Article: Mark Denham & Barrie McAuliffe
Saturday 16th August 2008 vs. Doncaster Rovers (Coca-Cola Championship)
Our second away game in five days comes this Saturday at Doncaster Rovers' Keepmoat Stadium - a stadium we visit for the very first time.
Rovers are very much a club in the ascendancy, climbing from the National Conference to the Championship in just five seasons. A new stadium has aided their cause, the Keepmoat replacing Belle Vue at the beginning of 2007.
Despite many tipping Doncaster for prolonged success in the Championship, they are the newest side to the league and the underdog tag could be a blessing. Rovers finished League One in third place last term, promoted via the play-offs as a result of a 1-0 win over Leeds United at Wembley in May. It's the first time that the South Yorkshire club have been in England's second tier in over 50 years.
Rovers and 'City haven't faced each other in the league for over ten years, the last occasion being in 1997/1998 when the Bluebirds triumphed 7-1 at Ninian Park. Doncaster were relegated from the football league later that season, their regained status an indication of just how far they have come and how much they have recovered in a relatively short period of time.
Manager Sean O'Driscoll should be confident of at least maintaining Championship status this year. Over the summer period, Darren Byfield, Tomi Ameobi and former Cardiff loan signing, James Chambers have joined ranks. Doncaster also paid out a record 300,000 to Manchester City for Matthew Mills.
Veteran Goalkeeper Neil Sullivan will be a re-assuring presence again this term. Last season's joint top scorers, Paul Heffernan and James Hayter will be looking to establish themselves at this higher level, whilst former Swansea player Jason Price posed a threat from midfield for Rovers in the last campaign and will aim to continue that form.
Whilst survival and stabilisation for O'Driscoll's men will be the priority this season, there is enough quality in the ranks to suggest there could be more for Doncaster fans to cheer about during this historic Rovers return.
Rovers arguably took the main spotlight in the opening Championship weekend as their 1-0 win over freshly relegated Premier League Derby County not only added further pressure on Paul Jewell in the Rams hot-seat, but also sent out a signal that Doncaster had maintained their winning run and were by no means intent on being whipping boys for the 2008/09 campaign.
After the game O'Driscoll said, "I felt we played well and I'm pleased with the way we adapted to our first game in the Championship. It was a challenge for our players coming to play against a team that were in the Premier League last season. The players have showed that they are up for the challenge and now we have to maintain it."
As always in football, in particular at football league level, great highs are often followed by a kick in the unmentionables, which was of course the case midweek when Doncaster were forced to come back down to earth with an extra time 1-0 away loss at Notts County in the Carling Cup.
Rovers fans will no doubt take the loss with a pinch of salt, what with the priority of Championship stability this year. With the cup no longer any form of distraction we fully expect a strong test this Saturday up north.
