Two words which were synonymous with Doncaster Rovers during the ill-fated 2011/12 campaign as a group of unwanted rejects rocked up at the Keepmoat Stadium on short-term deals in a desperate bid to keep the club in the Championship.
Players who'd been at the club and given so much over so many seasons such as Brian Stock, Adam Lockwood, Jimmy O'Connor, Neil Sullivan, Martin Woods, John Oster and James Coppinger were simply disregarded as everything which had been built up over such a long period was ripped apart in a short space of time.
The plan was flawed on so many levels and when Sean O'Driscoll voiced concern his services were promptly disposed of, leading to Dean Saunders' arrival as 'manager' (or, as some might say, the puppet who would go along with what was being planned).
At the time of O'Driscoll's departure, Rovers had accumulated just one point from seven games and although results very briefly improved, it wasn't long until an influx of illustrious, mostly foreign misfits brought disharmony, fights, squabbles, chaos and mayhem to the Keepmoat.
Relegation was likely to happen anyway but 'the experiment' ensured it occurred without dignity and in disgrace as the club were a laughing stock to the rest of the division!
Most of the imports would just rock up and train the day before a game but never integrate with the established players at the club; nor would they be seen until the following Friday's training session. Quite simply, Habib Beye liked Paris too much!
Some short-term arrivals did improve the side; Fabien Robert being someone who saw a move as a chance to play regularly, graft and improve. Others were decent enough personalities; Carl Ikeme and Herita Ilunga being further names who never receive any criticism with regards to morale. However, most newbies; namely El Hadji Diouf, Freddie Piquionne, Pascal Chimbonda, Habib Bamogo and Herold Goulon, were disruptive, troublesome or weren't good enough and quickly wrecked the dressing room morale as fights, fall-outs and sheer farce unfolded on a game-by-game basis.
And then there was Lamine Diatta who never actually played but was signed just because he had contacts who could get tickets for El Classico!
It was a complete shambles; a circus environment, and perhaps the worst in a long string of incidents which emphasised the huge divide that had developed between the two groups of players occurred just two days before a crucial away game on the South Coast.
Rovers had just been comprehensively trounced in two 'must win' home games - including a 3-0 reverse to Millwall where a young Harry Kane was on the score-sheet. That defeat meant the team were four points adrift of safety and fully aware they could ill-afford anymore bad results if they were to somehow achieve a miraculous escape!
Next up was a trip to Southampton who were flying high at the top of the table and now had Billy Sharp in their ranks following his departure from the Keepmoat to St Mary's during the previous transfer window.
It was a difficult enough game anyway and as was typical at the time, Rovers' squad departed for the South-Coast on the Thursday beforehand to stay overnight ahead of a training session to prepare for what were now fast-becoming 'must win' games.
Professionalism was needed but with undesirable characters such as El Hadji Diouf in the squad, behaving in a proper manner was the last thing on his mind. Despite having previous for several misdemeanours - including being out on the booze when he should have been in bed, the Senegalese forward opted to go nightclubbing in Bournemouth (where both the team and fans were staying) with relative newcomer Freddie Picquionne.
Their boozy antics were repeated the following night and somehow it was kept under wraps until a few days after the game which, of course, Southampton won 2-0.
Diouf and Picquionne's sheer lack of respect for their team-mates were astounding - and photos from one nightclub showing the pair in full party mode were eventually leaked onto fans' forums. Even more astounding was Saunders' spineless response to the matter. Having been made aware of it just hours before the next game at Crystal Palace, Saunders claimed that neither player had done anything wrong, the photos were months old (despite the evidence saying otherwise) and he just simply shirked himself of his responsibility to hand out any form of punishment.
Quite how some fans consider Diouf to be one of the best players to have ever pulled on a red and white hooped shirt is mystifying, but the incident proved that Rovers were in farcical straits and five defeats over the next six league games meant 'The Experiment' team were relegated with three games to spare.
Despite having been previously described as 'lower than a sewer rat' by then-Leeds United manager Neil Warnock, it surprised everyone when Diouf subsequently rocked up at Elland Road that summer. 'The Experiment' was quickly consigned to the litter bin which meant Saunders was able to put together his own team (with no interfering agents) which went on to win the League One title in 2012/13 - though he departed midway through the campaign for Wolves.
However, to this day, 'The Experiment' season remains one of the most notorious and farcical chapters in Doncaster Rovers recent history!
Photos from PRIVA Nightlclub, Bournemouth, March 22nd 2012...
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