Curtail or continue? How Doncaster Rovers fans feel about deciding the 2019/20 season

A small majority of Doncaster Rovers fans are happy for the League One season to be curtailed, a Free Press poll has revealed.
The Keepmoat StadiumThe Keepmoat Stadium
The Keepmoat Stadium

It is expected that the process of curtailing the 2019/20 season will begin in earnest on Tuesday when EFL clubs will vote on the manner in which the campaign will be decided should no further regular season matches be played.

Though some clubs are desperate for the campaign to be played out on the pitch, it has been forecast that the majority in League One are keen to end the season now, with concerns over the financial impact of playing without crowds due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Rovers have yet to make public their stance on discussions. It is understood however that they are willing to follow the prevailing view, which appears to be curtailment.

And ending the season now has the support of the majority of Rovers supporters who took part in our poll on Twitter.

Of the 678 people who responded, 59.9 per cent said they were happy to see the season ended, with the remaining 41.1 per cent eager for matches to resume.

A number also offered explanations of their views.

@apstubbings: End it now, for me. I think the cost and hassle for a club of our size would be too great to overcome (I may be wrong) and we're likely to not have key players available due to contracts. None of us can attend games either so it would feel a hollow experience anyway.

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@EmilyMaddock: End it now unless the club is struggling more than we know and needs the revenue it *might* get. I don’t think it’s safe to be starting, and these lads have young families.

@MichaelSeaglass: The season should be curtailed. Covid 19 is something that could not have been foreseen. **** happens. I agree with Darren Moore the season should be declared null and void. No one should be promoted or relegated. To use, that over used phrase; “it is what it is “. So no one is to blame. Start again next season. Hopefully, without more farcical handling by the EFL of situations like Bolton and Bury.

@bigmatt1970: End it, too high a cost to resume, and with no gate income seems unsustainable.

@EJWilson5: End it, regroup for next season, clubs surviving into next season and beyond is more important than 9-10 games

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@SincerelyMe010: Gone for resume. Don't want the club to suffer but would love to see us sneak into the playoffs at Posh's expense. Or better yet, beat them in the final.

@JT__90: My view was always, end season, promote top 3 and relegate bottom 3, but now other football is back I’m looking at it different and if we had anything to play for also my decision would be play on!

@malcdonny: End it now. This is the more sensible option. If the season resumes, there is still a chance that it won’t be finished anyway.

@AshleyMallett3: End it. Health before football. Doesn’t affect us in any event. Not been at the races in a lot of games, unlike last season. Always a rebuild season. Not a contender. Protect finances. Move on.

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@alanjones142: Said end it now weeks ago and if the EFL were of any use, they would have forced the issue. Time for big changes at governance level!

@nwarddrfc: I went for resume playing, however not at the expense of losing the club. I hope no more clubs go out of business after the mess of Bury and Bolton this season I can see lots of changes especially at league 1 and below. Things like full squads of youth players

@TPritch58: Footballs not the same without a beer with the lads.

@DJLazarus: Give us the three points for the Bolton game, then end the season

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@superryandunphy: On the off chance we won the playoffs, I wouldn’t want our championship games played behind closed doors. Let’s wait a year...!

@ChrisDonald92: End it now. Not going down, not likely to make play offs and not strong enough to go up anyway if we did. If we start new season in Aug/Sept then let’s just regroup and start again as a club in a relatively stable position.

@Stevedcfd: I’ve voted for ending it now but I don’t believe the ppg resolution is fair or right. But the cost of testing and bringing players off Furlough plus maybe short term contracts would be a big cost for our club.

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