ve lived in the US for 20 years now, my addiction has not stopped. Every game I watch on iFollow. My son too. He saw his first match Christmas 2018. We drew with Oxford at home but he was hooked. Seeing the stadium and then walking out and seeing the pitch and the fans. He was 8 and was blown away. We got to meet Copps, Malik Wilks, John Marquis, Alfie May, Matty Blair and a few others after the game. Autographs and photos.


And my passion is now shared with him…

And that’s the beauty of it all. It’s OUR club. Through thick and thin. For better or worse. There is nothing like it. Thousands of memories. Games against other fans. Beers. That sense of unity and family. Bingo on the bus with Paul Mayfield. Ginner and Ken Magson’s nose for pubs… so many characters.

It’s home.

[Nudga]

Despite the result and outcome, Friday will still go down as one of my favourite occasions. The build up and turning up at the stadium, it felt like we were a big club. Seeing the stands full with people and the build up of the atmosphere, not just in the South Stand (where I stand) but across large sections of the East and West felt memorable. It’ll forever hurt that we didn’t get the goal to celebrate or the big moment to really get us going, but by the same measure the heartache is a huge part of football. Not least for a Doncaster fan that also follows England, the beauty of the hope followed by heartache is what we’ve all known for so long. That was just another one, but I loved everything around the occasion. I even love it now, we’re all suffering together but I think most of us share the feeling of pride in how we got there. We’ll be back.

All of the above Jonathan but for me, one of the best parts of the night was when “stand up, if you love Rovers” was sung and all the way along the West Stand, everyone stood up.
I didn’t notice if it happened in the East Stand.

No it didn't happen in the east stand.

[ravenrover]

It didn't even happen in the West, some stood up but the majority around me remained seated. My guess it was exiled South standers that stood in the West

[drfchound]

It didn't even happen in the West, some stood up but the majority around me remained seated. My guess it was exiled South standers that stood in the West

Fair enough Raven, but from where I was it looked as though lots of people stood up.

[Michael Shaw]

Yes the journey is important, but the journey is so much better when we win games and that is what has dragged many fans to watch us in the playoffs. The same fans will sink back into oblivion unless they see more ambition and success from the club next season. Yes, the ride was great because we were winning games. If we stayed in the bottom 6 of the table we would not have had the same exciting end.

Talk of being happy to be below the EFL is fine, but the stadium will only have 3,000 fans turn up for every game, and rightly so. The journey may include many happy memories but aren’t the best memories when we trounced other clubs, not when we lost xx games in a row.

[Alan Southstand]

Well, as I was sat over toward the East side of the South stand I can confirm there were supporters in the East stand getting to their feet. Obviously, not all of them but many were.

For me, the season became a positive one, obviously with our tremendous late surge, but initially, really, anyone could be forgiven for having that ‘here we go again’ sinking feeling of being beaten by some seemingly mediocre teams. However, I have to admit at feeling something was different about the season and I was at a loss to explain, at the time, what it was.

McCann factor maybe played a part, we were playing more positively, but there was a feeling that at anytime we could burst into life. The January arrivals certainly had a big hand in bringing out what it was that had previously been bubbling under the surface.

Unlike those posters above, I had the misfortune of missing both the Wrexham and Barrow games (I know!) but I was elated that those games signalled we were back. The Chairman, the Manager, the team and the fans - all of us - not just singing, but singing from the same hymn sheet. Let’s take it into next season and see where it takes us.

RTID.

[Campsall rover]

Some great posts on this thread.

Yes it’s a roller coaster following the Rovers.
Would we want it any other way? No we wouldn’t.
It’s the bad times that make the good ones feel so special.

The last 3 months of this season have been very special something most of us are unlikely to see again.
Yes it ended just one game short of what we wanted but it will live in our memories for ever.
Yes as in the OP it is all about the journey and sharing it with friends and family.