Who knows when there will be another football game?
Photo from the away win at Scunthorpe in September.
It's frustrating not knowing when this isolation period will end, though the break from football action is an appropriate enough time to reflect on what Doncaster Rovers' youth team have achieved (so far) this season.
Before the campaign was prematurely interrupted, the lads had established a commanding 11-point lead at the top of the EFL Youth Alliance. They knew a win at Rotherham in their penultimate game would have guaranteed top spot before the proposed Scottish Premiership style 'split' which, even if the season does resume (something I think is unlikely), the split might not now happen anyway. Ironically, if the away fixture at Grimsby hadn't been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch (or, if other teams hadn't had fixtures postponed) top spot could have already been guaranteed.
Forgetting the arguments/debates about whatever is decided, on the pitch they've played some positive, attack-minded, flowing football and bagged goals for fun. Statistically, they've been amongst the top teams in the division - whether that be for goals scored, goals conceded, opportunities created, unbeaten streaks, etc. There is always room for improvement (and that's sometimes been necessary) but they've generally set the bar for other teams to match.
Testament to their 'success' has been their 100% form since Christmas where they've won five straight games and showed different characteristics in each game - whether that be through being ruthless in attack to wallop their opponents, showing character to score late, or by 'digging in' to defend what they wanted as was the case when they triumphed at Lincoln. To put their form into context, what was a two-point lead over Scunthorpe on New Year's Day (who, at this point, had four games in hand) soon became a 13-point advantage over the Iron having played just three games more.
Individually, skipper Ben Blythe has probably been the most consistent performer during the season - putting in some assured displays and looking capable of making a smooth transition to the Under 23s. Junior Smith has improved and his 20+ goals across U18s/U23s is testament to that, Jack Watson deserves a special mention for his work-rate and movement up top which has sometimes been on a different level, and Will McGowan's ridiculous ability to pop off passes has unlocked defences time and time again.
It would be a travesty if the lads aren't either awarded the title or, more preferably, allowed to conclude the season and mathematically earn silverware/medals once this current chaos is over. There are lads, everywhere, who are released each summer and then simply drift away from football so the season shouldn't just be voided - thus denying players the opportunity to achieve something special after they've slogged their backsides off the last 8-9 months to get into a title-winning position. For some lads, this could be their biggest achievement in football so to wipe it away would be plain wrong!
If it gets to a stage where, realistically, it's not practical for the season to be concluded then the fairest way to decide a table should be on a points per game basis. No team is promoted or relegated anyway, therefore nobody would 'lose out' if this were to happen.
Whatever happens, we'll see, but I lack faith in both the FA and EFL for sure!
The current league table!
In any case, here are the youth team fixtures/results from this season. The ones which are underlined are links to blogs/thoughts on individual games (which I've attended). Hopefully, they might be useful in passing time or finding out which players have done well.
Valencia 2-3 Real Sociedad
La Liga
Wednesday 26th April 2017
Valencia! Mestalla! Magnificent!
Given that I grew up during an era when Los Ches were in the elite bracket of European clubs and frequently featured in the latter stages of the UEFA Champions League, then it's probably no surprise that I've got fond memories of them.
They had some top players; Gaizka Mendieta, Santiago Canizares, Pablo Aimar, Juan Sanchez, Aitor Karanka and Kiki Gonzalez are names which, two decades on, still roll off the tongue because they're forever etched into my memory from being a daft little kid watching them on TV.
At the turn of the century, they were a match for absolutely anyone whether that be Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester United, AC Milan or Bayern Munich. They could hold their own and were serious contenders amongst the elite.
A key reason behind their 'success' was their Estadio Mestalla home - an intimidating, old-school venue (not far from the tourist hot-spots), which has barely changed since it hosted games in World Cup '82. It's notoriously steep stands, partisan fans and intense 'edge of your seat' atmosphere made it a formidable fortress to visit - to put it into context, between 1993 and 2011, they lost only once on home soil in European football.
The Mestalla is also where Leeds United saw their 'dream' under David O'Leary, come to an abrupt end back in 2001 as they went down 3-0 in the Champions League semi-finals which was something of a precursor for the years of financial meltdown that followed in West Yorkshire.
Similar to Leeds, it was Valencia's success which, inadvertently, ended up being the root cause of their fall from grace.
Despite finishing as runners-up in the Champions League in successive years and lifting the UEFA Cup under Liverpool-bound boss Rafael Benitez in 2004, Los Ches soon made the bold choice to move away from their much-loved, albeit seriously outdated, stadium to a new home.
Construction on a new state-of-the-art 80,000-capacity venue began in 2007 before spiralling costs crippled the club's finances and threatened bankruptcy. The whole project was suspended a few years later - with the basic, concrete structure of the new stadium remaining practically untouched ever since as they've been forced to remain at the Mestalla!
Although they haven't been relegated since the meltdown at the end of the noughties (something which actually to their local rivals, Villarreal, in 2012), by the 2016/17 campaign, Valencia could, at best, be described as a team which were 'making up the numbers' in La Liga.
It was the season after Gary Neville's disastrous reign and their 'star' players included Eliaquim Mangala (on loan from Manchester City), Dani Parejo, Nani and Simone Zaza - the Italian playmaker, best remembered for being mocked in the aftermath of his country's Euro 2016 exit.
Needless to say that it was a far cry from the great Los Ches team which I remember so well.
However, despite everything, this was a cheap trip with flights costing just £10 each way from East Midlands Airport and a match ticket costing €10 - yep, less than a tenner once the exchange rate was taken into consideration and miles cheaper than the rip-off prices which Premier League clubs ask fans to pay if they want to see a game!
After a sweltering afternoon in the Spanish sunshine visiting some of the city's main attractions, it was soon time for the game and Estadio Mestalla proved to be every bit as magnificent as expected.
Packed in a tight neighbourhood around a 30-45 minute walk from my accommodation in the old town, upon reaching the stadium just before sunset, the notorious steep stands looked even more imposing from the streets outside. Inside, there was a sea of orange (thanks to the club replacing every seat in the stadium a few years earlier) and it slowly filled up as kick-off edged closer.
Due to various factors; such as the fact this was a midweek fixture against opponents from the extreme north (San Sebastian) and also that Los Ches were bang average, the attendance was officially given as being under 30,000 - even though it appeared to be much more full. Nevertheless, there was enough empty seats (and benefits to go with it) because nothing whatsoever was in place to stop anyone from walking all the way around the top tier and moving to 'better' seats if they wished to.
The game was exciting from the outset with Sociedad taking the lead inside the first minute thanks to a defensive howler from 'keeper Diego Alves who let a shot from the tightest of angles slip between his legs at the near-post. The visitors looked a cut above their counterparts - moving the ball around better, probing and creating much more danger and it eventually paid off when they won a penalty, which was duly dispatched, to make it 2-0 by the half-hour mark.
Sociedad were on top by a country mile and squandered further openings either side of half-time before they finally added a third goal after the hour mark; calmly tucked away by Mikel Oyarzabakl following some clever one-touch football in the build-up.
At this point, it seemed that Los Ches were in for a right walloping and most of their long-suffering fans were heading for the exits whilst those who remained to endure what was left were either waving their white handkerchiefs or certainly searching for them.
The last thing what anyone expected was any sort of comeback to materialise but when a visiting defender was penalised for handball just a few minutes later, it gave Valencia hope. The spot-kick was taken and dispatched by Nani to make it 3-1 with team-mate Simone Zaza opting to swerve the opportunity to score from 12 yards after his great big balls-up in the same scenario at the European Championship the previous summer!
Zaza then got in on the action by tucking home a deep far-post cross from the right-wing and all of a sudden (quite remarkably), it was 3-2 with momentum hugely favouring Valencia. They looked rejuvenated, refreshed, prepared to fight and were showing polar-opposite characteristics to what they'd showed in the preceding 60-odd minutes up to going 3-0 down. Those who'd been waving handkerchiefs just minutes earlier were suddenly roaring with passion whenever their team got the ball whilst some of those who'd already left were also starting to re-appear.
Ultimately, there were no further goals, which frustrated the locals and they probably felt the overall performance posed more questions about their team than it gave answers.
In the three years or so since this game, Valencia have improved and are back in the Champions League (though still don't look anywhere close to being the force they once were). Ticket prices have increased and though there's still only mooted speculation that work might resume on the half-constructed yet abandoned new home across town, it's probably a good idea to get this 'Bucket List' in the bag sooner rather than later because it definitely won't be around forever.
The photos don't do the stadium justice but it IS an absolute must visit...
Mark Albrighton throttles Joey Barton (Photo: Dan Westwell).
Back in July 2004, during a glorious summer of sunshine and surprises, local boy Kevin Keegan returned to his hometown club, Doncaster Rovers, for a pre-season friendly involving his Manchester City team.
It was meant to be a day of celebration for everyone; Keegan, the town's greatest sporting son, returning home and providing a chance for Dave Penney's back-to-back promotion-winners to test themselves against high calibre Premier League opponents.
City, though not quite the force they are now, had assembled a strong squad including some household names such as David James, Sylvain Distin, Steve McManaman, Robbie Fowler, Nicolas Anelka and Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Meanwhile, football had 100% captured the fascination and imagination of the Doncaster public over the previous two years - the club had been transformed given as a result of so much success, attendances had doubled, excitement, optimism and passion for this team was sky high whilst a move to a new stadium remained on the horizon at some point in the future.
The weather on matchday was bright, sunny and sweltering so many folk sported their short-sleeved replica red and white shirts which had sold in the thousands on the terraces around Belle Vue for a game which was the highlight of the pre-season schedule.
A ticket stub from the memorable game.
After Keegan received rapturous applause from all four sides of Belle Vue, it wasn't long until the 5,000-strong crowd were treated to a goal with Leo Fortune-West capitalising on a defensive error and slotting past City 'keeper Geert De Vlieger in the first few minutes.
That was as normal as things were, however. because unusually for a friendly fixture, there was a real zest, energy and combativeness in the air which would quickly turn to full-blooded anger, thunder, and players seeking retribution on one another.
A certain Joey Barton was doing his utmost to agitate others and, having already been involved in an early flash-point following a tackle on John Doolan who was no shrinking violet and could hold his own, the youngster made more rash tackles before yet another incident sparked the notorious free-for-all which everyone remembers so well.
Ricky Ravenhill was shielding the ball and went to ground under pressure from Barton, who then kicked out at him - once, twice, three times and then yet again whilst also swinging a punch at Dave Mulligan before Mark Albrighton went steaming in to protect his team-mate and throttled Barton with his bare hands. Others piled in and chaos soon followed but 'Sarge' was the only one with a grip because the referee, a local bloke named Alan Greaves (poor fella!), didn't have a clue how to handle the situation. Even at this early point inside the opening 20 minutes, the official looked well out of his depth - proved by the fact he let the incident pass without brandishing any yellow cards when he could (and probably should) have shown several.
The tone was set, nevertheless, and what Barton clearly didn't realise was that Rovers' line-up contained some imposing characters - older, tougher, more experienced and with 'know how' in how to put someone in their place. One such figure was 'big' Leo Fortune-West who, just a few minutes later, went in with a scything knee-high lunge which took out Barton and sparked yet more confrontation, threats and fisticuffs. It could be said that Leo never was the best at tackling...
Again the referee didn't have a clue what to do. The big man should have got a straight red card along with about half a dozen more in the subsequent second brawl, but instead, he and Barton, who was left limping with a gashed knee, were booked and instructions were relayed to Dave Penney to substitute the big forward. Keegan, meanwhile, had a word with Barton, who stayed on the pitch - amidst ferocious abuse from those who were boiling over in anger on the terraces.
Keegan and Barton have words (Photo: Dan Westwell).
Five minutes later, Barton got smashed again when Jermaine McSporran went in with a vicious tackle (not that anyone could blame him). He got booked for it, though by now several players were having spats with one another - Danny Mills and John Doolan was one battle whilst Steve McManaman, Ricky Ravenhill and Mark Albrighton were caught up in others.
The atmosphere was red hot, toxic and tensions were simmering. It seemed only a matter of time before someone would smack somebody and if it wasn't for the fact that the home and away team had separate tunnels at Belle Vue, there's every likelihood a bloodbath, carnage and some WWE royal rumble moves would have followed at half-time.
Keegan substituted Barton at this point (something which was 'allegedly' pre-planned) and then chastised him in his post-match interviews - stating he needed to grow up and that he got exactly what he deserved. Danny Mills, on the other hand, attacked the referee with his post-match comments - claiming that he showed no protection to Man City's players and allowed them to be targeted.
The fall-out, spats and bitterness continued for a few days afterwards but, again, it provided some fantastic memories!
Along with Barton's withdrawal, the half-time break saw a plethora of other changes - just enough to dilute the toxic ill-feeling and atmosphere. Shaun Wright-Phillips made it 1-1 soon after the re-start, the visitors had a bit more possession in the second half and there weren't any more flash-points but it didn't matter one bit because all the headlines had already been created by Barton's antics.
Kevin Keegan returned to Doncaster, but Joey Barton stole the headlines.
Despite all the shenanigans and ferocity with what happened on the pitch, bizarrely, I've actually got more fond memories of Barton from this particular day.
Being aged 14, this was my first exposure to a 'big' club with star players, etc, and, as to be expected, there was a queue/mini-stampede (call it whatever you want) to get autographs both when the away team bus arrived and then inside the ground, not long afterwards, as their squad went out onto the pitch to do their warm-ups.
I had a Man City shirt (which was size XXL and would probably fit me much better now than it ever did back then) and though you could tell a lot of their players couldn't be bothered with the 'meet the fans and sign autographs' type b******s, some disguised it better than others. Ironically, given everything which unfolded an hour or so later, the player who seemed most obliging and down to earth; happy to pose for photographs, etc, was... Joey Barton!
I don't know if it was his tough upbringing on a council estate which made him act in a more respectful/appreciative manner than some of his team-mates (in this scenario anyway), but he seemed at ease and was happy to make small-talk with everyone and genuinely came across well. I can only draw the conclusion that what happened later on the pitch was because he'd got so pumped up with adrenaline and 'in the zone' he simply didn't know how to channel it properly - something which does happen with players, though many don't become a total liability as a result. His demeanour on the pitch to that off the pitch couldn't have been more different if he'd tried.
Contrast Barton's attitude towards supporters to that of Shaun Wright-Phillips, Bradley Wright-Phillips and Willo Flood - whom all just pig-ignorantly blanked kids asking for autographs/photos and then proceeded to plonk their backsides on the subs bench just a few yards away, and it made me dislike them much more than Barton for a long time to come.
It was a memorable occasion - so much so that it even got mentioned in Barton and Keegan's autobiographies. I wonder if Joey will ever read this?
A Man City defender intercepts the ball (Photo: Dan Westwell).
It must be a good claim to fame to have been 'started on' by a two-time Champions League winner?
(Photo: Dan Westwell)
Tim Ryan keeps a watchful eye on a future England player (Photo: Dan Westwell).
Paul Green puts his body on the line to deny Shaun Wright-Phillips (Photo: Dan Westwell).
Barton sparks a riot! (Photo: Dan Westwell)
Sylvain Distin keeps Ricky Ravenhill calm whilst Paolo Wanchope attends to LFW (Photo: Dan Westwell).
Dave Mulligan chests the ball down ahead of Paolo Wanchope (Photo: Dan Westwell).
Footballer, manager, pop star... Keegan has always been a ladies man (Photo: Dan Westwell).
Leo eyes up a challenge on former Real Madrid man Steve McManaman (Photo: Dan Westwell).
Swing low... and miss. Paul Green looks shocked too! (Photo: Dan Westwell)
One international footballer has the ball whilst another looks on (Photo: Dan Westwell).
Barton the aggressor (Photo: Dan Westwell).
Kevin Keegan meets Donny Dog - aka Andy Liney (Photo: Dan Westwell).
Barton goes on the attack... but not in the football sense (Photo: Dan Westwell)
Sylvain Distin acts as peacemaker (Photo: Dan Westwell).
The year is 2007; Wednesday 21st March and Doncaster Rovers are playing away at Chesterfield in a re-arranged Coca-Cola League One game.
Barry Richardson in his DRFC days (Photo: Doncaster Free Press)
It's a good time to be a Rovers fan. Only a few months earlier the club moved into the Keepmoat Stadium whilst there's also an upcoming Johnstone's Paint Trophy Final with Bristol Rovers at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium to look forward to.
Nobody should have any complaints about anything but, as is often the case in football, there's always somebody who'll find something to pick fault with.
Since Sean O'Driscoll had been appointed as boss earlier in the season, he'd not really shown an interest in reserve team matches and usually opted to field youth teamers in them. As this was during an era where most other clubs named experienced senior players in their second-string, results weren't the best and the night before the trip to Saltergate, Rovers' reserves (or more appropriately, the YT's) had shipped seven in a defeat at York City. Barry Richardson, who was first team goalkeeping coach, kept goal in that clash and as he stepped out onto the pitch for the pre-game warm-up the following night, it was probably the last thing on his mind.
However, for one middle-aged geezer wearing glasses in the stands (who bore a striking resemblance to Penfold from Dangermouse), he just couldn't resist the urge to dish out some pointless abuse at 'Bazza' shouting something such as: 'You're sh*t. Call yourself a goalkeeping coach? You're f**king rubbish - conceding seven to York, you should be sacked'.
As to be expected, it didn't go down very well and there was a verbal exchange between the pair in which the fan was firmly put in his place. Others who were already inside the ground and witnessed all this unfold just rolled their eyes in disbelief.
Though it was heated, the incident seemed to pass; Bazza's warm-up with Neil Sullivan eventually began, more folk gathered on the terrace and at some point 'Mr Shouty' decided to go and buy a Bovril and something to eat from the snack bar.
It was a fateful decision!
A few minutes later came the point in the warm-up where the 'keeper has to save a series of long-range shots and, as Rovers supporters were located right behind the goal, they were in the firing line should any of them go awry. 'Sully' was doing a tremendous job - tipping some shots wide, tipping others over the woodwork and saving some with ease.
There were some shots though which he just couldn't get near and with Bazza's kicking being a little bit suspect, you never knew what would happen next. Eventually, to everyone's amusement, he hit a speculative pot shot from about 30-35 yards which was high, wide and went flying in 'Crash, Bang, Wallop!' style straight onto the terrace where Mr Shouty was stood and he ended up covered in his Bovril.
Disorientated, but just as gobby as before - and now wearing his drink, 'Penfold' (now looking more like Nookie Bear; one eye on the pitch, one eye having a twitch) promptly stomped down to the front of the terrace in an effort to get revenge whilst squawking: "You did that deliberately. I'm going to get you!" towards Bazza who is stood there, arms aloft, completely p*ssing himself with laughter.
"You what?" shouted Bazza. "I'm sh*t. I'm rubbish. If I could hit a shot that good I wouldn't be in the reserves!" Everyone nearby, who'd seen the full events were just in hysterics and laughing their heads off.
Due to the intervention of the stewards, there was no pitch invasion and things eventually settled down. I don't know what the longer-term aftermath was because Mr Shouty was threatening all sorts on the terrace during the game to anyone who could listen and keep a straight face.
Nevertheless, it's certainly one of the funniest things that I've witnessed at a football game. Karma at it's absolute finest! If only Penfold hadn't gone to that snack bar...
Beware of flying footballs - especially if you're a gob sh*te. (Photo: Unknown)
I was initially planning to write this post during the summer months - ideally to keep the blog ticking over during a quiet period and in reflection on having, by that stage, completed a personal target to have watched 1,000 competitive matches in the UK.
The home shirt from the title-winning 2003/04 campaign.
Nevertheless, given that bloody 'C' word which has replaced the 'B' word at the forefront of news headlines, I have doubts as to whether I'll reach that landmark figure anytime soon.
Therefore, I'm writing the post early and reflecting on my memories of the 17 seasons during which I've watched professional football - including a few stories, memorable, funny or poignant moments along the way, with a few random facts thrown in for good measure.
I'm sad enough to remember most things, even small details - whether that's down to some form of autism or having a good memory, who knows, but I could easily hold my own in a head-to-head against Andy Todd, the ex-Rotherham/Accrington player who I worked with a few years further down the line and is comfortably the most knowledgeable person that I've come across in football.
So the story starts in 2003/04 - a season which is my second-favourite (only bettered by 2012/13) because it was one of those campaigns where there was an abundance of memorable moments. I don't buy into corny old phrases such as 'falling in love' or 'the romantic/beautiful game' etc, but this was very much the era that I started regularly going to games.
I was young, daft, inexperienced and enthusiastic and I cringe now looking back at some things which I got up to! I wouldn't say I was stupid back then because I still make stupid decisions even now!
THE CONTEXT/CULTURE:
This was an era where social media didn't exist (a blessing in disguise perhaps?), highlights of games below the Premier League were shown on a regional basis on a TV programme called 'Soccer Sunday' and 'Ask Jeeves' was the most popular internet search engine. There was no Netflix or Amazon Prime, no iPhones or iTunes, and even YouTube wasn't around. The football 'experience' wasn't anywhere as close to as sanitised as it is nowadays, people didn't get easily offended by absolutely anything and it felt a good time to be alive!
Doncaster Rovers, my hometown team, were playing at Belle Vue which had terracing on all four sides and a wooden, seated Main Stand with several supporting pillars that obscured the view of the pitch. It was a homely environment, old school, and if you knew no different, it was brilliant! The Vikettes (remember them?) also entertained the crowd with their 'dancing routine' pre-match - something which would probably be frowned upon now, in modern day, 2020!
Whilst big money had long-since seeped into the Premier League through Sky Sports, it certainly hadn't filtered down the divisions so it meant fans could relate to those who were pulling on the DRFC shirt every week. A lot of the players had worked their way up through non-league circles and were either local or had local connections. There weren't many with super-massive egos. Quite often, they would frequent the fans' pub straight after games; a trend which, I think, has disappeared in the years since given the rise of sports science and the fact that modern footballers tend to view themselves as 'public figures' who don't want to be in that environment.
Rovers had just come up to what was then known as Nationwide Division Three, having won the inaugural Football Conference Play-Offs the season previously, though they'd been issued with the tag of relegation favourites by the bookmakers.
Admission prices for games at Belle Vue were £10 Adults, £5 concessions (with it being £2 extra in the Main Stand) and they were the cheapest in the division. The club's operations were run from a couple of small portacabins located in the club car park and the non-football backroom staff consisted of no more than around a dozen individuals.
THE MUSIC:
The season ended with Right Said Fred's 'Stand Up For The Champions' blasting out through the PA system whilst the players held the Division Three trophy aloft. After every game, regardless of the result - win, lose or draw, as fans trudged through the pot-holed car park at Belle Vue it would always be 'Simply The Best' by Tina Turner playing out in the background.
One particular memory is, before the Mansfield away game, as the dozen or so supporters buses were leaving, 'Get What You Give' by New Radicals was on the radio - it's something of a 'pump up' song anyway and, at that moment, I knew that day would be a good one. Five or so hours later, after a comeback win which solidified Rovers' automatic promotion position, it was 'Toxic' by Britney Spears (the video for which has her in that air hostess uniform) which was playing on the radio - coinciding with a few locals chucking bricks through the coach windows!
Although Tom Hark's 'Piranhas' tune was popular amongst many clubs, Swansea's goal music, played in a thrilling 1-1 draw at the Vetch Field, was 'Daydream Believer' by The Monkees. Oddly, though it was something of an anthem to them, it actually got banned for a while when they moved stadium in 2005, because their fans changed the words to insult their local rivals.
This music made the era almost tangible and hearing any of these tunes now (and also Oasis' 'Little By Little' or Coldplay's 'In My Place' which were both played over the PA system at the away game with Oxford) takes me straight back to these great and fantastic times.
Thankfully, the matchday music was a lot better than the heap of crap which was in the charts at the time and had been heavily influenced by TV talent shows. Will Young's 'Leave Right Now' was popular around November - the same month which had Shane Richie in the charts (no doubt capitalising on his EastEnders fame) by releasing a cover of Wham's 'I'm Your Man' for Children In Need. A few months later, 'Sam & Mark' were top of the rubbish pile only to be replaced by Peter Andre's 'Mysterious Girl' which gained popularity after he started banging Jordan on 'I'm A Celebrity' in the early part of 2004. McFly's 'Obviously' song was also popular during this era, Busted were still about, whilst The Shapeshifters' 'Lola's Theme' offered a more uplifting alternative as the season neared its conclusion.
THE SEASON:
- In the beginning (when we were winning)...
Dave Penney, the manager, pulled off a coup by signing Michael McIndoe for £50,000 after he fell out with Gary Johnson at Yeovil just a few days before the season started. It was a key signing and one which ex-chairman John Ryan would probably regard as one of the best of his tenure. McIndoe isn't popular in football circles nowadays given his money-scheming from his old team-mates (which is worth a search if you don't already know the story), but solely on a football basis, he did have a major impact on this season and was very much 'the man' who all the kids on the terraces idolised and whose name was on the back of loads of replica shirts.
A montage from ‘The Rover’ magazine featuring Greg Blundell celebrating a goal.
Other players, all of whom were appreciated, included Steve Foster, Leo Fortune-West, Greg Blundell, Andy Warrington, John Doolan, Paul Green and Ricky Ravenhill. Other faces included a young Chris Brown, who joined on loan from Sunderland part-way into the campaign, whilst Adriano Rigoglioso signed when a long and protracted transfer was eventually completed around October/November.
My first game of the season wasn't until Saturday 20th September and a 2-0 win over Oxford United at Belle Vue. It was memorable as it ended a six-match winless streak which had left Rovers hanging not far above the drop zone and it was against opponents, at the time, who were top of the table under Ian Atkins. It was actually Oxford's only defeat in their first 26 games (and make no mistake about it, they were outclassed, outplayed and well-beaten). Somehow, nevertheless, they fell apart that badly that they didn't even make the play-offs!
That win over Oxford was certainly a 'springboard' as Rovers quickly embarked on a golden run of form which carried them into the top five positions. My next game wasn't until Saturday 18th October; a hard-fought, 4-2 success over Mansfield with 8,000+ in attendance at Belle Vue - the sort of figure which would become common as the season progressed. Wins over Rochdale and Torquay followed and, by the time Boston were trounced, 3-0, on Saturday 22nd November - the day on which England memorably won the Rugby World Cup thanks to Jonny Wilkinson's last-gasp kick, the players had established themselves in the top three with Lincoln, Hull, Huddersfield, Oxford, Yeovil and Mansfield appearing to be fellow promotion rivals.
The programme cover from the Oxford United game; which was my first in the Football League.
That Boston game also saw two Rovers players; Chris Brown and JJ Melligan to be precise, score in the same minute - a feat which I don't think I've ever witnessed since.
- Top of the Xmas tree (but some New Year jitters)...
It was fair to say that, despite still being in my first 10 games attending professional football, I was quickly getting 'hooked' and my first away game came in the shape of a 1-0 win at bottom-of-the-table Carlisle on Saturday 29th November. Leo Fortune-West scored the only goal midway through the second half in ridiculously windy weather conditions - so much so that parts of Brunton Park got damaged. Despite being cut adrift at the bottom with just a few points to their name, Carlisle's form improved as the season went on and they nearly pulled off what would surely have been the greatest of escapes under Paul Simpson.
An important week in the season as Rovers responded in sublime fashion.
Anyway, the next home game saw a 3-1 win against Swansea on a Friday night just before Christmas - a result which sent Rovers to the top of the table with Greg Blundell securing the win deep into injury-time. Oxford then drew at Huddersfield the following day which meant the lads were top on Christmas Day, looking perfectly poised for the future.
Big attendances, growing belief/optimism and dozens upon dozens of locals now taking an interest in their football club, wearing replica shirts, meant Rovers were more noticeable than at any point previously in my lifetime. Football fever was sweeping across the town and it was contagious enough for me to have bought a half-season ticket!
The brilliant form continued with a home win over Scunthorpe on Boxing Day, but successive defeats to Hull City and Huddersfield (the latter of which saw Jon Stead bag twice before he made a big money move to Blackburn) made some folk wonder whether the wheels would come off and the previously good form had just been something of a flash in the pan.
However, one week after the defeat at the then-named McAlpine Stadium, Leyton Orient got smashed, 5-0, at Belle Vue with Leo Fortune-West bagging an early hat-trick in the space of just 13 minutes - thus making it one of the quickest I've seen alongside Ched Evans' for Sheffield United against Chesterfield in 2012. The performance was excellent, it was 'ole' football with everyone cheering, in joyous mood, and still fresh in my mind to this day, was Greg Blundell's unbelievable work-rate up top - even late on in the game when it'd have been easy for him to just go through the motions. Until recently, when the current DRFC team hammered Southend 10-2 over two games, the 8-1 aggregate success over Leyton Orient was Rovers' best in a season since returning to the Football League.
- The Kettle's boiling before theMansfield moment...
A home defeat to Lincoln was sandwiched between wins over Southend and Northampton (the game where Colin Calderwood infamously booted the perspex dugout in frustration) and it meant Rovers ended January still in the automatic promotion spots.
Scrapping and celebrating during that win at Mansfield.
Despite missing the draw at Scunthorpe (due to watching Jan Molby's Kidderminster lose 1-0 to Yeovil - a game which saw a certain Adam Murray have a crucial injury-time penalty saved), I was back at Rovers the following week and there was absolutely no love lost on Valentines Day with Macclesfield being the opponents and Trevor Kettle refereeing. It was his first year on the Football League's officials list and he was useless to put it nicely - getting so much wrong, angering fans and players alike, and he produced one of the most inept displays which I've seen anywhere to this day. He'd already forced Michael McIndoe's penalty to be re-taken for an alleged infringement (which was saved at the second attempt) before he booked someone for protesting after he cocked up with a throw-in decision. It was poor officiating and, though I prefer not to swear on this blog, nobody left Belle Vue without thinking he was absolutely f**king sh*te at his job! Refereeing is as difficult as one makes it... and he made it look very difficult!
However, it was the following week which was the 'big one' though - an away game at Mansfield on what would prove to be a defining day.
Going into the Field Mill encounter, Rovers were in second position with 62 points from 31 games - six points above the Stags, who'd were fourth spot but had played a game fewer. Therefore, it was a promotion 'six-pointer' of sorts and there was a vicious, nasty and almost poisonous atmosphere in and around the ground. Though John Prescott tried his best to unite fans with a speech beforehand; it didn't work as he got roundly booed by all four stands, it wasn't long until Rovers' 2,000+ travelling contingent got into full voice, started a few 'scab' chants and things turned violent.
Liam Lawrence's early penalty, put in the bottom-left corner (and just past Andy Warrington's dive) had the hosts ahead before a seven-minute second half comeback with Greg Blundell scoring twice and whipping his shirt off in celebration properly turned the game on its head. Rovers held out thereafter, amidst fisticuffs both in the stands and on the pitch, and it didn't come as huge surprise when the bitter locals attacked the travelling dozen or so supporters' buses afterwards. Paul Mayfield, having been in the press box, was also targeted as he made his way back to the buses through the car park, but avoided getting his head kicked in. Nevertheless, the feeling of winning this game, the pure adrenaline and everything else, was immense and it felt like electric buzzing through your veins at 20,000 volts per second - everyone knew it was a huge, massive and important three points! From this moment onward, the promotion dream from 'the pub team having a laugh' (as the chant at the time went) seemed very, very possible. Little did I know at the time that, less than a decade later, I'd be working at Mansfield and enjoying my most memorable season with them - but that's a story for another time!
The Rovers website, as it appeared back in the day, announce a key signing...
Interestingly, this clash saw new signings Dave Mulligan and Adebayo Akinfenwa included in a matchday squad for the first time. Looking back, both players had such a positive impact on the group at the time and were a perfect tonic at a vital stage of the season.
Belle Vue was regularly packed to the rafters in the 2003/04 season. Photo: John Turner.
Kidderminster were smashed, 5-0, at a snowy Belle Vue six days later as the good-feeling, optimism and belief strengthened further and Ricky Ravenhill went topless with his celebrations after bagging the fourth goal. The win meant Rovers were, by now, 12 points clear of fourth-placed Mansfield who got beat at Cheltenham the next day.
- Who scared away Chris Black?
March was a strange month littered mostly with draws, but also memories and mysteriousness!
I began it as a neutral - enjoying (or should it be enduring?) my first trip to Oakwell for Barnsley's clash with struggling Peterborough in Division Two. To this day, I'm still yet to see the Reds win at home despite having made around a dozen visits, and they lost this one courtesy of a goal just after half-time. Mark Stallard was up top for them and my abiding memory is how awful he was in this game - granted, he had a decent enough career, but I certainly didn't get to see it!
Rovers then visited Swansea a few days later with over 800 fans making the long trek to South Wales for a Friday night fixture under the Vetch Field floodlights. Many people didn't arrive until, literally, just a few minutes before kick-off due to heavy traffic, but what they witnessed was a rip-roaring, end-to-end encounter on a horrible bog of a pitch. It was frantic, Swansea were really decent (and won promotion the following season) and Chris Brown's equaliser in the second half ensured a well-earned share of the spoils.
Another equaliser by Brown, this time deep into injury-time, earned another point against Cheltenham the following week before Rovers then had to come from behind to draw 1-1 in a farcical clash with Darlington which got wrecked by the weather.
Chris Brown celebrates a last-gasp equaliser in the game with Cheltenham.
On a day when John Ryan was literally 'banging the drum' on the Rosso End at Belle Vue (away fans by this point had been moved into a small section of the Main Stand terrace), the game nearly didn't go ahead as gale-force winds blew away the perspex part of the visitors' dugout a few hours prior to kick-off. The cameraman also couldn't film the game from the usual TV gantry, perched on top of the Popular Stand, so he had to re-locate to the Main Stand - thus meaning the supporting pillars severely hindered his footage. It wasn't a vintage display with the wind obviously having a huge impact and Adebayo Akinfenwa was the Rovers scorer cancelling out Mark Convery's earlier strike, towards the end of the second half. Also, somewhere amongst all the paraphernalia which I've accumulated over the years, I've got a programme from this game signed by Darlington's then-chairman George Reynolds who later did time in prison for tax evasion!
A trip to Oxford's Kassam Stadium (where, incidentally, earlier in the season they'd had a game with Kidderminster abandoned after fence panels blew away during stormy weather) was next up. It ended in the first 0-0 draw which I saw in professional football and Dave Mulligan went closest to scoring in injury-time but Andy Woodman kept out his attempt.
However, this game is best remembered for being Chris Black's only appearance in a DRFC shirt. Nobody seems to have ever found out precisely what it was that scared him so much he decided to just give up football and 'jack it in' altogether.
Chris Black (centre) at Oxford before he decided he didn't want to be a footballer anymore. Photo: Unknown
Did McIndoe approach him about an 'investment opportunity'? Did Ricky Ravenhill just smash him in training with one of his trademark mistimed tackles? Did big Leo Fortune-West play a prank on him that just went too far? Or was it the 'old school' dressing room culture and characters such as John Doolan, Tim Ryan, Steve Foster, etc, who either said something so bad or just hammered him at cards/poker on the bus? Who knows? Maybe Chris Brown (whom he'll have knew from his time in Sunderland's academy set-up) will be able to shed some light in a future episode of his podcast. Regardless, it was a bizarre situation - not helped by the fact that the club asked on the website for information as to his 'whereabouts' on 1st April, which made everyone assume it was a p*ss-take.
One certainty is that if Chris Black was as talented as the other loanees at the time then he'd have surely gone on to have an okay enough career. Chris Brown went on to play regularly in the Championship for a number of years, JJ Melligan had success at Cheltenham after leaving Belle Vue, Adam Collin (signed at the end of March but who never featured for the first team) dropped down to Workington before forging a decent career higher up the pyramid, whilst defender Mike Williamson (another who didn't ever feature) went on to play over 150 games for Newcastle.
A future managerial candidate keeps an eye on Paul Green during the win over Bury.
After Mark Albrighton's last-gasp goal salvaged a point in a 1-1 draw at Rochdale (on a midweek night when Rovers fans outnumbered their counterparts in their own stadium), Bury were beaten, 3-1, in the next home game which meant promotion was within touching distance.
- Let the celebrations begin!
By the Easter weekend, Rovers were well on course to secure promotion - the sense of excitement was almost palpable and next up was a trip to Bristol Rovers.
I royally managed to royally f**k up beforehand as being, over-eager, over-excited and very naive, I'd visited the training ground during the week, seen that Paul Green had got injured and posted words to that effect on one of the internet forums at the time. It didn't go down well, I felt gutted, but it was a big learning curve and I knew never to screw up in that way again. Coincidentally, the day of the Bristol Rovers game (Saturday 10th April) was also Greeny's 21st birthday!
Grab any vantage point that you can for the big game!
The final whistle of the Cambridge game (which later became a montage on the Main Stand).
Yet again there was another strong away following and it was a battling display to win, 2-1, with all the goals coming in the second half; Ricky Ravenhill and Adebayo Akinfenwa finding the target in quick succession before the big man was sent-off for scrapping.
Results elsewhere were entirely favourable and it meant by the time of the Cambridge game two days later on Bank Holiday Monday that a win would seal promotion. It was a mad occasion as it was still 'pay on the day' because it was before the era of online ticketing and thousands of people flocked from everywhere to watch the game. Belle Vue was packed, turnstiles had to close early because the ground was full to capacity, the atmosphere was terrific and those who couldn't get inside were left to scale trees, fences (or, in some cases, houses) to get a vantage point. Red & White flags which had been sold 'en masse' were to be seen everywhere and expectation, hope, belief and pride at what this group of players was achieving was incredibly high! Cambridge had just appointed Claude Le Roy as manager (though, he's since claimed he was never appointed - another weird one) and after a goalless first half, the celebrations started to begin when Adebayo Akinfenwa bagged the opener on the hour mark. Paul Green, of all people, then added the second five minutes or so later and the final whistle was met with pitch invasions, a lap of honour and more celebrations. It honestly felt like the entire town was behind the club and it's the best unity/togetherness which I've ever experienced in football!
At this time, as a naive kid, you almost subconsciously begin to think euphoric scenes like these and great seasons of success, celebration and delight will be the way forever, but obviously that isn't the reality whatsoever. Even still - what a time to be alive!
- Securing the title (with Steve Evans)!
The task now, with promotion sealed, was to win the title. With 43 games played (and after a defeat at Torquay which I didn't attend) Rovers were top on 85 points - five above 'big spending' Hull City who had a game in hand.
Next up was a home game with York, who'd been in free-fall and not won since January, and they were easily dispatched 3-1 at Belle Vue - a result which saw their relegation from the Football League confirmed. A few weeks earlier, I'd also seen them lose to relegation rivals Macclesfield in a game where Jon Parkin (who they'd actually sold to their opponents only a few weeks earlier) scored - thus putting a nail firmly in the coffin of his old employers. Chris Brass, who I've heard 'mixed' reviews about, was their player/boss and they'd been beset by financial problems since the previous summer. They got off to a terrific start but, simply, they just weren't able to maintain it.
Ready for Kick-Off at Boston. Photo: Unknown
Another packed out away following from DRFC. Photo: Unknown.
With Hull failing to make up ground in the title race (drawing twice in two games - one of which was their game in-hand), the situation now was that Rovers could win the title by avoiding defeat in the penultimate game of the campaign at Boston. The away allocation of tickets got snapped up within two days of going on sale, and plenty of others just bought them in the home sections, so it was yet another carnivalesque atmosphere with a terrific backing.
The game was a largely forgettable one; Tim Ryan had to play with a bandaged head and it ended in a goalless draw which secured the point needed for the title and sparked celebrations which felt like they lasted throughout the summer. What I remember most, however, is Steve Evans (who they'd recently re-appointed as manager) made his players give a 'Guard Of Honour' to ours before the game and it was one of those moments where you could see the genuine respect on show. Considering his reputation, it almost feels almost like an oxymoron to use the word 'respect' in association to him but he can't be faulted on that day and, moving forward a few years, I wish I'd got the opportunity to work under him at Mansfield but he was appointed after I left there.
Something else which occurred at this game was a minutes silence in memory of Louise Nuttell, the wife of ex-Boston player Micky Nuttell, who'd passed away in a car accident a few days previously. She was also mother to Jordan Nuttell - a young lad at the time and someone who has gone on to be a credit to his family. A 6ft6 striker, he followed in his dad's footsteps and later progressed through the youth ranks at York Street where I saw him play a few times under Steve Welsh's tutelage (who, by coincidence, is now coaching in Rovers' academy set-up). Jordan has since moved around the non-league circuit, having represented Pinchbeck United and Boston Town in the United Counties League where he often pops up with a goal or two.
The player do a lap of honour after the Boston game. Photo: Unknown
- Keeping the championship trophy...
With the title secured at Boston, the final game of the season against Carlisle was a formality for both clubs; Rovers were going up to Nationwide Division Two (renamed Coca Cola League One about a month later) and United were heading to the Football Conference.
Programme from the Carlisle United game on the final day of the season!
It was a sell-out crowd, tickets having long since been snapped up, and again it was just a day for everyone to reflect, celebrate and enjoy - including the visitors who were optimistic about the future despite their relegation. Nothing of any importance was riding on the result and though it was a sell-out, the game felt a bit like 'going through the motions'. Some players were included in the side to get up to the necessary threshold to guarantee a championship winners medal and, most memorably, Greg Blundell missed a penalty in the game (which would have got him to 20 goals for the season) only to achieve it by scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win soon afterwards. Jon Maloney, the club's best youth prospect at the time, also featured for five minutes off the bench at the end of the game.
The final whistle was met by the anticipated pitch invasion and, once the field was cleared, the players returned for a well-deserved 'lap of honour' from a crowd which had grown by the thousands over the course of the season. Captain Steve Foster and manager Dave Penney, eventually, got their hands on the trophy after the presentation stage was erected and the weirdest part of the occasion was that, instead of Queen's 'We Are The Champions' blasting out over the PA system it was instead a somewhat obscure track called 'Stand Up For The Champions' by Right Said Fred.
At least it was unique...
Looking back now, this team completely united the whole of Doncaster like no other has done in recent years and the thousands of people (because that's what it was) who turned out at the Mansion House for the Civic Reception and also for the Open Top Bus Tour in the days afterwards were unbelievable. It was nigh on impossible to go outdoors for weeks afterwards without seeing a Rovers flag waving somewhere or someone in replica shirt excitedly anticipating the new season or beaming with sheer pride at what these lads had achieved. Season Tickets sales, testament to the success, increased between three and fourfold to approximately 4,000ish and it was just an incredible era!
In the years since, when thinking about teams who've come up from non-league football, grown in stature and almost galvanised an entire community, there's probably only Lincoln City who come close to rivalling this success.
As the Football League's sponsorship changed during the following close season, Rovers - in also becoming the first team to win the Fourth Division (as it essentially is) three times, were allowed to keep the championship trophy as well.
The Division Three championship trophy is presented!
The pitch invasion after the final game - this image was later used on the cover of 'The Rover' commemorative magazine!
ELSEWHERE IN FOOTBALL:
- In December, Rio Ferdinand forgot to p*ss in a bottle for a routine drugs test and received an eight-month ban.
- Leeds United were relegated from the Premier League.
- Arsenal became the first Premier League team to go unbeaten in an entire league season.
- Jose Mourinho won the Champions League with Porto, before joining Chelsea ahead of Euro 2004 and declaring himself as 'The Special One'.
- Liverpool sacked Gerard Houllier and replaced him with Rafael Benitez who'd just won the UEFA Cup with Valencia.
