Doncaster Rovers fan blog: We've been on the slide since Darren Ferguson departed

It may well be hindsight for some supporters, Jack.

But myself and a few friends, who used to support the club regularly a year or so ago, saw what was coming our way back in July/August last year.

I was writing what I thought back then via the VSC website and was rounded on for ‘being negative’! The truth really does hurt sometimes.

Doncaster Rovers fan blog: A lack of direction in player recruitment has proven very costly – Jack Manship

The club has been slowly going backwards since Darren Ferguson left and that includes a brief flourish with Grant McCann’s efforts.

Hope then sprung eternal with the appointment of Darren Moore and, with the help of some quality loan signings, we were competing with the very best in the league until January last year.

Since Ferguson there has definitely been a shift to loans.

McCann brought in Wilks and Kane to give us a quality edge on top of what was, already, a well planned squad built by Fergie over a few seasons.

Of course, McCann unceremoniously left us in the lurch after trimming the squad of some of the best permanent contracted players we had and thereby undoing a lot of the work done by Ferguson.

Moore joined us with little time to build anything so had to rely on a big influx of, albeit, quality loans.

Ben Sheaf proved a great partner for the overworked Ben Whiteman and Seny Dieng proved to be one of the best goalkeepers we’ve seen over the last few years.

That same strategy overflowed into last season but, once again, Darren brought in quality and we were in touching distance of the top of the league. Yes, top of the league!

The question is, then, why have we been on the slide since Fergie?

Well, an over-reliance on loans is, really, only part of the issue. In my view, money (or lack of it where the club is concerned) is the root of the problem.

We have to get loans because we can’t afford quality players. Richie Wellens tried to tell us last July/August when he explained why we hadn’t signed a defensive midfield player – wages! Or a quality goalkeeper on a permanent deal – wages!

Of course, money isn’t the only problem. A severe lack of vision and leadership at board level has been one of the other major factors.

There doesn’t seem to be anyone at board level that thinks they’ve fouled up. From the chief executive up I have seen nothing from anyone that admits responsibility for their part in the monumental disaster that is Doncaster Rovers to date.

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