Talking Sport Now & Then: ​Dons coach has different view while Knights rue inconsistency

Yet, whereas McCann was in his usual position stood on the touchline in front of the West Stand, Horne was sat in his usual place in the West Stand near the press box where he kept in touch with an assistant on the touchline over things such as substitutions.

“I don’t know about football because it’s a faster game, but as far as rugby league is concerned I always think that you can see a game better being sat in the stand,” said Horne. “I’ve watched games from the touchline and as well as not seeing much you can get emotionally involved in the game because the players are coming off pumped up and you can make decisions based on emotion rather than logic.”

I remember at least one Rovers’ manager over the years asking ‘what game had I been watching?’ when asking a question during a post-match press conference.

That question arose as a direct result of the two of us watching the game in question from a different viewing point. I maintained then, and still do today, that journalists in the press box – as do a lot of supporters - often have a better view of the action than the manager.

*How frustrating it must be for Doncaster Knights to have completed a league double over defending Championship champions and current league leaders Ealing Trailfinders, who are otherwise unbeaten, knowing that their dreams of Premiership rugby will not be realised again this season.

The only Championship team to meet the RFU’s criteria in order to feature in a promotion play-off with the side finishing bottom of the Premiership if they finished the season in top spot, Knights currently find themselves in a mid-table place with no chance of overhauling Ealing, who bounced back from their defeat at Castle Park with an 80-5 demolition of fifth-placed Nottingham in the capital at the weekend.

Whereas Knights proved in their two wins over the big-spending Trailfinders that they can mix it with the best, their form against other teams has been mixed and they will no doubt be looking to put that right during the run-in and challenge for a more respectable top-four spot.

Knights, who beat London Scottish 42-5 at the weekend in the capital, are back in action at Castle Park on Saturday where they entertain second-placed Bedford Blues, who beat sixth-placed Cornish Pirates 45-24 at the weekend.

In the days when I covered Knights, the games against Bedford, who always boasted a reputation for throwing the ball about, were always one of the most, if not the most, entertaining games of the season. Hopefully, what is traditionally an above average crowd for the fixture, will be treated to another entertaining game.

*Doncaster Athletic Club stage their annual Spring Open Track & Field meeting on Saturday, which has again attracted a good entry from several counties.

The action gets underway at 10am with the afternoon session starting at 2pm. Entry is free as is car parking in No 2 and No 3 car parks.

As in previous years, the Donny Mile, which boasts sizeable cash prizes for the respective winners, will bring down the curtain.

*Could I take the opportunity to thank Rovers’ superfan Paul Mayfield, who I got to know well during my time reporting on the club, for taking the trouble to wish me a happy 77th birthday via my wife’s facebook.

I have fond memories of Paul handing out load of cakes and biscuits to journalists in the press box which were always greatly appreciated by both local and visiting reporters.

*I was sorry to learn of the recent death of former World heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman, who I remember getting up in the early hours to watch back in the 70s – one of the best decades for the sport.

He was a fearsome puncher and rated by many good judges as the hardest puncher of all time.

Others claim that honour belongs to Earnie Shavers, who won 70 of his fights inside the distance with 23 of those coming in round one.

Surprisingly, Foreman and Shavers never met in the ring despite plying their trade in the same star-studded era. Given their respective punching power – Foreman enjoyed 68 wins inside the distance – it would have likely have been a short-lived affair had they done so.

I was fortunate to get the chance to interview Shavers in a one-on-one situation on his visit to Doncaster a few years ago and he came across as a humble, modest man who I quickly warmed to.

*The Doncaster cricket scene is nowhere near as vibrant as when I first started working in the city nearly 50 years ago with many clubs, and several leagues. having folded during that time, but there will be hundreds of keep cricketers who will be looking forward to the start of the 2025 campaign this month,

There are many reasons for the decline in participation, one of the main ones being the fact that the game takes up most of a Saturday afternoon/evening and social attitudes have changed in recent years.

On the plus side the facilities at a lot of clubs are significantly better than they were back in the 70s when the city boasted one of the biggest leagues in the country with over 100 teams plying their trade in the Doncaster and District League which folded over a decade ago despite various efforts by the management committee.