GOLDEN GOALS: Billy Sharp's 'goal from heaven' for Doncaster Rovers

It could be the pure joy or relief of a strike which secures something very special for your club. It could be the delight of witnessing an exceptional feat from a player at the peak of their powers.

But one goal in Rovers’ history transcended all that and brought us one of the most iconic images in the club’s history.

In terms of skill and quality alone, Billy Sharp’s strike against Middlesbrough on November 1, 2011 is worthy of highlighting. It was outstanding.

But it was in the seconds that followed the ball hitting the back of the net, as raw, visceral emotion came to the surface, that rendered this one goal truly unforgettable.

Only a few hours earlier, it had been announced that Sharp’s newborn son Luey had died, just two days after his birth.

I remember vividly, not too long after the announcement was made, a call coming in to the Free Press sports desk from Rovers’ late media manager Steve Uttley.

“Billy is playing tonight.”

It was a surprise, certainly. But there were feelings of unease, and concern for one of the game’s genuine good guys.

One can only imagine what was going through the mind of Sharp himself in those hours before kick-off.

Just three days after the death of his son, the 24-year-old was going back to work. And that job would put him centre stage in front of thousands of people, as well as scores more looking on from afar as they became aware of his heartbreaking story.

Manager Dean Saunders had left the decision to Sharp. On being told the striker want to play, he handed him the captain’s armband.

Earlier this year, speaking in an interview with his current club Sheffield United, Sharp described his determination to play as ‘selfish.’

“I didn’t train for three days and I didn’t eat or drink,” he told the One of Our Own podcast.

“I was at the hospice in Wetherby and Dean Saunders rang me to ask if I was all right.

“I said ‘I want to play tonight.’

“He said ‘you’ve not trained for three days but that’s the best news I’ve heard all day. You’ll be captain tonight, see you later.’

“It was selfish because I left my now-wife Jade in the hospice to go and play football. But I think it’s the best thing I did.

“I got to the ground and Copps [James Coppinger] pulled me to one side and said ‘I’m glad you’re here’ which made me feel good.

“I wore the armband for the first time in my career, went out and scored a goal which was the selfish thing I wanted to do.”

The most raw of minute’s applauses was held before kick-off with Sharp understandably struggling to hold in his emotions.

The goal itself came just 14 minutes into the game.

Loanee Ryan Mason tried to get a bouncing ball under control and was tripped as he did so, sending the ball forward.

El Hadji Diouf - who was making his Rovers debut in the game, arriving as part of the ill-fated ‘Experiment’ - showed his tremendous ability as he met the ball with a wonderful touch with the outside of his boot in a semi-backheel motion, sending it looping over the Middlesbrough defence.

Sharp gave chase on the left of the box, watched the ball drop and connected with a sweet, controlled volley with the instep of his left foot.

The strike lobbed Boro keeper Jason Steele and nestled into the far corner. A brilliant goal from a player at the peak of his powers.

Sharp ran away and lifted the front of his shirt to reveal a message on a t-shirt, printed without prompting by Rovers’ legendary kit man Dave ‘Mud’ Richards.

‘That’s for you son.’

After being congratulated by team mates, he remained in the corner by himself.

He stood, arms spread wide, looking to the heavens. Tears filled his eyes and his face bore an expression suggesting he was on the brink of either crumbling or screaming.

In that one moment, he stood alone. A father grieving his son after delivering a tribute the best way he knew how.

But at the very same time, that grief was being shared by everyone else in the Keepmoat that night. A collective outpouring of emotion - sorrow for the tragedy; sympathy and warmth for not a footballer, but a man close to their hearts.

“That was a tough night, but selfishly I’d got what I wanted,” Sharp said earlier this year. “I wanted to score a goal for people to remember him by and that is exactly what happened.

“My team mates that night, the manager, fans and the whole world really - it was overwhelming the support myself, Jade and my family got.

“It just showed the strengths of football and the beautifulness of football. How it can bring people together.”

Rovers went on to lose that match 3-1, to a Middlesbrough side that narrowly missed out on the play-offs.

Never has a result, even in a relegation season such as this one, had less significance.

Boro boss Tony Mowbray told those assembled in the Keepmoat press room afterwards: "For him to score a wonder goal, your headlines should be there really – a goal from heaven."

A special, unforgettable moment summed up perfectly in four words.