World Cup Rovers

[Branton Red]

Potentially Zander Clark maybe selected in the Scotland squad for this summer's World Cup. Though officially he probably won't be on Rovers' books by then as his loan will have ended.

Does anyone know if a player has ever been to a World Cup whilst on Rovers' books?

[Belle_Vue]

Mulligan?

[Colemans Left Hook]

that rings a bell as the answer to some question

for the best nearly made it to the finals i plead Harry Gregg - we sold him in December 1957 so he must have played in the qualifiers as he played in the Competition  1958 as a Man u player

So let's rephrase the question to get the answer we want.

Has any Doncaster Rovers player ever played in the qualifying rounds of the world cup and then consequently been to the World Cup   due to his exploits ?

Answer Harry Gregg

[Chris Black come back]

Mulligan had long since left us (2006) when he was in the New Zealand squad for the 2010 World Cup. He didn't actually play either, albeit being in the squad was a major achievement.

[Pintolager]

Did Dave Melligan play for the Aussies in the WC while with us?

[Filo]

There was that South Korean we had on loan, but he wasn’t with us when he went to the World Cup

[Belle_Vue]

Did Dave Melligan play for the Aussies in the WC while with us?

Merging Dave Mulligan with JJ Melligan

[Belle_Vue]

There was that South Korean we had on loan, but he wasn’t with us when he went to the World Cup

Yun Suk Yun

[Draytonian III]

Perhaps when we’ve sussed out if there any players that qualify, because Zander Clark won’t be a Rovers player if he’s selected for the World Cup as his contract will have run out.
 We could perhaps work out players who played in a competitive match, league or cup that have actually been in an official World Cup Finals squad, playing or squad either before or after playing for us

[Belle_Vue]

Mulligan had long since left us (2006) when he was in the New Zealand squad for the 2010 World Cup. He didn't actually play either, albeit being in the squad was a major achievement.

If memory serves me right, did he get selected for the squad without actually being attached to a team?

[Pintolager]

Did Dave Melligan play for the Aussies in the WC while with us?

Merging Dave Mulligan with JJ Melligan

So I did. Thanks BV!

[LincsRover]

I know Dean Furman played for south Africa in the AFCON but not sure about the World Cup?

[wilts rover]

Potentially Zander Clark maybe selected in the Scotland squad for this summer's World Cup. Though officially he probably won't be on Rovers' books by then as his loan will have ended.

Does anyone know if a player has ever been to a World Cup whilst on Rovers' books?

Not a player but Peter Doherty was manager of both Rovers and Northern Ireland during the qualification campaign when NI qualified for their first ever finals in 1958. He had however resigned as Rovers manager in January 1958 when he fell out with the board.

[Fal]

Perhaps when we’ve sussed out if there any players that qualify, because Zander Clark won’t be a Rovers player if he’s selected for the World Cup as his contract will have run out.
 We could perhaps work out players who played in a competitive match, league or cup that have actually been in an official World Cup Finals squad, playing or squad either before or after playing for us

El Hadji Diouf for Senegal in the 2002 World Cup.
Neil Sullivan in the 1998 Scotland squad.
Quinton Fortune in the 2002 South Africa squad.

[ChrisBx]

Perhaps when we’ve sussed out if there any players that qualify, because Zander Clark won’t be a Rovers player if he’s selected for the World Cup as his contract will have run out.
 We could perhaps work out players who played in a competitive match, league or cup that have actually been in an official World Cup Finals squad, playing or squad either before or after playing for us

El Hadji Diouf for Senegal in the 2002 World Cup.
Neil Sullivan in the 1998 Scotland squad.
Quinton Fortune in the 2002 South Africa squad.

Billy Bremner 1974 World Cup.

[Branton Red]

Not a player but Peter Doherty was manager of both Rovers and Northern Ireland during the qualification campaign when NI qualified for their first ever finals in 1958. He had however resigned as Rovers manager in January 1958 when he fell out with the board.

Thanks Wilts - George Raynor, a future Rovers manager, also managed a team in that World Cup - Sweden who reached the Final.

You've also led me to an answer to my initial question.

Len Graham was in the Northern Ireland squad for the 1958 World Cup finals though he didn't play. He left Rovers midway though the 58-59 season.

The only World Cup Rover so far??

[drfchound]

Gabriel Tamas played for Romania in World Cup qualifying campaigns in 2006, 2010 and 2014.

[Prez]

Gabriel Tamas played for Romania in World Cup qualifying campaigns in 2006, 2010 and 2014.

Beat me to it Graham. Was trying to think of his name, knew he was Romanian.

[Prez]

Kerry Dixon was in the England squad for Mexico 86. Was Steve Nicol in the Scotland squad also?

[Silkscarf]

Tony Woodcock for England in Spain 1982. John Sheridan for Ireland in 90 and 94. Probably quite a few of these kind of tenuous World Cup linked Rovers. But very few on the proper list.

[MachoMadness]

Did Deam Furman play for South Africa while on our books?

[selby]

  Eddie McMorran scored v Portugal for Northern Ireland 1957, watched it on TV.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Bonjani Khumalo was also a South African world cup player but as with all others so far, none whilst actually playing for Rovers.

When you think about the 'experiment' players, there were quite a few with World Cup experience.

[RugbyRover]

Colin Miller?

[Monolith No. 9]

If I remember correctly Hugh Dowd was a surprise inclusion in Northern Ireland’s pre-cup squad of 40 but didn’t make the final 22 that went to Spain. Not a big surprise when he was cut. From memory he hadn’t played for NI for several years and although he was great for Rovers under Bremner he was at the tail end of his career at that time.

[jmt23]

If I remember correctly Hugh Dowd was a surprise inclusion in Northern Ireland’s pre-cup squad of 40 but didn’t make the final 22 that went to Spain. Not a big surprise when he was cut. From memory he hadn’t played for NI for several years and although he was great for Rovers under Bremner he was at the tail end of his career at that time.

His brother Wellen had a long career in a different industry.

[Chris Black come back]

Colin Miller?

This is a very good call. Miller was definitely in the Canada squad for the 1986 World Cup but I think we only signed him a few weeks after this. Could be slightly out on this though. We would need one of our resident historians to tie down the exact dates. I suspect we are very close to finally finding our first player.

[Draytonian III]

Paul James who came across with Colin Miller ??

[Chris Black come back]

Paul James who came across with Colin Miller ??

Didn’t sign for us until 1988. Was at Toronto Blizzard during 1986 World Cup.

[IDM]

Memory might be off here, but wasn’t there one called Terry Cooper.?