Talking Sport Now & Then: Doncaster Rovers fans deserve Christmas treat

A win over the Bantams, in front of what will be one of the biggest crowds of the season at the Eco-Power Stadium, on Friday night will serve as an early Christmas present for the Rovers’ fans as well as giving the team a confidence-booster ahead of the trip to Notts County on Boxing Day.

Although the rewards for victory in both games will be exactly the same could I suggest that victory over County will mean more to the fans.

I have always felt that there is something extra special at stake over the festive period – especially on Boxing Day.

Although living in Castleford I grew up supporting local rivals Featherstone Rovers as a result of my dad playing for the Post Office Road side, and the two sides often met on Boxing Day when rugby league was a winter sport and I well remember how bad I felt if had Cas won the day. It certainly took the edge off the Christmas celebrations in our house that’s for sure.

Consequently, during my time covering the club I always knew how Doncaster fans were feeling as they made their way home, be it from a home or away game, if Rovers had lost on a Boxing Day.

Still on the subject of Rovers, could I wish chairman Terry Bramall well in his new position.

John Ryan is rightly revered by Rovers’ fans for the job he did as chairman when leading the club from the Conference to the Championship.

But he will be the first to admit that he couldn’t have done it without the financial backing of Terry and Dick Watson.

Whereas I often bumped into Dick at away games and had a post-match chat, I rarely came across Terry. In fact, I probably only interviewed him once.

But I was always aware of the job he was doing behind the scenes, even if some fans at times were not.

Although a different character to Ryan, let’s hope he brings the club a similar success story and that he gets the recognition that he deserves even if that is not his prime objective.

*The PDC world darts championships are now a well-established part of the sporting calendar at this time of the year drawing huge crowds.

Prior to the PDC gaining dominance, I always used to look forward to the BDO world championships held in the first week in January.

The likes of Eric Bristow, John Lowe, Jocky Wilson etc provided some epic finals over the years but the decision of 16 of the top players to leave the BDO in 1993 seriously weakened the competition.

Although I continued to prefer it over the new breakaway competition for a few years and enjoyed watching such characters as Bobby George, Martin Adams and Ted Hankey, the difference in class between the two world championships as time passed was there for all to see.

Doncaster’s Dennis Priestley was one of the stars who helped form the new competition and not only threw the first darts in the first world championship, known as the WDC championship in those days, but went on to win the title when beating the legendary Phil Taylor 6-1.

Like the rest of us I suspect, Priestley, who banked £12,000 for his efforts, didn’t see a day when the PDC would go on to become as big as it has or that the prize money for the winner in 2023 would be around £500,000.

*A lot of people like a ghost story at this time of the year. I know I do.

This one dates back to the late noughties during a time when Doncaster Rovers were in the Championship.

I had been covering a midweek Rovers’ away game and arrived back in Doncaster around 3am.

I was working on my report when I felt a shiver down my spine for some reason. It was a feeling that I had experienced on more than one occasion in my bedroom and in other parts of the family home - which I later learnt was haunted at times by a ghost from next door - when growing up.

I turned around and saw what looked to be a dark shadow pass the fire-door style glass door. I wasn’t sure what I had seen but the incident certainly spooked me and I couldn’t wait to get out of the building, which was like a rabbit warren, though it was some time before I was able to do so.

I didn’t mention anything to my colleagues the next day and had forgotten about the incident until a Sunday afternoon in the summer prior to heading off for a Doncaster RLFC game.

Once again I was alone in the building and was just about to leave via the staff entrance when I heard a huge crash from a top floor room that I had been in a minute or so earlier.

I never got to the bottom of either incident but I did learn later that there had been a paranormal investigation in the past in the cellar.

*Both the Rugby Football League and the Rugby Football Union are investigating ways to make their respective games safer for the players – something as a former player in both codes which I wholeheartedly support.

The RFL have recently announced a series of measures designed to cut down on head injuries as did the RFU some months earlier.

There will be supporters of Doncaster RLFC who will worry that the changes, set to be implemented in the 2024 season, will have a negative impact on the game.

That may well be the case, at least initially, as both players and officials get used to the new regulations, but the players’ future welfare must be the RFL’s No 1 priority.

Medical evidence has shown that big collisions and high tackles pose a danger and changes had to be made to protect both the current crop of amateur and professional players as well as those just starting in the game.

I would support a suggestion by a former international to limit tackles to two defenders.

*Supporters of high-flying Championship side Doncaster Knights have a lot to look forward to in the first half of next year as the Castle Park side look well placed to mount a serious promotion challenge.

Backs coach Joe Ford will also be hoping to help another side in a rival code enjoy success in the coming months.

The brother of England half-back George Ford, and the son of Mike Ford, a star in both codes during his playing days, Joe been drafted in by Super League side Hull Kingston Rovers, who reached the Challenge Cup as well as making the play-offs last season, on a part-time basis to help out with their kicking game.

*Can I wish all readers of this column a very happy Christmas and successful New Year.