Doncaster Rovers v MK Dons 7th December 2019 - Official Matchday Magazine 2019/20

THE OFFICIAL MATCHDAY MAGAZINE OF DONCASTER ROVERS FOOTBALL CLUB 2019/20

vs MILTON KEYNES DONS

Saturday 7th December 2019 KO: 3:00pm | £3.00

1879-2019

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

MAIN CLUB SPONSOR LNER ASSOCIATE CLUB SPONSOR Stoneacre Motor Group TECHNICAL KIT SUPPLIER Elite Pro Sports Chairman: David Blunt Major shareholders: Terry Bramall, David Blunt, Marion Watson, Gavin Baldwin Directors: Terry Bramall, David Blunt, Andy Watson, Gavin Baldwin Chief executive: Gavin Baldwin

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FOOTBALL STAFF

Manager: Darren Moore Assistant manager: Jamie Smith Goalkeeping coach: Paul Gerrard Physiotherapist: Jonathan Chatfield Club doctor: Dr Tim Douglas

CLUB STAFF

Director of finance: Richard Poole Head of administration & football operations: Mary Lally Head of stadium & operations: Marie Hepburn Head groundsman: Andy Thompson Head of commercial: Jon Warburton Lottery manager: Ken Porter Ticket manager: Tracy Bawden Head of marketing & communications: Shaun Lockwood Media manager: Luke Thornhill Marketing manager: Mark Hughesman Supporter liaison officers: Dean Medcalf

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CLUB DONCASTER FOUNDATION

Chair of trustees: Linda Tully Trustees: Gavin Baldwin, Nigel Brewster, Natalie Shaw, Allan Stewart, Rupert Suckling, John Wallbank Honorary ambassador: Stuart Highfield Chief operating officer: John Davis Chief executive: Lucy Nickson NCS programme manager: Jan Budtz

CLUB DONCASTER SPORTS COLLEGE Principal: Adi Turnpenny Deputy principals: Joe Burton, Ben Thompson

PROGRAMME

Contributors: Robbie Andrews, Clare Bailey, John Coyle, Jack Ireland, Paul Mayfield, Sophie Scargill, Jon Warburton, Alex Gibbings, Dan Breslin Photography: Phil Ryan, AH Pix, Heather King, Rex Features Design: Daniel Parker Amberley Court Associates www.aca-creative.co.uk

THE OFFICIAL MATCHDAY MAGAZINE OF D ONCASTER ROVERS FOOTBALL CLUB 2019 /20

vs MILTON KEYNES DONS

Saturday 7th December 2019 KO: 3:00pm | £3.00

1879-2019

40

05

Darren Moore

28

Match action

07

Gavin Baldwin

30

Player sponsorship

08

Feature interview

33

Commercial

13

Head to head

35

Supporters liaison officer

14

Four to watch

37

Supporters club

16

Shared five-a-side

38

Away travel times

17

Past record

39

On the road

19

In the hot seat

40

Club Doncaster Foundation

20

The academy

43

League One stats

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Junior Rovers

44

Fixtures and results

27

News feature

46

Rovers roll-call

COME OUT ACTIVE. RAINBOW LACES 2019.

Come Out Active: 23 - 30 November Rainbow Laces Day: 27 November

Supported by

Tweet @StonewallUK and #RainbowLaces

THE MANAGER

THE MANAGER

DARREN MOORE Good afternoon. I’d like to welcome Russell Martin as well as the supporters, players and staff of MK Dons to the Keepmoat Stadium.

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I'm sure you'll have seen a reaction to Sunday's performance at Gillingham

I am writing these notes before Wednesday’s game against Leicester City U21, but I’m sure you’ll have seen a reaction there following Sunday’s performance at Gillingham. We make no bones about it: we were not good enough on the day, and they deserved to go through.

What I promise is that as soon as we got back into the training ground in the week everyone was focused on getting back to the standards we set in previous games.

I am pleased to have been able to welcome some new faces to join our staff at Cantley Park this week as we continue to put in place the structure to the club we feel is needed.

Adam Henshall has joined as talent identification manager. Adam took up his role this week and joins us after leading the analysis and recruitment team at Shrewsbury Town. I have spent a lot of time discussing our future needs with him, both in terms of immediate additions and succession planning.

Adam’s arrival will be a big help to me: I can focus on preparing the players and know that when we sit down to discuss recruitment he will be fully informed on all the people we have identified. He will have access to all sorts of data to ensure we know exactly who is out there who may be the best fit for us.

We also have James Douthwaite and Matthew Saunders joining our

analysis team working with Alex Bailey. This means we can capture more data than ever on our teams right down to the youngest age groups in the Academy, again giving the players, coaches and myself the best information on every training session. Kyle Fairgreave has also arrived to work with Jon Chatfield in the medical team.

I am sure you will join me in wishing them all a warm welcome here at Rovers and Club Doncaster.

Enjoy the game.

DONCASTER LONDON 1HR 44MINS 55 TRAINS EVERY WEEKDAY

LNER.co.uk

THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

CHIEF EXECUTIVE

GAVIN BALDWIN Good afternoon and welcome back to the Keepmoat Stadium.

I’d like to welcome the supporters, owners players and staff of MK Dons who have made the trip up today.

I would like to add my congratulations to Darren Warner, who found out last week that he had won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year’s unsung hero award for Yorkshire. He puts in an incredible amount of time and effort running the Club Doncaster Titans, an inclusive organisation designed to break down barriers for people to participate in sport.

The Titans work with our Foundation on some sessions, and it’s pleasing to be able to help with access to pitches here at the Club Doncaster Sports Park or helping raise their profile such as getting Matty Blair down to surprise Darren with his win. They epitomise everything we want Club Doncaster to be about.

Today also marks our annual participation in the Rainbow Laces campaign created by Stonewall.

Once again, this epitomises the inclusive spirit we want to approach everything we do. We don’t think there should be any barriers to attending and enjoying football matches and believe everyone is welcome here at the Keepmoat Stadium on matchdays.

Many LGBT people live and breathe sport. But research from Stonewall shows four in 10 think sport isn't welcoming. Whether we're cheering or competing, we are all at our best when we feel part of the team.

It's really pleasing to be able to welcome a number of new

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Rainbow Laces epitomises the inclusive spirit with which we approach everything we do

faces to the club this week. Our communications team will be putting out more information on this in the coming weeks, but we've been able to welcome Adam Henshall as talent identification manager as well as James Douthwaite and Matthew Saunders to our expanded analysis team and Kyle Fairgreave to extend the medical team. We have been able to create these new roles by working in partnership with the first-team manager to deliver the structure we feel is needed for long-term growth of the club.

We want to make sure that every player in our club, from U9 to the first-team gets the best support.

We want to make sure that in recruitment and analysis we are using the most up to date data-driven approaches to ensure the players

are working at just the right levels, or that we identify the players who fit us best. I appreciate fans do not always see what goes on behind the scenes here at the ground or down at the Cantley Park training ground but I feel we are really progressing as a club.

I would like to wish our U16s all the best tomorrow as they look to be crowned national champions. An emphatic victory over Shrewsbury Town in the northern final saw them into tomorrow's national final. Good luck, lads.

Enjoy the game.

F E AT U R E I N T E R V I E W

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F E AT U R E I N T E R V I E W

FEATURE:

JOE WRIGHT After spending virtually a whole year out injured, Joe Wright has been enjoyed being back in the Rovers side over the course of the past few weeks.

The defender began the 2018/19 campaign in great form at the heart of the back four, before a freak injury on the training ground would set him on an unfortunate run of injury woe.

“It’s been massive for me to be able to put a run of games together having been out injured for quite a long time,” he says.

“It was a tough period for me, initially I didn’t expect to be out for too long but there were complications throughout my recovery.

“We had a bit of one v one defending and I was picked with Andy Butler, he sort of fell on top of me and got my ankle caught underneath so it was one of those freak injuries.

“Unfortunately for myself and the club the rehab didn’t go as we planned but I’m thankful that I can put it all behind me now.

“That’s all behind me now and I’m pleased to be back and able to focus on playing well for the team at a key stage of the season.”

During his extended period on the sidelines Wright development mentally as well as physically, taking the setbacks in his stride and working hard to come back stronger than ever.

He was expert summariser on iFollow Rovers on several occasions throughout his recovery, and says seeing the game from that side of things made him even more determined to return as quickly as possible.

“I did some commentary work and I’ve mentioned on there that it’s difficult having to watch when you feel like you could make a difference,” says Wright.

“I wanted to affect things and help the team get a result, but it’s something I’ve gone through early on in my career as well.

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F E AT U R E I N T E R V I E W

“When I was a scholar, I broke my leg and spent a year out there which helped me to cope this time around.

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“It makes you appreciate football more having had the days where I’m watching the lads train out of the windows in the gym.

“You always get injuries in a squad but over the past couple of years a few of ours have been to the central defenders at the club. It’s just one of those things and it is unfortunate.”

As Rovers were having games called off during the early stages of the campaign, Wright was eyeing up a chance to get plenty of games under his belt once the re-arranged fixtures come around.

And now when weekends off come around for the squad, he doesn’t enjoy them as much as he perhaps once would have.

“From a selfish point of view, I was glad that some games got postponed because it meant I didn’t miss any many games as I could have,” he says.

“It gives me a chance to be involved when they are rearranged and, hopefully, I can help the team to pick up some wins.

“I had that many weekends off that now if we haven’t got a fixture on a Saturday, I’m frustrated that I can’t play.

“I hate the thought of it whereas the rest of the lads that have been fit all season can catch-up on some much-needed time with their families.”

The postponements have seen other teams take advantage of Rovers not playing and ahead of today’s game against MK Dons, there is currently a six point gap between themselves and the play-off places.

WRIGHT

F E AT U R E I N T E R V I E W

While this stage of the season tends to be where the league table shows a true reflection of each team’s quality, Wright doesn’t see that as the case for Rovers.

“We’re probably in a little bit of a false position in the table at the moment with the number of games we have in hand on some teams,” he says.

“Hopefully when we do catch-up, we can add a few more points to our total and climb into a better position.

“You can probably look as high as Peterborough and recognise that if we win our games in hand then we could go above them.

“Normally around this period is when the table speaks for itself but that isn’t quite the case for us because on our day, we’re a team that are capable of beating anyone in this league.”

At the age of 24, Wright is now seen as one of the more senior players in the Rovers squad.

That responsibility is something he relishes though, as he looks to help the players around him as well as taking things on board from manager Darren Moore.

“Since I’ve been here, we’ve always had a fairly young team, the average age of the starting XI has always been low so there has always been an onus on myself in the position that I play to be quite vocal,” he adds.

“I try to present those leadership qualities on the pitch and even though experienced players have left now that hasn’t changed my game.

“Andy Butler did a lot for me and I went to him a lot for advice, and now myself and Tom Anderson have probably taken on that role with some of the younger lads.

“The manager has played at the highest level and he played in the same position as me so anything I can take from him and add to my game is a positive.

“You always get a feel for what a manager is like in their first week in the job, and from then we knew straight away that he would be a good fit for the club.

“His attention to detail is second to none and that has earned him the respect of the players, he brings the group together and there is no blame culture.

“He is keen to promote learning and no matter how old you are there is always room for improvement and that bodes well for everyone here.”

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IN OPPOSITION

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IN OPPOSITION

HEAD TO HEAD DONCASTER ROVERS v MILTON KEYNES DONS | COMPLETE RESULTS

COMPETITION Football League

Grand Total

FOOTBALL LEAGUE - HOME LEVEL SEASON DATE 3 2004 26/12/2004 3 2005 09/08/2005 3 2012 12/02/2013 3 2014 25/10/2014 3 2017 25/11/2017 FOOTBALL LEAGUE - AWAY LEVEL SEASON DATE 3 2004 11/09/2004 3 2005 10/12/2005 3 2012 05/03/2013 3 2014 21/04/2015 3 2017 14/04/2018

H A N Total H A N Total

P 5 5 0 10 5 5 0 10

W 2 3 0 5 2 3 0 5

D 3 0 0 3 3 0 0 3

L 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 2

F 6 6 0 12 6 6 0 12

OPPONENT MK Dons MK Dons MK Dons MK Dons MK Dons

VENUE RESULT FOR AGST PENS SCORERS H W 3 0 Edds (og), Johnson (2) H D 1 1 Heffernan H D 0 0 H D 0 0 H W 2 1 Marquis, Blair

OPPONENT MK Dons MK Dons MK Dons MK Dons MK Dons

VENUE RESULT FOR AGST PENS SCORERS A W 1 0 Albrighton A W 3 2 Fenton, Roberts S, Heffernan A L 0 3 A L 0 3 A W 2 1 Marquis (2)

A 2 9 0 11 2 9 0 11

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IN OPPOSITION

MILTON KEYNES DONS:

FOUR TO WATCH

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LEE

DEAN

NICHOLLS

LEWINGTON

Forging his career path through Wigan Athletic’s Academy, he had numerous loan spells in the Football League over the course of his six-year senior career with the Latics.

Club captain Lewington requires little introduction to any Football League follower as he is MK Dons’ longest serving player.

After nine appearances at the DW Stadium, the then 23-year-old moved onto the MK Dons. With the departure of David Martin, Nicholls inherited the No.1 jersey at the start of the 2017/18 season and has held onto it ever since.

The left-back has been with the club since their formation and was appointed captain in 2011.

IN OPPOSITION

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CONOR

MCGRANDLES The Scotsman is a jack of all trades when it comes to operating in midfield as he can play centrally or on the left or right.

His career began in his hometown of Falkirk where he established himself in the firstteam in 2012, making 66 appearances in his two-years there.

A move to England followed with a threeyear spell at Norwich, and three years later he moved onto the Dons.

KIERAN

AGARD

Agard has been one of the club’s most prolific strikers over the past three seasons and has now amassed more than 120 appearances for the club.

Former manager Karl Robinson signed the striker for what was a club record transfer free in 2016.

Although he was relegated to League Two with the club in 2017/18, he finished as their top goal scorer on 22 strikes, helping his side achieve automatic promotion back to League One.

IN OPPOSITION

MATHIEU BAUDRY

The composed centreback was a promotion winner with Rovers in the 2016/17 season after signing on a free transfer from Leyton Orient earlier that summer.

The Frenchman left after two years at the Keepmoat Stadium, joining MK Dons after their relegation to the third tier in one of new manager Paul Tisdale’s first signings.

Promotion was achieved for the Dons, but Baudry’s stay Stadium:MK was blighted by injuries and after one season he moved on to Swindon Town.

GARY MACKENZIE

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MK Dons was the first club the defender signed for in England after spending the previous six years of his career in Scotland with Rangers and Dundee.

He had to keep his patience after signing for the club in 2010, waiting nine games into the season until he could make his debut in a 3-1 League Cup defeat to Birmingham.

MacKenzie joined Rovers on a free transfer from Blackpool in 2015 as part of what would be Paul Dickov’s final recruitment drive at the club.

OSCAR GOBERN

Once Gobern had come through Southampton’s Academy they decided to send the midfielder out on loan to MK Dons in 2009 for experience playing men’s football.

Chances were limited at the Dons, but a call-up to England’s U19 team came in the same year.

In 2015 he signed for QPR and in the same summer was immediately loaned out to Rovers. He made five appearances for the club before an injury resulted in the termination of his loan.

SHARED 5-A-SIDE JORDAN HOUGHTON

During his two seasonlong loans at Rovers, Houghton quickly became a fan favourite for his impact he had in midfield. His maiden season saw him claim promotion from League Two before featuring heavily for Rovers in the division above the following season – on loan once more.

In 2018 he followed former Rovers team-mate Baudry to Stadium:MK – after he was released from his boyhood club Chelsea. His move to MK Dons resulted in more silverware, with the side clinching promotion back to League One at the first attempt.

JAY EMMANUEL THOMAS

The Arsenal youth product had three loan spells away from the north London club – one taking him to Rovers that was initially for onemonth but notable form from the striker earned him an extension until the end of the season.

Permanent spells at Ipswich, Bristol City and QPR followed. It did not quite work out at the latter club resulting in him being loaned out to then Championship rivals MK Dons in 2016.

Currently he plays for PTT Rayong in Thailand.

IN OPPOSITION

PAST RECORD PAST PASTRECORD RECORD

Rovers have a good record against MK Dons, winning half of the 10 meetings between the two sides - all of which have come in League One. The past two meetings resulted in 2-1 wins for Rovers as Darren Ferguson’s men claimed a Sky Bet League One double in 2017/18.

John Marquis and Matty Blair sealed the points in the first fixture at the Keepmoat Stadium, while Marquis struck both times at stadium:MK in a result which virtually sealed their relegation to League Two. Mark Albrighton netted for Rovers in the first meeting between the sides which took place at the National Hockey Stadium in Milton Keynes.

And the first clash in South Yorkshire took place at Belle Vue in 2004, with two goals from Simon Johnson following on from Gareth Edds' own goal.

Rovers are unbeaten in their three Keepmoat Stadium outings with the Dons - with two goalless draws prior to the 2018 win for Rovers.

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ROVERS MANAGERS

IN THE HOT SEAT:

DONCASTER ROVERS MANAGERS FROM 1920

STAN ANDERSON (1975-1978) Of all the managers employed by Rovers, few have had a greater initial impact than Stan Anderson.

The former England international arrived in February 1974 with Rovers second from bottom in Division Four: by the season’s end the club was in a respectable 17th place after a run of nine wins in 16 games.

Anderson was an experienced manager, having been in charge of Middlesbrough between April 1966 and December 1972, where he had taken the club from Division Three to Division Two. He had also managed the top Greek side AEK Athens and had assisted Gordon Jago at QPR. A tough-tackling midfielder in his playing days, Anderson had captained each of the North East’s “Big Three”Sunderland, Newcastle and Middlesbrough.

Anderson had the same squad that had won one game out of 12 for caretaker-boss John Quigley (retained as first team coach) but managed to inspire his charges to victory in each of his first five games.

Anderson’s reputation as an alchemist was enhanced in 1975-76 when his team reached the quarter-finals of the League Cup before losing at Tottenham. Anderson had sold winger Terry Curran to Nottingham Forest but had acquired goalkeeper Dennis Peacock and another wide man, Ian Miller, in part-exchange. He also snapped up veteran midfielder Chris Balderstone, but many of his players were those who had appeared in Maurice Setters’ struggling sides. Despite playing some exciting football- a relief to many after years of dourness- Rovers’ inconsistency saw them finish 10th in a strong Fourth Division.

Anderson’s aim was to bring on some home-grown talent, but the progress of the likes of Dave Wignall, Mark Jones, Ian McConville and David Binch was slow,

to say the least. His key man was striker Peter Kitchen, who scored over 20 League goals in three successive seasons, but at the end of the 1976-77 season he joined Second Division Leyton Orient. Again, it had been a season of excitement but underachievement: despite Kitchen’s 23 goals Rovers could finish only 8th.

With the youngsters showing no signs of a breakthrough, Anderson went for experience at the start of the 1977-78 season. Defender Ted Hemsley, midfielder Dave Bentley and strikers Bobby Owen, Chris Jones and Dick Habbin were all acquired. After a poor start to the season Rovers enjoyed a revival up to Christmas, but thereafter they had a run of only two wins from 18 games.

More significantly, crowds had slipped back to around the 1,500 mark and there were ominous mutterings from those who remained about the manager’s increasingly negative tactics. The poor form continued into the 1978-79 season, with only four victories from the first 18 games. After a home defeat

by York City in November 1979, Anderson decided enough was enough. He resigned and took up an offer to work under Ian Greaves at Bolton Wanderers.

Stan Anderson’s time at Belle Vue remains difficult to assess. When he left in 1978 Rovers were almost back to where they were when he joined, with low crowds and the threat of applying for re-election.

In between, his sides had played some thrilling football and Rovers had enjoyed their best-ever League Cup run. Anderson’s main problem was that no home-grown youngsters had established themselves during his reign and he was forced to rely on older players whose best days were behind them. For that reason, Anderson’s tenure could perhaps be described as interesting but ultimately unsatisfying. Stan Anderson continued to live in the Doncaster area until his death in 2018, aged 85.

John Coyle

SENIOR RECORD FIRST MATCH: 8th February 1975 v Torquay United (home) won 3-0 LAST MATCH: 18th November 1978 v York City (home) lost 1-2 PLAYED

192 WON

73 DREW

51 LOST

68 WINNING PERCENTAGE:

38%

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THE ACADEMY

THE ACADEMY CENTRAL LEAGUE DEVELOPMENT SQUAD FIXTURES 2019/20

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DATE OPPOSITION SEPTEMBER Tue 24 Portsmouth OCTOBER Tue 1 Rotherham United Tue 15 Rotherham United NOVEMBER Tue 5 Huddersfield Town Mon 11 Aston Villa Tue 19 Scunthorpe United Tue 26 Exeter City DECEMBER Tue 3 Grimsby Town Tue 10 Walsall Tue 17 Rochdale JANUARY Tue 7 Mansfield Town Tue 14 Shrewsbury Town Tue 21 Portsmouth Wed 29 Aston Villa FEBRUARY Tue 4 Rotherham United Tue 18 Exeter City Tue 25 Mansfield Town MARCH Tue 3 Scunthorpe United Tue 10 Grimsby Town Tue 31 Walsall

COMP SCORE GOALSCORERS H

PLC

W

1-0 Wright

H A

CLC CL

W W

4-2 Trialist, Gomes, Kiwomya, Gibbons 2-3 Watters, Myring

H A H A

CLC PLC CL PLC

W W D L

6-2 1-0 1-1 0-1

H H A

CL CL CLC

L

2-3 Gibbons (2) P

GD PTS

H A A H

CL CLC PLC PLC

1 ROTHERHAM

3

-1

6

2 MANSFIELD

2

3

4

3 SCUNTHORPE

2

3

4

H H A

CL PLC CL

4 GRIMSBY

3

0

4

5 WALSALL

3

-3

2

A A A

CL CL CL

6 DONCASTER

3

-2

1

Bingham, Watters, Blaney, Longbottom, OG, Boocock

Watters Boocock -

All home fixtures will be played at Cantley Park Training Ground

EFL YOUTH ALLIANCE UNDER 18 NORTH EAST FIXTURES 2019/20 DATE OPPOSITION AUGUST Sat 3 Grimsby Town Sat 10 Notts County Sat 17 Rotherham United Sat 31 Burton Albion SEPTEMBER Sat 7 Bradford City Sat 14 Mansfield Town Sat 21 Mansfield Town Sat 28 Scunthorpe United OCTOBER Sat 12 Huddersfield Town Tue 29 Mansfield Town NOVEMBER Sat 2 Lincoln City Sat 9 Fleetwood Town Sat 16 Chesterfield Sat 23 Bradford City Fri 29 Burton Albion DECEMBER Sat 14 Scunthorpe United JANUARY Sat 4 Mansfield Town Sat 25 Huddersfield Town FEBRUARY Sat 8 Chesterfield Sat 22 Lincoln City Sat 29 Grimsby Town MARCH Sat 7 Notts County Sat 14 Rotherham United

COMP SCORE GOALSCORERS H A H H

YA YA YA YA

W W D W

4-1 1-0 2-2 4-1

Smith (2), Bojang, Dimou Watson McGowan, Watson Watson (4)

A H H A

YA YAC YA YA

L L L W

0-2 3-6 0-1 2-1

Bell, Hasani, McGowan Smith, Watson

H A

YA FAYC

H A A H A

YA YAC YA YA YA

H

YA

A A

YA YA

W L W L D W L

4-0 Smith (3), McGowan 3-4 Smith (2), McGowan 2-0 0-1 2-2 3-0 0-2

Smith, Dimou Smith, McGowan Watson, Smith, Conradi -

P

GD PTS

1 DONCASTER

12

12

23

2 MANSFIELD

11

5

20

3 SCUNTHORPE

8

7

18

4 NOTTS COUNTY

11

4

16

5 ROTHERHAM

8

5

13

6 BRADFORD

9

4

13

7 CHESTERFIELD

11 -15 12

8 LINCOLN

10

1

11

9 BURTON

9

-3

10

H A A

YA YA YA

10 HUDDERSFIELD 10 -11 10

H A

YA YA

All home fixtures will be played at Cantley Park Training Ground

11 GRIMSBY

9

-9

7

THE ACADEMY

2-0 FRIDAY 29TH NOVEMBER 2019 EFL YOUTH ALLIANCE UNDER 18 NORTH EAST

Rovers U16s will take on Northampton Town tomorrow as they bid to be crowned national champions.

They claimed an emphatic victory over Shrewsbury Town to seal the northern title and set up tomorrow’s clash which will be held at the Derby County Academy.

Rovers qualified for the regional final against the Shrews by finishing top of the EFL U16s league - is a mini competitive league which primarily aims to help with the transition from Youth Development Phase (U13-U16) to the Professional Development Phase (U18s and U23s).

The U16s took brilliantly to competitive football thriving in the league and registering impressive results while maintaining consistent performances.

The regional final between Rovers and Shrewsbury Town was played at a neutral venue - Mansfield Town’s training ground and is the biggest match the U16s have played to date.

While the game started evenly, Rovers U16s gained good momentum and were able to blow the opposition away securing their place in the National Final next month.

Lead Youth Development Phase coach and U16s head coach Tony Mee commented: “The boys have had an excellent season and should be proud of their achievements so far.

"Some of the boys have been at the club for a long time and I would like to place on record my and their thanks to all of the coaches and other staff, fitness, physios and psychologists who have worked with them over the course of their journey.

"We should acknowledge their parents who continue to support them in all weather and often forego other commitments to get them to training and games.”

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JUNIOR ROVERS

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Hello everyone!

Welcome to our game against Milton Keynes Dons and it is good to be back in league action.

I have enjoyed being involved with the 12 Days of Christmas and I look forward to seeing all the videos. Thank you for the photo Ruby and hope you liked your surprise visit a few weeks ago. Let the Christmas countdown begin, it is my favourite time of the year... 18 sleeps to go!

Enjoy the game, Donny Dog

Happy 70th Birthday to the best Dad ever STEVE WRIGHT 55 years a Rovers Fan Love Jonathan

JOE WRIGHT

JUNIOR ROVERS

MASCOTS ABIGAIL EVERS

Age: 9 Hobbies: Football, basketball and reading Favourite player: Alfie May

RUCA DE' OLIVEIRA

Age: 7 Hobbies: Football Favourite player: James Coppinger

Donny Dog

score prediction FREDDIE HILL

Age: 6 Hobbies: Football and Lego Favourite player: Ben Whiteman

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2-0

JOSEPH HART

Age: 6 Hobbies: Football and cricket Favourite player: Joe Wright

LAYLA COLLINS

Age: 9 Hobbies: Tae Kwon Do & Kickboxing Favourite player: James Coppinger

Erik the Viking score prediction

2-1

SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES TO: Jack Alderson, Emily Allen, Lewis Ashton, Ella Atkinson, Inder Basi, Joshua Breene, Emily Chandar, Jasmine Chandar, Alfie Common, Dylan Cooke, Jason Curtis, Jake Daniels, Jakob Durkin, Gregory Edmond, Edith Fitzpatrick, Harley Gaston, Freddie Goad, Sophia Golden, Finley Grosvenor, Alex Haigh, Noah Hathaway, Albert Healey, Tommy Hindson, George Homer, Isobel Jackson, Mateo Josselin, Libby Kirkland, Jack McGuinness, Jonty Mennell, Harry Myerscough, Chloe O’Connor, Christian Poulton, Leo Rafferty, Layton Richardson, Eva Smith, Grahson Sowerby, Grace Stockbridge, Ellie Teager, Liberty Topham, Kyle Utley, Joshua Walker, Zack Watson

N E W S F E AT U R E

ROVERS SECURE DONCASTER COLLEGE PARTNERSHIP

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Rovers’ commercial have secured an exciting new partnership with Doncaster College, who have become the official first team shorts sponsor for the next two seasons.

The agreement will extend the relationship between Club Doncaster and Doncaster College who have recently linked up with Club Doncaster Sports College to create the ultimate learning environment for students looking to forge a career in sport.

Working with Club Doncaster, the new partnership will showcase the Doncaster Hub Campus and University Centre, which offer high-quality learning opportunities for students from level two, to full honour degrees.

Kathryn Brentnall, principal at Doncaster College, said: “We are very excited to be sponsoring Rovers this season and proud to cement the relationship between us.

“One of our key strategic objectives is working in partnership and the benefits that come from this association are directly for the students at the College and University Centre.”

By coming on board as an Official Gold Partner and back of short sponsor, the partnership with Club

Doncaster has been enhanced and their profile around the town will be raised with access to exclusive partner rights.

Head of commercial at Club Doncaster, Jon Warburton, said: “The original collaboration has enabled students from Doncaster to study qualifications in sport across both Doncaster College Hub Campus and the Keepmoat Stadium at Club Doncaster Sports College.

“This new multi-dimensional partnership will see two of Doncaster’s most recognisable assets working together for the benefit of the town, and we are proud to celebrate that work with the new commercial agreement.

“The sponsorship of the shorts is an extremely high profile opportunity and we are looking forward to seeing the men’s first team take to the field with the Doncaster College logo proudly emblazoned upon the kit.”

M AT C H A C T I O N

1-0 SATURDAY 23RD NOVEMBER 2019 SKY BET LEAGUE ONE

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M AT C H A C T I O N

3-0 SUNDAY 1ST DECEMBER 2019 EMIRATES FA CUP SECOND ROUND

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P L AY E R S P O N S O R S H I P

DONCASTER ROVERS

SPONSORSHIP

01

02 IAN LAWLOR

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04

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BRAD HALLIDAY

REECE JAMES

TOM ANDERSON

MAIN

MAIN

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THE WHEATSHEAF, CIRENCESTER

STEVEN BELL TRUE POTENTIAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT

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07 BEN SHEAF

KIERAN SADLIER

MAIN

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TIBERIUS BATCHELOR & ROSSINGTON HALL

HOME

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IN MEMORY OF TIM HOLT

RETFORD SUPPORTERS CLUB

RETFORD SUPPORTERS CLUB

MAIN BRANCH SUPPORTERS CLUB

AWAY

AWAY

AWAY

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DR ERSKINE

NORTH BRANCH SUPPORTERS

AVAILABLE

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06 JOE WRIGHT

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METRO ROD

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IRENE HOLT

KEITH McGLONE

RETFORD SUPPORTERS CLUB

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AWAY

RETFORD SUPPORTERS CLUB

DAVID SHERLOCK

AVAILABLE

13

14

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BEN WHITEMAN

JON TAYLOR

RAKISH BINGHAM

MADGER GOMES

LOUIS JONES

KAZAIAH STERLING

ALEX BAPTISTE

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COLEMAN’S STEAK HOUSE

ARCHIE MOSS & PETER WALL

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IAN AND JOY MILLER HOME

MAIN BRANCH SUPPORTERS CLUB AWAY

LAUREN AND HOLLY BYTHEWAY

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DAVID SHERLOCK

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MAIN BRANCH SUPPORTERS CLUB

KEVIN & GRAHAM JONES

APRIL THOMAS

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KEVIN & GRAHAM JONES

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P L AY E R S P O N S O R S H I P

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DANNY AMOS

MATTY BLAIR

CODY PRIOR

ALFIE MAY

SHANE BLANEY

WILL LONGBOTTOM

MAX WATTERS

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IN MEMORY OF JILL McGARRY FROM PAUL AND DAN

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IN MEMORY OF CARL AKA CHOCO

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EMA BAXTER

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JACKIE FARRELL

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ALEX KIWOMYA

SENY DIENG

RIAN McLEAN

JAMES COPPINGER

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ANTHONY GREAVES

BRANDEN HORTON

RIEVES BOOCOCK

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DANIEL CALOW

JOHNSON ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS

AVAILABLE

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AWAY

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MAX PEARSON AND C&K DECORATORS

AWAY

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MYRON GIBBONS

NIALL ENNIS

CAMERON JOHN

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DONERVON DANIELS

KWAME THOMAS

DARREN MOORE

DONNY DOG

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RETFORD SUPPORTERS CLUB

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AVAILABLE

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SELINA FOX

SEWA SINGH

AVAILABLE

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31

DONCASTER ROVERS

OFFICIAL PARTNERS PLATINUM+

PLATINUM

GOLD

SILVER PD FABRICATION

BRONZE 247 Properties Atherton Godfrey Solicitors Bidfood Big On Bounce Brewster Partners Burnett Mortgages Copyprint Dunkin' Effective Heating Fleet Cars Direct Frenchgate Shopping Centre iPort Academy

Jenkinson Electrical Engineering Keyhole Creative Lakeside Village L&H Cairns Nuffield Health Pristine Commercial Cleaning Services Ringways Motor Group Signum Facilities Management Taco Bell Venatu Visit Doncaster YESSS Electrical

COMMERCIAL

DONCASTER ROVERS

COMMERCIAL

Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to the Keepmoat Stadium as we host Milton Keynes Dons in Sky Bet League One.

this afternoon to kick start a busy December.

Can you believe our last home league game was a whole month ago? It feels great to be back in the swing of things, and it should be a tasty festive treat

A warm welcome must go to today’s match sponsors, SD Civils. We are delighted to host them in the Jibba Jabba restaurant today, and hope they have a fantastic time with us.

Our visitors today haven’t had the best of form, but we are sure Russell Martin will have his side fired up as they are fighting to get away from the relegation zone.

The Christmas period is a time for spending quality time with friends, family and colleagues, and it is the perfect way to celebrate the festive season by enjoying hospitality with Rovers.

Contact the commercial team for information on how to book your event now, or for more information on match sponsorships, partnerships and more. commercial@clubdoncaster.co.uk / 01302 764665.

33

SAFETY Three points is not the only priority today. Making sure everyone goes home safe is the most important result.

Over recent months we have been working closely with the police and the EFL to review security at the Keepmoat Stadium.

Now we are asking you to do your bit.

It is vital that everyone - players, staff and supporters - remains vigilant and reports any concerns to stewards or police.

Attacks might be rare, and the chance of you being caught up in one unlikely, but the message is ACT #ActionCountersTerrorism.

Rovers safety officer Sam Ramsden said:

"We want everyone to enjoy today’s game at the Keepmoat Stadium but if you see anything that causes you concern, tell a steward or staff member. Please do not worry that you might be wasting our time.

"The stewards are here to help keep us all safe so please be patient and cooperate with their instructions. When it comes to security it has to be a team effort and we are all players."

Here's a quick reminder of what you can do to help keep yourself and others safe: • Arrive early, allowing more time for security checks • Minimise what you carry, fewer bag searches will speed up entry to the ground

• Be vigilant at all times and if you see anything suspicious, tell a steward right away • If you see anything that could pose an immediate threat to safety, call 999 • In an emergency, listen to the public address instructions and follow them • If told to evacuate, do so immediately, do not wait around to film events on your mobile • Move right away from the stadium as quickly as possible for your safety and to allow clear access for any emergency vehicles • Once you are safe, follow the local police force on Twitter for updates To find out more, visit gov.uk/ACT or @TerrorismPolice

GAME CHANGER...

Together for Football is more than a motto.

It’s a mission. A mission to improve the quality of grassroots facilities across the country.

The Football Foundation is funded by the Premier League, The FA and Government.

To find out more about the Football Foundation visit footballfoundation.org.uk

SUPPORTERS LIAISON OFFICER

DONCASTER ROVERS

SUPPORTERS LIAISON OFFICER

35

Good afternoon everyone and welcome to the Keepmoat Stadium for today’s game against MK Dons, and a warm welcome to all the travelling fans.

I would like to thank the 205 fans who made the long journey to Gillingham on Sunday. It was a long trip and the match wasn’t great, but it was fantastic support for the lads.

The staff at Rovers have been hard at work rearranging some of the games that were called off for various reasons. The trip to Tranmere has been rescheduled for Tuesday February 4 (7.45pm) with tickets from the original fixture still eligible.

The club are still looking to find dates for games against Shrewsbury, Portsmouth and Bolton Wanderers - these will be announced on official club channels as soon as they are confirmed.

I hope you all enjoy today's game and if you are travelling to Wimbledon next week, I hope you have a safe journey and I hope to see you all there!

Rovers Till I Die Dean Medcalf Supporter liaison officer

"It was a long trip and the match wasn’t great, but it was fantastic support for the lads"

proud sponsor

NOW AVAILABLE AT *

*In selected stores only Red Bull Original® 11g sugar per 100ml vs. 4.5g in Carabao® Original, Green Apple and Mandarin Orange per 100ml.

SUPPORTERS CLUB

SUPPORTERS CLUB A big warm welcome to all the supporters for this afternoon’s game.

I’d like to welcome the travelling fans who have made the trip up to the Keepmoat Stadium.

Again this season we will be running coaches to all home and away games, the sheet with times and prices on are included in the programme but are subject to change. We have tried to keep the prices as low as we can but had to introduce a travel policy for under 16s who have to have a responsible adult travel with them. Fans who are 16-17-years-old need a consent form from their parents or guardians to travel. These can be downloaded from the Supporters Club website, on the bus or at the Supporters Club office based in the Club Doncaster Academy.

As always we will run the home match bus from Retford, Harworth and Rossington Styrupp and Labour club, times are 1pm (6pm) 1.20pm (6.20pm) and 1.30pm (6.30pm).

Times in brackets are night games, and there is no need to book. For fans’ safety we will be picking up on the inner circle adjacent to Car Park 2 this season, so you can leave your car there. You can join the Supporters Club on the bus and get discount straight away, or join online or at Supporters shop located in the Club Doncaster Academy. The price is £7 adult and £5 concessions.

Call Paul on 07961727769 or Len on 01302 817347 for more details and bookings.

The North Branch also run coaches to most away games, from The Adwick, Carcroft, A19 corridor area.

If you wish to travel with them call 07780316923. They are a great set of lads and lasses, and do a lot of raffles to support local charities.

As in previous years the Supporters Club are having weekend trips away, the North Branch will be stopping in Blackpool for the Accrington game, and the Retford Branch will also be stopping in Blackpool for the last game of the season at Bloomfield Road. Call Paul on 07961727769 if interested. Both trips will be £150, Inc. two nights bed, breakfast and evening meal.

Not many places left.

Christmas draw tickets are on sale now, if anybody wants to help sell them for us get in touch with Paul, also if you have any donations of prizes they would be most welcome.

The VSC and the Supporters Club are now involved the IAG, in conjunction with the South Yorkshire Police. It is a supporters led initiative, to cut down on anti-social behaviour at games, how the policing of matches come about , trying to make it a more pleasurable experience going along to the games.

The Rovers show on Trax FM has now moved to a Friday night spot from 6-7pm, with me and Mellony Shepherd talking all things Rovers and local non-league football. Enjoy the game.

Rovers Till We Die Paul Mayfield

VIKING SUPPORTERS CO-OPERATIVE Football is the national game, and football supporters are the lifeblood of the game. While many privately owned football clubs are well run, ours included, there are numerous examples over the years where this model of ownership has failed the supporters of that club, and has led to a number of clubs becoming either partly or fully owned by those supporters.

The Minister Of Sport set up the Expert Working Group with the intention of looking at ways to improve engagement and dialogue between clubs and fans, and therefore to improve transparency and trust.

The detailed recommendations from the EWG led to the government instructing the EFL and the Premier League to enter into structured dialogue with those supporters, and especially with the supporters trust at that club.

As you may be aware the club hold two Meet The Owners events each year which meet the criteria set down by the EFL. On top of that the club have a Supporters Board which meets on a regular basis during the season to discuss a very broad range of topics.

Suffice to say that DRFC have not only met the requirements but have exceeded them in both frequency and content, and that is something we can once again be proud of.

Martin O'Hara

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07:15

15:15

08:30

11:00

10:45

09:30

08:15

08:30

11:45

10:15

09:00

10:45

07:30

11:15

12:15

09:45

13:15

10:00

10:00

09:30

03/05/20 Blackpool

20/08/19 Bolton Wanderers

11/01/20 Bristol Rovers

28/03/20 Burton Albion

28/09/19 Coventry City

01/02/20 Fleetwood Town

15/02/20 Gillingham

14/09/19 Ipswich Town

10/04/20 Lincoln City

07/03/20 MK Dons

12/10/19 Oxford United

26/12/19 Peterborough United

04/01/20 Portsmouth

10/08/19 Rochdale

18/04/20 Rotherham United

22/02/20 Shrewsbury Town

22/10/19 Southend United

26/01/20 Sunderland

26/10/19 Tranmere Rovers

23/11/19 Wycombe Wanderers

13/08/19 Grimsby Town (CC1)

Home Bus Night

16:30

08:15

Home Bus Saturday

10:30

14/12/19 AFC Wimbledon

RETFORD

23/03/20 Accrington Stanley

DESTINATION

16:35

09:35

10:05

10:05

13:20

09:50

12:20

11:20

07:35

10:50

09:05

10:20

11:50

08:35

08:20

09:35

10:50

11:05

08:35

15:20

07:25

08:35

10:35

HAWTH

16:45

09:45

10:15

10:15

13:30

10:00

12:30

11:30

07:45

11:00

09:15

10:30

12:00

08:45

08:30

09:45

11:00

11:15

08:45

15:30

07:35

08:30

10:45

BAWTRY

16:45

09:45

10:15

10:15

13:30

10:00

12:30

11:30

07:45

11:00

09:15

10:30

12:00

08:45

08:30

09:45

11:00

11:15

08:45

15:30

07:35

08:30

10:45

16:50

09:50

10:20

10:20

13:35

10:05

12:35

11:35

07:50

11:10

09:20

10:40

12:05

08:50

08:40

09:50

11:10

11:20

08:50

15:35

07:40

08:50

10:50

PUNCHES

PICK UP POINT ROSS

17:05

10:00

10:30

10:30

13:50

10:15

12:45

11:45

08:00

11:15

09:30

10:45

12:15

09:00

08:50

10:00

11:15

11:30

09:00

15:40

07:45

08:45

10:55

DRI

17:10

10:05

10:35

10:35

13:55

10:25

12:50

11:50

08:05

11:20

09:35

10:50

12:20

09:05

08:45

10:05

11:20

11:35

09:05

15:55

07:50

08:50

11:00

WATERDALE

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DATE

17:15

10:15

10:45

10:45

14:00

10:30

13:00

12:00

08:15

11:30

09:45

11:00

12:30

09:15

09:00

10:15

11:30

11:45

09:15

16:00

08:00

09:00

11:15

KEEP

£22.00

£15.00

£17.00

£23.00

£15.00

£10.00

£14.00

£26.00

£16.00

£21.00

£16.00

£13.00

£24.00

£24.00

£17.00

£16.00

£14.00

£23.00

£15.00

£15.00

£24.00

£15.00

£26.00

£19.00

£21.00

£27.00

£19.00

£12.00

£18.00

£30.00

£20.00

£25.00

£20.00

£17.00

£28.00

£28.00

£21.00

£20.00

£18.00

£27.00

£19.00

£19.00

£28.00

£19.00

£24.00

£17.00

£19.00

£25.00

£17.00

£11.00

£16.00

£28.00

£18.00

£23.00

£18.00

£15.00

£26.00

£26.00

£19.00

£18.00

£16.00

£25.00

£17.00

£17.00

£26.00

£17.00

CONC

NON-MEMBERS ADULT

£15.00

£13.00

£17.00

£15.00

Contact P. Mayfield for details of fares

£24.00

£17.00

£19.00

£25.00

£17.00

£11.00

£16.00

£28.00

£18.00

£23.00

£18.00

£15.00

£26.00

£26.00

£19.00

£18.00

£16.00

£25.00

£17.00

£17.00

£26.00

£17.00

CONC

MEMBERS ADULT

T R AV E L L I N G C O A C H T I M E S

SUPPORTERS CLUB

TRAVEL DETAILS

T R AV E L L I N G G U I D E

ON THE ROAD AFC WIMBLEDON Rovers travel to the capital to face AFC Wimbledon in Sky Bet League One on Saturday Saturday December 14.

Ground: Cherry Red Records Stadium Capacity: 4,850 (2,265 seated) Phone: 020 8547 3528 Postcode: KT1 3PB Travelling by car: Follow the M1 and M25 to the A3, taking the exit at Junction 10 from the M25. Carry on to the A3 on the Kingston Bypass, before turning left on to South Lane, going straight over two roundabouts. Continue, before turning left again onto A2043 Kingston Road, and the ground is on the left.

Travelling by train: The closest station to the Cherry Red Records Stadium is Norbiton station, which is served by South West Trains from London Waterloo. The station is around a 15-minute walk from the ground.

PETERBOROUGH UNITED Rovers will make the trip to the ABAX Stadium to face Peterborough United in Sky Bet League One on Thursday December 26.

Ground: Weston Homes Stadium Capacity: 14,084 (11,417 seated) Phone: 01733 563947 Postcode: PE2 8AL Travelling by car: From the A1, take the exit for the A47, taking the first exit at the roundabout, joining onto the A1260, before taking the third exit at the next roundabout. Follow Morley Road, before taking the first exit at the roundabout onto Celta Road. Turn left onto A15 London Road and the ground is on the right.

Travelling by train: The nearest train station to the Weston Homes Stadium is Peterborough stadium, which is located a mile from the ground. It is reachable via the public bus service which departs a short walk from the station.

39

C L U B D O N C A S T E R F O U N D AT I O N

FOUNDATION UPD

40

A total of 64 secondary school girls from across the region took part in the Utilita EFL Girls Cup here at the Club Doncaster Sports Park, with Hallcross Academy going on to represent Rovers at the area final after winning the tournament.

The six-a-side tournament was made up of eight secondary school teams from: Hall Cross Academy; Hungerhill School; Armthorpe Academy; Selby High School; Trinity Academy Thorne; Outwood Academy Danum and Rossington All Saints Academy.

The teams competed in a league, facing each team once, with the top four schools advancing through to the semi-finals.

After two competitive semi-finals, Selby High School faced off against Hallcross Academy in the final. A nervy encounter saw the match finish goalless after regular time, with Hallcross going on to claim glory in a penalty shootout.

The girls, all year seven and eight students, were proud to represent their school at the tournament and enjoyed the experience throughout.

Hallcross won the majority of their games on their way to finishing second in the league, behind beaten finalists Selby High School.

A strong performance from the Hallcross goalkeeper, who put in two excellent displays during both the semi-final penalty shootout and final shoutoout, saw Hallcross achieve champion status, making them deserved winners of the tournament.

“We are all looking forward to hosting the next part of the event."

The girls were visited by Doncaster Rovers Belles first team goalkeeper Kirsty Johnson, who was on hand to hand out the medals to the winners. The former Sheffield United player also spoke to the girls about her career playing football.

Hallcross will now go on to represent Rovers in the area final, which will be held at the Keepmoat Stadium at the start of 2020. The winner of the area final will then move on to the regional final, with the winner advancing through to the grand final held at Wembley Stadium in March 2020.

Foundation sports development officer Kelly JacksonPowell said was delighted with how all the girls played at the tournament.

A six-a-side contest, the road to the finals began when the new school term started back in September. Each of the 72 EFL clubs organised a local competition for all schools wishing to take part in their area.

She said: “The girls turned up in the pouring rain and played so well. There was plenty of entertaining football throughout and has grown the status of girls’ football in the area.

More than 6,000 girls are involved in the competition each year, as the EFL Trust look to continue to build on the growing support of the women’s game.

C L U B D O N C A S T E R F O U N D AT I O N

DATE

Participants on the third Fit Rovers Ladies course found out their end-of-course results, which has seen the newly formed project have a huge impact on women in Doncaster.

Participants on the course lost a total of 27.7kg throughout their eight-week journey, which looks at improving both physical and mental wellbeing.

Combined with the first and second course, which took place earlier in 2019, the total weight lost by women on Fit Rovers Ladies since May has risen to 95.3kg.

They also lost 100.5cm from their combined waist circumference and drastically improved their physical activity. The three courses have reached new limits, shedding 346cm from their waist.

Having secured a small grant from Sport England back in March, the health and wellbeing team never imagined how successful the women’s version of the awardwinning course would be. As the waiting list continues to grow, more and more women are changing their habits in order to make a positive lifestyle change.

The participants were welcomed onto the programme by Foundation staff members Lauren Cuttell and Maia Smith, who have relished the opportunity to run a ladies’ course.

Members of the first two courses also volunteered their time to help facilitate the most recent course, epitomising the ethos of the health project.

Maia, who balances studying for her degree at Doncaster College with working for the Foundation, said: “I’ve been working with Fit Rovers Ladies since the start and I’ve loved every minute of it.

“Being able to work closely with a great bunch of ladies and see them progress during their eight-week journeys has been amazing.”

Along with fantastic results, course two also saw a retention rate of 96 per cent, as 23 out of 24 women finished the programme.

Course facilitator Lauren Cuttell said: “Course three has defied expectations and is another example of women working hard to make a difference to their lifestyles.

“Over eight weeks, we have had 24 women make huge strides towards

the goals they set for themselves in week one, losing some considerable weight along the way.

“A vast majority of the ladies have expressed an interest in transitioning over onto the Vets sessions.”

Like with Fit Rovers, Fit Rovers Ladies has a veteran group, which sees more than 25 women regularly attend, taking part in circuit sessions, dance classes and a variety of other fitness sessions.

Fit Rovers Ladies is a free adult fitness course aimed at women over the age of 23 and is completely free of charge. It is based here at the Club Doncaster Sports Park.

Unlike big fitness/weight-loss chains that charge you for public weigh-ins and give very little guidance, information at Fit Rovers Ladies is completely confidential meaning you can keep a track of exactly how you’re doing on a one-to-one basis with the dedicated staff team.

For more information on Fit Rovers Ladies, contact the team on 01302 764663 or alternatively at frladies@ clubdoncasterfoundation.co.uk.

41

CLUB DONCASTER AMBASSADORS

BACKGROUND

The Club Doncaster Ambassador programme was launched in August 2016.

The role has changed over the past few years and has had varied degrees of success.

42

WHAT IS AN AMBASSADOR?

The scheme is about connecting with your local area. Your local area being where you live, where you socialise and maybe even place of work. An ambassador is a volunteer, approved by the club and tasked to simply distribute promotional materials from the club on a monthly basis.

The ambition is to have at least one ambassador representing each recognised Doncaster and District village.

We know our supporters base is vast so anywhere from Goole to Retford, Tickhill to Moorends, Thorne to Edlington.

HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED? AND WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO? HOW DO I GET STARTED? Please express your interest by one of the following options:

Contacting the lead ambassador Lee Rourke via supporterservices@clubdoncaster.co.uk, the Club Doncaster Box Office or speaking the the club SLOs. You will then be given more information on the role and asked to sign a disclaimer protecting you and the club.

COMMUNICATION

We meet as a group once per quarter, which is attended by key operational stakeholders within Club Doncaster, including Commercial, Marketing and Ticketing.

You also receive the opportunity to attend other forums on a case by case basis such as Fans Forums, Supporters Boards and Meet the Owners.

YOUR REWARD

A free home ticket to all Rovers league games during the season (subject to your ongoing commitment to the scheme and providing regular proof of distribution.

L E A G U E O N E FA C T S & S TAT S

2019-20 SKY BET

LEAGUE ONE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

WYCOMBE WANDERERS IPSWICH TOWN PETERBOROUGH UNITED ROTHERHAM UNITED COVENTRY CITY OXFORD UNITED FLEETWOOD TOWN BLACKPOOL BRISTOL ROVERS PORTSMOUTH SUNDERLAND BURTON ALBION SHREWSBURY TOWN DONCASTER ROVERS GILLINGHAM ROCHDALE ACCRINGTON STANLEY LINCOLN CITY AFC WIMBLEDON TRANMERE ROVERS MILTON KEYNES DONS SOUTHEND UNITED BOLTON WANDERERS (-12)

P 19 17 18 18 18 17 16 18 17 17 17 17 17 15 18 19 18 17 18 17 18 19 15

W 11 10 9 9 7 8 9 7 8 7 7 6 6 6 5 5 4 5 4 4 4 1 3

D 7 5 4 3 9 5 2 8 4 6 5 6 6 5 6 4 6 3 4 4 1 3 4

L 1 2 5 6 2 4 5 3 5 4 5 5 5 4 7 10 8 9 10 9 13 15 8

TOP GOALSCORERS

F 28 27 40 30 23 37 29 26 23 26 24 21 16 24 21 21 24 18 21 21 15 18 9

A 14 12 23 18 20 19 20 21 22 18 19 18 19 17 21 33 28 22 28 32 29 53 36

GD 14 15 17 12 3 18 9 5 1 8 5 3 -3 7 0 -12 -4 -4 -7 -11 -14 -35 -27

PTS 40 35 31 30 30 29 29 29 28 27 26 24 24 23 21 19 18 18 16 16 13 6 1

D L W W D D L L W W L W D L L W W W W W D L D

W L W L W W W D L D W D D L D L L L W D L L L

FORM W W W W D L W W D D W W L W D W L D D W L W D L W L W W W L L L L D D L L D L W L L L L W W

W D L W W D L W W W D W W D W L L D L L L L W

FIXTURES & RESULTS TUESDAY 26TH NOVEMBER Ipswich Town 0-0 Wycombe Wanderers Portsmouth 3-2 Rotherham United Sunderland 1-2 Burton Albion Tuesday 3rd December Burton Albion 1-1 Southend United

PLAYER

TEAM

Ivan Toney

Peterborough United

GLS 12

Mo Eisa

Peterborough United

12

Paddy Madden

Fleetwood Town

11

Armand Gnanduillet

Blackpool

10

Marcus Maddison

Peterborough United

9

Ian Henderson

Rochdale

9

Kieran Sadlier

Doncaster Rovers

6

SATURDAY 7TH DECEMBER Blackpool v Fleetwood Town Bolton Wanderers v AFC Wimbledon Bristol Rovers v Southend United Burton Albion v Lincoln City Coventry City v Ipswich Town Doncaster Rovers v Milton Keynes Dons Gillingham v Sunderland Oxford United v Shrewsbury Town Portsmouth v Peterborough United Rotherham United v Rochdale Tranmere Rovers v Accrington Stanley SATURDAY 14TH DECEMBER Accrington Stanley v Portsmouth AFC Wimbledon v Doncaster Rovers Fleetwood Town v Gillingham Ipswich Town v Bristol Rovers Lincoln City v Tranmere Rovers Milton Keynes Dons v Oxford United Peterborough United v Bolton Wanderers Shrewsbury Town v Coventry City Southend United v Rotherham United Sunderland v Blackpool Wycombe Wanderers v Burton Albion

D D W L D W W D W W L D L L L L W L W L L D L

43

F I X T U R E S & R E S U LT S

2019-20 ROVERS DATE

OPPOSITION

COMP

STATISTICS SCORE

ATT

AWAY POS

STARTING XI

AUGUST Sat 3

Gillingham

H

EFL1

D

1-1

7,939

618

10

Lawlor

Halliday

Baptiste

Anderson

James

Sat 10

Rochdale

A

EFL1

D

1-1

3,587

805

14

Lawlor

Halliday

Baptiste

Anderson

James

Tue 13

Grimsby Town

A

CC1

L

0-1

2,470

478

-

Dieng

Halliday

John

Anderson

James

Sat 17

Fleetwood Town

H

EFL1

W

3-2

6,740

193

7

Lawlor

Halliday

John

Anderson

James

Sat 24

Lincoln City

H

EFL1

W

2-1

10,177

3,120

8

Lawlor

Halliday

John

Anderson

James James

SEPTEMBER Tue 3

Lincoln City

H

LTG

W

3-1

2,170

433

-

Dieng

Halliday

John

Anderson

Sat 7

Rotherham United

H

EFL1

W

2-1

11,407

3,392

7

Lawlor

Halliday

John

Anderson

James

Sat 14

Ipswich Town

A

EFL1

D

0-0

18,928

621

8

Lawlor

Halliday

John

Anderson

James

Tue 17

Blackpool

H

EFL1

L

0-1

6,964

424

10

Lawlor

Halliday

John

Anderson

James

Sat 21

Peterborough United

H

EFL1

W

2-0

8,940

1,767

7

Dieng

Halliday

John

Anderson

James

Sat 28

Coventry City

A

EFL1

D

1-1

7,010

811

9

Dieng

Halliday

Daniels

Anderson

James James

OCTOBER Sat 5

Portsmouth

H

EFL1

L

1-2

8,962

1,351

10

Dieng

Halliday

Daniels

Anderson

Tue 8

Rotherham United

A

LTG

L

2-3

2,192

557

-

Lawlor

Halliday

Wright

Blaney

Amos

Sat 12

Oxford United

A

EFL1

L

0-3

6,861

491

11

Dieng

Halliday

Daniels

Anderson

James

Sat 19

Bristol Rovers

H

EFL1

W

2-0

7,659

563

9

Dieng

Halliday

Daniels

Anderson

James

Tue 22

Southend United

A

EFL1

W

7-1

5,066

233

6

Dieng

Halliday

Daniels

Anderson

James

Tue 29

Manchester United U21

H

LTG

L

1-2

3,845

545

-

Lawlor

Halliday

Daniels

Wright

James

NOVEMBER

44

Sat 2

Burton Albion

H

EFL1

D

2-2

7,492

361

11

Dieng

Halliday

Daniels

Anderson

James

Sat 9

AFC Wimbledon

A

FAC1

D

1-1

2,777

369

-

Dieng

Halliday

Wright

Anderson

Amos

Tue 19

AFC Wimbledon

H FAC1R

W

2-0

3,413

181

-

Dieng

Halliday

Wright

Anderson

James

Sat 23

Wycombe Wanderers

A

EFL1

L

0-1

4,875

459

13

Dieng

Halliday

Wright

Anderson

James

DECEMBER Sun 1

Gillingham

A

FAC2

L

0-3

3,216

205

-

Dieng

Halliday

Wright

John

James

Wed 4

Leicester City U21

H

LT2

L

0-3

1,322

57

-

Lawlor

Halliday

Daniels

Anderson

Blaney

Sat 7

Milton Keynes Dons

H

EFL1

Sat 14

AFC Wimbledon

A

EFL1

15:00

Sat 21

Accrington Stanley

H

EFL1

15:00

Thu 26

Peterborough United

A

EFL1

15:00

Sun 29

Sunderland

H

EFL1

15:00 15:00

15:00

JANUARY 2020 Wed 1

Oxford United

H

EFL1

Sat 11

Bristol Rovers

A

EFL1

15:00

Sat 18

Coventry City

H

EFL1

15:00

Sat 25

Sunderland

A

EFL1

15:00

Tue 28

Southend United

H

EFL1

19:45 15:00

FEBRUARY Sat 1

Fleetwood Town

A

EFL1

Tue 4

Tranmere Rovers

A

EFL1

19:45

Sat 8

Rochdale

H

EFL1

15:00

Tue 11

Bolton Wanderers

H

EFL1

19:45

Sat 15

Gillingham

A

EFL1

15:00

Sat 22

Shrewsbury Town

A

EFL1

15:00

Sat 29

Wycombe Wanderers

H

EFL1

15:00

MARCH Sat 7

Milton Keynes Dons

A

EFL1

15:00

Sat 14

AFC Wimbledon

H

EFL1

15:00

Sat 21

Accrington Stanley

A

EFL1

15:00

Sat 28

Burton Albion

A

EFL1

15:00

Sat 4

Tranmere Rovers

H

EFL1

15:00

Fri 10

Lincoln City

A

EFL1

15:00

Sat 18

Rotherham United

A

EFL1

15:00

Sat 25

Ipswich Town

H

EFL1

15:00

Sun 3

Blackpool

A

EFL1

12:00

TBA

Bolton Wanderers

A

EFL1

P-P

TBA

Shrewsbury Town

H

EFL1

P-P

TBA

Portsmouth

A

EFL1

P-P

APRIL

MAY

F I X T U R E S & R E S U LT S

SUB 1

SUB 2 Crawford

SUB 3

Coppinger

Sheaf

Whiteman

Sadlier

Gomes

May

Ennis

Coppinger

Sheaf

Whiteman

Sadlier

Gomes

May

Blair

Ennis

Crawford

Blair

Whiteman

Sadlier

Kiwomya

Ennis

Sheaf

Taylor

May

Coppinger

Sheaf

Whiteman

Sadlier

May

Ennis

Taylor

Sterling

Gomes

Coppinger

Gomes

Whiteman

Sadlier

May

Ennis

Sterling

Taylor

Blair Blair

Taylor

Coppinger

Sheaf

Whiteman

Sadlier

May

Ennis

Taylor

Sterling

Coppinger

Sheaf

Whiteman

Taylor

May

Sterling

Ennis

Sadlier

Blair

Coppinger

Sheaf

Whiteman

Blair

Taylor

Ennis

May

Sadlier

Kiwomya

Sadlier

Sheaf

Whiteman

Blair

Taylor

Ennis

May

Coppinger

Coppinger

Sheaf

Whiteman

Sadlier

Taylor

Ennis

May

Daniels

Coppinger

Sheaf

Whiteman

Sadlier

Taylor

Ennis

May

Gomes

Coppinger

Sheaf

Whiteman

Sadlier

Taylor

May

Wright

Greaves

Gomes

Kiwomya

Sadlier

Longbottom

Thomas

May

Coppinger

Sheaf

Whiteman

Sadlier

Taylor

Thomas

Ennis

Daniels

Gomes

Taylor

Coppinger

Sheaf

Whiteman

Sadlier

Taylor

Ennis

Thomas

Wright

May

Coppinger

Sheaf

Whiteman

Sadlier

Taylor

Thomas2

Wright

May

Gomes

Whiteman

Gomes

Kiwomya

May

Ennis

Thomas

Sheaf

Sadlier

Watters

Coppinger

Sheaf

Whiteman

Sadlier

Taylor

Thomas

Gomes

Bingham

May

Coppinger

Sheaf

Gomes

Sadlier

Taylor

Thomas

May

Bingham

Coppinger

Sheaf

Whiteman

Gomes

Taylor

Thomas

Bingham

May

Sadlier

Coppinger

Sheaf

Whiteman

Gomes

Taylor

Bingham

Daniels

Sadlier

May

Coppinger

Sheaf

Whiteman

Gomes

Sadlier

Bingham

May

Thomas

Taylor

Amos

Greaves

Whiteman

Taylor

May

Thomas

Wright

Bingham

Gomes

45

16 04 15 11 17 20 29 26 11 33 24 31 30 12 27 02 28 03 32 13 23 01 21 19 25 34 18 07 06 14 10 39 22 08 05

AMOS, Danny ANDERSON, Tom BAPTISTE, Alex BINGHAM, Rakish BLAIR, Matty BLANEY, Shane BOOCOCK, Rieves COPPINGER, James CRAWFORD, Ali DANIELS, Donervon DIENG, Seny ENNIS, Niall GIBBONS, Myron GOMES, Madger GREAVES, Anthony HALLIDAY, Brad HASANI, Lirak HORTON, Branden JAMES, Reece JOHN, Cameron JONES, Louis KIWOMYA, Alex LAWLOR, Ian LONGBOTTOM, Will MAY, Alfie McLEAN, Rian MYRING, Harrison PRIOR, Cody SADLIER, Kieron SHEAF, Ben STERLING, Kazaiah TAYLOR, Jon THOMAS, Kwame WATTERS, Max WHITEMAN, Ben WRIGHT, Joe TOTALS

EMIRATES FA CUP APPS SUB GLS 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 3 0 0 33 8 3

CARABAO CUP APPS SUB GLS 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 11 3 0

LEASING.COM TROPHY 2019-20 TOTAL APPS SUB GLS APPS SUB GLS 2 0 0 3 0 0 2 0 0 20 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 4 1 0 1 0 3 4 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 18 1 4 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 1 0 8 3 0 1 0 0 13 0 0 2 0 0 10 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 9 6 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 4 0 0 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 20 0 1 1 0 1 9 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 3 1 0 3 0 0 10 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 3 1 2 9 13 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 17 5 7 1 1 0 18 2 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 0 14 7 3 3 0 0 8 2 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 3 0 0 21 0 3 2 1 1 6 4 1 44 12 6 253 60 31

46

SKY BET LEAGUE 1 APPS SUB GLS 0 0 0 15 0 0 2 0 0 1 1 0 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 1 3 0 1 0 6 2 0 8 0 0 7 4 1 0 0 0 4 5 0 0 0 0 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 0 1 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 6 8 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 3 6 14 0 1 1 2 0 11 3 3 3 1 2 0 0 0 15 0 3 1 3 0 165 38 22

CAREER TOTALS APPS SUB GLS 7 3 0 58 2 5 2 0 0 2 4 1 131 24 11 4 0 0 0 2 0 571 73 73 30 14 3 8 3 0 13 0 0 10 4 1 0 0 0 9 6 0 2 0 0 23 0 0 0 2 0 1 1 0 20 0 1 9 0 2 0 0 0 9 11 1 115 0 0 4 8 1 53 63 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 25 16 10 18 2 1 1 3 1 14 7 3 8 2 2 0 1 0 109 9 15 82 11 3

ROLL-CALL

2019-20 ROVERS

ROLL-CALL

18+ only. Begambleaware.org.

IT IS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE TO ENTER THE PITCH OR PERIMETER TRACK. ANYONE DOING SO WILL FACE ARREST AND A BAN FROM WATCHING FOOTBALL ANTI DISCRIMINATION POLICY

DONCASTER ROVERS

MILTON KEYNES DONS

MANAGER Darren Moore

MANAGER Russell Martin

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 39

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 14 15 18 20 22 24 25 26 27 29 33 37 39 40

Ian LAWLOR Brad HALLIDAY Reece JAMES Tom ANDERSON Joe WRIGHT Ben SHEAF Kieran SADLIER Ben WHITEMAN Jon TAYLOR Rakish BINGHAM Madger GOMES Louis JONES Kazaiah STERLING Alex BAPTISTE Danny AMOS Matty BLAIR Cody PRIOR Alfie MAY Shane BLANEY Will LONGBOTTOM Max WATTERS Alex KIWOMYA Seny DIENG Rian McLEAN James COPPINGER Anthony GREAVES Branden HORTON Rieves BOOCOCK Myron GIBBONS Niall ENNIS Cameron JOHN Donervon DANIELS Harrison MYRING Kwame THOMAS

Lee NICHOLLS George WILLIAMS Dean LEWINGTON Joe WALSH Regan POOLE Baily CARGILL Ben REEVES Alex GILBEY Jordan BOWERY Rhys HEALEY Brennan DICKENSON Kieran AGARD Jordan MOORE-TAYLOR Conor McGRANDLES Joe MASON Stuart MOORE Jordan HOUGHTON Callum BRITTAIN Hiram BOATENG Sam NOMBE David KASUMU Ryan HARLEY Dylan ASONGANYI Jay BIRD Matthew SORINOLA

MATCH OFFICIALS

RESPECT THE LAW Supporters are reminded that the Keepmoat Stadium is a strictly no smoking venue. It is an offence to purchase or attempt to purchase alcohol for anybody under the age of 18.

Anybody caught doing so will face ejection from the stadium and prosecution. Anybody who appears to be under the age of 21 will be asked for ID. We appreciate supporters’ co-operation.

MATCH SPONSOR

NEXT UP AT THE KEEPMOAT STADIUM

Referee - Scott Oldham Assistant - Paul Graham Assistant - Wayne Grunnill Fourth official - Martin Woods

Club Doncaster and Doncaster Rovers treats discriminatory anti-social behaviour seriously and wants to ensure the enjoyment of the match for all. If you experience anti-social behaviour close to you, please report it to the nearest steward or police officer. We also offer and anonymous ‘safe text’ service to enable supporters to report their concerns quickly and easily by text message.

Doncaster Rovers Football Club is determined to treat with equal consideration all supporters, regardless of gender, race or ethnic origin, religious belief, age, sexual orientation, disability, or any other unjustifiable reason. The club, in association with its governing bodies (the FA and the EFL) and all footballing authorities, is determined to eradicate racism in football by ensuring that no barriers exist to anyone playing/ enjoying the national game, whatever their ethnic background. To this end, Doncaster Rovers Football Club will not tolerate any form of racism amongst spectators. Anyone found to be culpable of displaying any form of racist behaviour will be removed from the stadium immediately.

ACCRINGTON STANLEY

Saturday 21st December 2019 KO: 3.00pm Sky Bet League One

Please send a text with your location and the location of the offence – e.g. block, row, seat - to 07825012850 with one of the following: • FOUL (language & behaviour) • SMOKE (smoking in the stadium) • RACISM (racist chanting & shouting)

• STAND (standing up) • HPH (homophobic chanting) • DRINK (drinking alcohol in view of the pitch) • PYRO (use of or intended use of any pyrotechnic or smoke bomb) Each message costs one standard text at your local rate.