Bill Workman

[Branton Rover]

Just been announced in the Free Press that Bill has passed on sadly. A proper Rovers fan, a real character. I remember when he and the late Andy Liney got arrested at the Retford Dinner Dance in the early 90’s and were both taken to the police station & the Desk Sargent said as he counted Bills possessions back to him. “£55 in cash, a comb and one Santa Claus hat”.

RIP Bill.

[Draytonian III]

“Button yer coats down …….. “

[johnny rovers]

Top bloke. The popside legend Santa. RIP

[roversdude]

RIP Santa

[Ldr]

One of our contributors to KWCR, absolute legend, RIP Bill (Santa)

[Monkcaster_Rover]

Another character gone. RIP Bill. Hope we can beat these southern Jesse’s on Saturday in his memory.

[Lesonthewest]

RIP Bill. 3-1 to the mighty reds, a real character.

[Padge_DRFC]

This 9 game run would be a temporary set back in the promotion push. RIP

[turnbull for england]

A proper character, will be missed and remembered fondly . I suppose you can't hope for much more as a legacy

[Scooter]

RIP Santa

[Chris Black come back]

That’s two massive 90s Pop Side characters gone then, Bill and Mick Largent. Won’t see likes of them again.

[Balby Rover]

I worked with Bill at International Harvester for many years such a character, I stood near him at Belle Vue on the Popular side he was the original Rovers Santa all year round. He had a few particular sayings like "You Southern Jessies" and many more, I heard from some old colleagues he had not been well for quite a while that is why we had not seen much of him recently at the Rovers recently he was a real legend in many ways God Bless him.

[Red wizard]

Come on rovers we can beat these southern Jessie's. We stood near him for years on the pop side and he always had that Santa hat on. Sharp as a dart he was and some of the lines men got some very witty one liners as did the ref. Rip Bill

[wilts rover]

Very sad news. We used to stand next to Santa Bill and his mates on the Pop Side at Belle Vue for many years, he always made a dull game much more interesting.
RIP and condolences to all his friends and family.

[selby]

  A big part of the rovers folk law when our history was very up and down but he was always a pulling fixture on the pop side with his wit and fantastic support of the team.
 For a supporter and his friends to be such a legend so many years later are an indication of the esteem and character he and they  were for us to follow at the time.
 RIP  and condolences to all close friends and especially family members from an old supporter who was royally entertained on match days not only by the team but a great supporter of the club on many a match day in the past.

[Spud]

Didn't think I knew him until the "southern jessies" posts, I was a young en at the time.
RIP fella.

[Pintolager]

RIP. I was sat near him away at Lincoln in the 90's when we got beat 4-0 I think it was. He was sat with a group of lads taking the p!ss out of Ken Richardson and he had me and the lads near him laughing on a miserable day. Ceratainly came across as a loveable character.

[Chris Black come back]

That was in the disappointing 95/96 season. Previously season had been very good but after a decent first half petered out. 95/96 followed same pattern broadly but that 4-0 defeat at Lincoln in March 1996 came in middle of run of one win in 12 league games. Future Rover Jason Minett scored twice for Lincoln in that game.

[JonWallsend]

Was it Bill who also uses to shout, "Easy for  Dennis" whenever  our keeper, irrespective of who was in goal and many years after Mr Peacock had retired, made a save, caught a cross etc?

[Chris Black come back]

Was it Bill who also uses to shout, "Easy for  Dennis" whenever  our keeper, irrespective of who was in goal and many years after Mr Peacock had retired, made a save, caught a cross etc?

Correct.

[Chris Black come back]

Probably quite hard for some people to realise but in the dog days of the 90s we were getting gates of 2-3k. Once you divide up the ground, you are talking several hundred people only on the Pop Side. You literally knew most of them by sight. No fair weather fans in them days. Same faces week in, week out!

[Draytonian III]

In those days 3000+ was “ a big” day. I stood in front of Bill and his mates, I had misfortune to tell him after a few weeks that I wasn’t actually from Doncaster, so he referred to me as “ a f****n* Tory “ until we moved grounds

[Chris Black come back]

Is Tetley still banned? He was another Pop Side face from the 90s.

[moses]

Is that Saturday Santa who wore a santa hat all year round ?
Maybe we just called him that.

A loss from my youth.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Thanks to the Free Press, it reminded me of Bill's heavy involvement in Jeremy Clarksons piece about his first visit to Rovers.

A very fitting tribute to his dry wit.

https://youtu.be/NQIFjP_s_gg?si=IGVG2ivxLy0247Bn

[BillyStubbsTears]

I used to stand near him on the Pop.

However grim the times, he always had us laughing.

Best one was that legendary night at Springfield Park.

Down at the front of the away swamp, Bill shouts out, "Oi keeper! Thar lass's got AIDS!"

Wigan Keeper looks round and says "How do YOU know?"

Bill shoots back "Cos ah gid it er".

[Monkcaster_Rover]

I used to stand near him on the Pop.

However grim the times, he always had us laughing.

Best one was that legendary night at Springfield Park.

Down at the front of the away swamp, Bill shouts out, "Oi keeper! Thar lass's got AIDS!"

Wigan Keeper looks round and says "How do YOU know?"

Bill shoots back "Cos ah gid it er".

10/10. Surely the keeper started laughing at that.

[BillyStubbsTears]

I used to stand near him on the Pop.

However grim the times, he always had us laughing.

Best one was that legendary night at Springfield Park.

Down at the front of the away swamp, Bill shouts out, "Oi keeper! Thar lass's got AIDS!"

Wigan Keeper looks round and says "How do YOU know?"

Bill shoots back "Cos ah gid it er".

10/10. Surely the keeper started laughing at that.

He did

[Butchers Red]

Those of us who spent time on the pop side in the bleak late 80's and 90's were lucky to have such a character as our cheerleader.

On that League Cup night against Arsenal in 1987 he utilised all his local knowledge to inflict misery on a certain Mr Graham Rix.................

[Armthorpe mickler]

Great loss from the popside days. Was'nt his favourite 'Duggie bullet Header' Certainly had a good pair of lungs on him. RIP will be missed home and away.