Ambitious Sports Direct-sponsored Doncaster City could be set for double promotion

The Sports Direct-sponsored outfit established by former football agent Willie McKay are enjoying a fine first campaign and sit top of the Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior Football League Division 2 with 15 wins from 15.

They have applied to join the Central Midlands Football League for the 2023/24 season.

"We will go through the criteria and see what best suits them,” said Paul Vallis, the league’s chairman.

“If they get everything right they could go into the Premier Division (Step 7), but we have got some clubs from our division that also want to go up.”

Promotion to the Central Midlands League North Division would put Doncaster one division below the Northern Counties East Football League Division One, which is home to Armthorpe Welfare and Rossington Main.

Doncaster City currently play their home games at Armthorpe’s Marra Falcons Stadium but do have plans to build a ground of their own in Bawtry.

The club has agreed to remain at the Marra Falcons Stadium for a second season while they seek planning permission.

That could help their application to join the Central Midlands League, which will assess the suitability of their facilities against the FA’s ground grading requirements, Mr Vallis said.

Doncaster City should discover their fate by mid to late April.

The club has provisionally resigned from the Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior Football League but could re-enter if their Central Midlands League application is unsuccessful.

Mr Vallis said the Central Midlands League offers clubs a better chance of moving up the football pyramid.

He added: “We think the standard is fairly high and anybody who wins promotion has got a really good chance of doing well the next season.”

Meanwhile, Staveley Miners Welfare Reserves will face Club Thorne Colliery in the final of this season’s Abacus Lighting Floodlit Cup.

The Trojans won their semi-final on penalties after a 1-1 draw with South Normanton Athletic.

Jordan Simmonite scored for Staveley before Elliott Bland equalised for the Shiners, with the hosts winning 5-4 in the penalty shoot-out.