GOING UP - DONCASTER ROVERS
Friday 11th July 2008
by Simon Skinner

Continuing our look at the sides promoted from League One into the Championship today we cast our eye over the League One play off winners, Doncaster Rovers.

Last Season: Donny made it up via the play offs having seen off the terribly hard done to and victimised Leeds United at Wembley. Rovers should really have nailed down the runners up spot that Forest pipped them to on the final day. Had they won at Cheltenham on the last day they would have done it but they got turned over and slipped into third. They managed to pick themselves up for the play offs though and smashed Southend in the second leg before turning dirty Leeds over and climbing into the second tier of English football for the first time in over half a century. 

Transfers: Things have been pretty quiet at the Keepmoat this summer with John Spicer from Burnley being the only signing of any note. They have lost Paul Green to Derby County and Graeme Lee has dropped down a couple of divisions to sign for Bradford City. They will surely have to strengthen further and I would suggest that the loan market is the way they will go in the next couple of weeks. 

The Manager: Sean O’Driscoll is at the helm at Doncaster Rovers and he cut his managerial teeth in a six year spell at Bournemouth for whom he also made over four hundred appearances as a player. He managed to get The Cherries promoted and since joining Donny he has led them to the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in 2007. 

The Ground: The Keepmoat Stadium is another new one for most Rangers fans and Rovers have been there for about 18 months now. Another out of a box ground as seems to be the rather sad vogue these days; it is shared with Doncaster Lakers rugby league team and the famous Doncaster Belles monkey tennis side.  

Last Time We Met: Rangers haven’t met Rovers for over twenty years and that was an FA Cup third round tie in 1985 in which Doncaster triumphed. There have only been nine encounters all told between the teams and the Yorkshiremen have the advantage with five wins to three and none draw. 

QPR Connections: Rufus Brevett was signed from Doncaster when Don Howe was searching desperately for defenders in the early 90’s. Steve Burke was shipped out to Doncaster after a pretty uneventful spell at Loftus Road.