Doncaster Rovers appeal to supporters for help after unveiling ticket refund options

The club have unveiled two options for season ticket holders plus others for match ticket holders - including donating the cost of the tickets back to the club or claiming vouchers instead of cash.

And the accompanying message from chief executive Gavin Baldwin is one of calling upon fans to be mindful of the club’s plight when making their final decision.

“For some time now we have used In Rovers We Trust as our mantra for fan engagement and asked you to trust us to do the right thing by you,” Baldwin said in an open letter to fans.

“More than ever, we need you as supporters to help us survive to ensure we have a football club to support in the future.”

The club’s main income streams were cut off overnight when football was suspended in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the season eventually curtailed earlier this month.

The announcement of the refund option is the start of the ‘In Rovers Supporters We Trust’ campaign, spinning off from the ‘In Rovers We Trust’ fan engagement scheme.

It is a campaign that has been formulated with the Rovers Supporters’ Board, which is made up of key figures in the various supporters’ groups associated with the club.

And the Supporters’ Board was also heavily involved in approving the range of refund options available to fans.

Options for those who have purchased season tickets for the 2020/21 season will be announced when details of that season, including a start date, are confirmed.

Baldwin’s open letter in full read:

“Dear Doncaster Rovers supporters,

“Thank you for your continued support this season and in particular over the past months.

“These are difficult times for us all and the level of commitment you have already shown to the club has been incredible.

“I also want to thank you for your patience over the last few days as we finalised our plans with respect to our commitment to refunds and crediting those supporters who had already purchased tickets for any of our cancelled 2019/20 Sky Bet League One games.

“The options we present today are for those with tickets for the 2019/20 season only.

“We will update on options for those who have already purchased tickets for the 20/21 season, when we have clarity on what that will look like.

“As a club, we take pride in the way we operate and hope that you do too.

“We aim to treat all our fans with respect and integrity and value all of our interactions with supporters from all of our elite teams.

“We built our refund policy in collaboration with our Supporters Board and reviewing the decisions of other clubs across the EFL, which have been varied.

“Since the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic began we have seen almost all of our revenue streams diminish to zero.

“Ticket sales and other associated matchday incomes have stopped, and we have been unable to generate revenues from events such as The Killers concert and our weekly car boot market.

“Revenue from 5-a-side football pitch hire has also stopped and revenues from stadium and car park leases has diminished as other businesses also feel the impact of lockdown.

“At the beginning of this crisis, the owners each put an additional six figures into the club to keep it going and since then both players and senior management have taken pay cuts or deferrals.

“These actions, along with your continued incredible support through donations, lottery subscriptions and other purchases have no doubt helped us survive the last three months.

“Despite these setbacks we have also continued to take our place in the community.

“We have organised food donations, we have helped raise money for the NHS through our online auction and members of our staff including Darren Moore have been volunteering for local charities such as b:friend to reach out to those who may be isolated.

“The Government’s job retention scheme has without doubt helped ease the burden of paying staff salaries as we have been able to furlough the majority of non-playing staff.

“However, as this scheme begins to slow down and as the country eases out of lockdown with shops, food chains and cinemas beginning to open, football is still to learn its long-term fate.

“At present, we are planning for next season with a fear and expectation that at least some of it will have to be played behind closed doors.

“We have no knowledge of when our biggest income stream (ticket sales) is to return and yet we still have to plan for next season from a playing perspective.

“It is against this backdrop that we issue our refund strategy - In Rovers Supporters We Trust.

“For some time now we have used In Rovers We Trust as our mantra for fan engagement and asked you to trust us to do the right thing by you.

“More than ever, we need you as supporters to help us survive to ensure we have a football club to support in the future.

“Having discussed and presented our refund policy to our Supporters Board, we have finalised [...] options.

“In presenting these options we ask that if you are in a position to donate your compensation back to the club you do so in the knowledge it will help your club survive these challenging times.

“The word supporter has never been so relevant.

“Regards, Gavin Baldwin, Chief Executive.”

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