[Archived] Rovers v Donny: 11th January 2014...if only it was 1958!

[Proudtobeblue&white]

It's that time again....another PTBBAW piece of facty/fiction....after the heady draw against the World's richest team, back to the mundane Championship, and a mouth watering fixture against another team that has the temerity to have the second name of the World's greatest team [ending in Rovers]....god I'm using the word team too much already.

So here goes.....reading my little boy book of Rovers facts, we have played Donny 19 times in the history of the football league...mainly it has to be said in the second tier....[slightly smug expression as they have never played in the top league]. The fifties was our mutual history era, they came up to the old second division in the 50/51 year, and stayed with us till the 57/58 season, when we were promoted under Johnny Carey to the first division, finishing behind WHU. Donny finished bottom. We played them at Ewood on the 7th April 58, winning 3-2, with goals from MacLeod, Johnston and Douglas, and in front of a crowd of just under 24,000 [oh, for those glory days!!!]. If you see Bryan, he made his England debut that season [v Wales, 57].

As ever, a few true, and not so true, facts about our visitors and their town.....

• The town was founded in about 71 AD
• It was the Romans I tell you.....they left in the 4th Century, didn't like the weather.
• The Doncaster Cup is the oldest continuing regulated horse race in the World
• The biggest ever unclaimed lottery win was from Donny in 2005
• The World's biggest duck, the Mallard, was from Donny, and reached speeds of 126 mph, when it flew alongside its namesake train
• Donny was granted Fairtrade town status in 2004
• Confectionery....now that's a lovely word. Parkinson's [not the disease], inventors of butterscotch, and Nuttalls Mintoes and Murray Mints were originally based in the town
• Population in 2011 was approx 128,000, bout the same as BWD, so apart from the fact we were founded by Jack, and not the Romans, something we have in common.
• They have the Robin Hood Airport, we have Salmesbury.
• The club was founded in 1879.
• Their nickname is the "Rovers"...yeah, right, bloody nicked that one
• Most appearances, "Fred" Emery, played 417 times for the "Vikings" [how many bloody nicknames does one club need?]
• Interesting fact about Fred....he later became a very successful TV star of the 60's & 70's under the name "Dick".....for those of you of a sensitive, or indeed, young disposition, he liked to dress up in woman's clothing. He was straight, but liked blondes and long legs [wouldn't be allowed these days], but then again, who doesn't......not sexist, can be of any persuasion! That's Dick, not Fred btw [who dressed up]
• They once paid out £1.5m for Billy Sharp....would have been better investing in Billy the Fish IMO

So of all the Rovers out there, the Bristols [oooo missus], the Trannies [this is turning into Carry on....sorry], and our visitors, we are still the best and most famous.

As usual, as I don't have many friends, I don't know anyone that supports Donny, so I have Facebooked, Tweeted and tried a local dating site to Donny, but no luck, and so have very little insight into their team.

We were abject by all accounts at the Keepmoat. We owe them one. If we are to have the aspirations of Johnny's side of 58, this is a "must win".

I enjoyed Saturday's game against the Citeh big boys. Tommy [surely destined to win the world darts title some day] Spurr is our inspiration, and I hope GB continues with a positive approach.

Prediction......5-0, reality, hard earned 2-1....onward and upward fine Rovers fans!

[SoldierMo]

Hoping 3-0 rovers rhodes 2 and rudy...pls dont mess this up rovers

[roversfan99]

Would go:

Robbo

Henley Dann Hanley Spurr

Marshall Evans Cairney Taylor

Gestede Rhodes

Subs: Kean, Lowe, Williamson, Dunn, King, DJ, Kilgallon.

Go for the jugular, play both strikers together and we can get an easy win IMO. Gestede deserves a go and Cairney central is a must.

[Bucksrover]

Is evans fit?

I agree with the above line-up, but bowyer likes tormenting me with lowe and williamson in the middle so I am worried that will happen again.

Can't wait for the match.

[Ianrally]

Enjoyable preview PTBBAW. Thanks.

The only connections between both clubs are Tommy Spurr, Mathew Kilgallon, Herold Goulon and Paul Dikov.

Given that it was only four years between the founding of the two clubs, that seems a little sparse.

Also like us, one of the more unusual kits.

4-0 Rovers ( Rhodes 3, Spurr 1)

Realistically 1-0 would do me

[chaddyrovers]

Would go:

Robbo

Henley Dann Hanley Spurr

Marshall Evans Cairney Taylor

Gestede Rhodes

Subs: Kean, Lowe, Williamson, Dunn, King, DJ, Kilgallon.

Go for the jugular, play both strikers together and we can get an easy win IMO. Gestede deserves a go and Cairney central is a must.

why risk Evans at all??? Bench at best. played no football for 3 months. so why take a risk. no point all. We DONT NEED injured again at all.

Lowe for Evans for sure. agree with the rest of the team.

Going for 4-0 win.

[FGS5635]

In no time at all we seem to have built up some real momentum in 2014. A lot of positiviity all around right now.

Really cant see donny having anything to stop us. I think this could be a statement game from us where everything clicks

5-0 rovers .... AV IT....COYB

[Gally]

Whilst no game in this league is a gimme, this is probably as closes as it comes.

An earlyish goal and this should be very comfortable, 3-0 Rovers.

[Plastics]

1-1, just because.

[West Yorks Rover]

Donny played very well at QPR in their last game, only lost it 2-1 right at the death, deserved at least a draw apparently.

Hope we're not too knackered after the City game, or thinking about the replay, or it could be another Charlton.

[McClarky]

Massive game for us, 2 good performances in a row and need to keep the run going before some tough games coming up. Bearing in mind the experiences of the last 3 years it's hard to be too confident but surely.........

[pick32]

Agree with the team above but obviously Lowe for Evans, Lowe was exceptional especially first half against Man City.

[Ossydave]

SHOULD bang a few goals in against Donny, which means we'll probably get beat or endure a scrappy 0-0 draw.

Come on lads, prove me wrong.........

[darrenrover]

SHOULD bang a few goals in against Donny, which means we'll probably get beat or endure a scrappy 0-0 draw.

Come on lads, prove me wrong.........

Fully endorse that Ossy, hopefully we can overcome the uncanny knack of finding a banana skin every third game.

WE are The Rovers!

[MarkBRFC]

The way this season is going, it's bound to be a draw.

[Bucksrover]

I think if we can get an early goal we could do well in this one. With the replay next week making our fixture list look a bit congested again it would be good to get a win without having to battle right to the death.

Impossible to predict how our team will perform with any confidence.

[tomphil]

Difficult one as Donny will come and pack everyone behind the ball and scrap for their lives. I think we should and will win but i'm not goin to say that am i so.....

Rovers 0 Doncaster 1

[Amo]

why risk Evans at all??? Bench at best. played no football for 3 months. so why take a risk. no point all. We DONT NEED injured again at all.

Indeed. Barmy decision.

Type of game Rovers usually screw up, buuut I'll remain optimistic and plump for a 2-1 win.

[Gav]

I've never known the site be in such a frenzy over the possibility of an away win, and we all know what happened that Friday night in Donny.....

This has all the hallmarks of another Sheffield Wednesday to me, but on the back of the City performance lets hope the inconsistent Rovers has been banished, and the ruthless Rovers turns up.

Time for a bit more adventure Mr Bowyer if things aren't going according to plan

[Majiball]

With Reading away to Watford, Leeds away at Rivals Wed and Brum for Brighton we need 3 points against Donnie as we could climb a place or two.

Bright, explosive start needed as Donnie haven't won in the league in 7 matches.

[moerpho]

Difficult one as Donny will come and pack everyone behind the ball and scrap for their lives. I think we should and will win but i'm not goin to say that am i so.....

Rovers 0 Doncaster 1

Was going to post more or less the exact same thing as Doncaster for some reason feels like a bogey-team. Got a feeling we will boss this game, but once again a defensive blunder will result in a penalty or another avoidable goal from a set piece. This could perhaps be Danns final game for Rovers? If so I hope he'll keep his concentration for the entire 90 mins. Whenever I predict a win we lose so this has 0-1 written all over it

[Tom]

No reason or excuse not to batter them for me but I just hope we don't make it hard like the last two home games however I imagine Bowyer has learnt a lot comparing the Birmingham and Leeds games

I would go for Lowe and Cairney central with Marshall and Taylor out wide with Rhodes and Gestede up top (not in the hole)

Let's just attack them and they won't be able to cope

[onlyonejackwalker]

Always a concern when our fans start getting ahead of themselves predicting 3, 4 and 5 goal wins. How often do we get those?

Doncaster are well organised, efficient and hardworking. Underestimate them at our peril. Hope their players don't read this thread.

[tomphil]

Always a concern when our fans start getting ahead of themselves predicting 3, 4 and 5 goal wins. How often do we get those?

Doncaster are well organised, efficient and hardworking. Underestimate them at our peril. Hope their players don't read this thread.

Exactly. We struggled in our last 2 league fixtures, great performance v City but because of the way they play looking to attack in numbers all the time it made for an open game which suited us. This will be a grind again i reckon.

[USABlue]

Here we go again with the almost arrogant predictions. We all kniw what happened last time. Tight scrappy game. Us to win 2-1 after going behind early.