Click on the links below to go directly to the relevant parts of the guide :

Club Background; We've Met Before; Photo Galleries; Club News; Club Statistics; Club Information; Directions To The Ground; Web Resources; Food And Drink; Local Amenities

Doncaster's Logo : The Viking. Their more usual nickname is 'Rovers' but you may find kids wearing viking helmets in the ground.

When they first came down to the Conference Donny fans suffered more than most ex-League clubs from a huge collective chip on their shoulders - unsurprising really, given the fact that their club had barely escaped alive after the predations of the disgraced Richardson regime when a concerted effort was made to bankrupt the club. Richardson eventually went to prison for conspiring in an attempt to burn the stadium down. Gradually however the real Rovers fans emerged - passionate about their football and their team, yes, but welcoming and generous too, as over 1,000 Glovers found out when visiting Belle Vue in April 2003 to witness and celebrate Yeovil's capture of the Conference title and their promotion to the Football League. Donny finished third that season, and then became the first club to gain promotion through the new Conference play-off system. The following season, whilst the bride was just missing out on a play-off spot in Division Three, the bridesmaid stormed straight through to secure their first title since 1969.

The away end at Belle Vue - the away accommodation at the Keepmoat will be a bit more salubrious.

As well as progressing on the pitch, Donny are determined to keep up the momentum off it as well. Belle Vue (Earth Stadium) is a crumbling wreck more suited to the outskirts of downtown Kabul than a thriving Football League team. After years of false starts a new 15,000 all-seater ground has been built. The Lakeside Sports Complex (the stadium has now been given the name Keepmoat), mostly funded by the council, is the new home for Doncaster Lakers Rugby League Club, Doncaster Rovers Football Club, Doncaster Rovers Belles Women’s Football Club and the Doncaster & Stainforth Athletics Club. Rovers played their first match there on 1st January 2007.

Chairman/benefactor John Ryan has shown in the past that he's not afraid to put his money where his mouth is when bankrolling the club, and Ryan himself admitted to pumping over £5 million into keeping the club afloat during their years in the Conference - excuse enough then to indulge his life long dream of playing in the red and white colours of the Vikings, accomplished when he took the pitch as a 90th minute substitute at Hereford on the final league game of the 2002-03 season, incidentally becoming at 58 the oldest registered player in the professional game. Shame he didn't actually touch the ball, but the spirit was certainly willing. Ryan has spelt out where he wants to see Donny in the future, and that is in the Championship. He has recently shown some impatience with the fans, or rather with the lack of them. In the league Doncaster are averaging under 6,000 to date this season, which is poor for an urban district of 300,000 with two promotions behind them.

Since reaching League One Donny were very solid for their first two seasons, finishing 10th and 8th. Despite some very impressive cup runs this was not spectacular enough for their fans, or it seems their chairman, and after a less impressive start to this season's campaign the club parted company with the man who had guided them up two levels, Dave Penney. If this surprised outsiders his replacement was even more of a surprise. After leaks that appeared to come from inside the club that they were after Kevin Keegan the new man turned out to be the rather less famous Sean O'Driscoll. Whilst a solid enough manager he wasn't what the supporters were hoping for, and was hard to see how he was going to be any better than Penney in the long run.

Doncaster's Main Stand at Belle Vue. While it survive the arson attempt of Richardson a couple of idiots managed to blow it up at 3.00 a.m in the morning a few weeks ago after tampering with the gas main.

To be fair, O'Driscoll managed to bring home some silverware during his first season with the club, even if it was not quite what Chairman John Ryan might have been hoping for. They managed to bag one of the last of the cup finals at the Millennium Stadium, grabbing the Johnstone's Paint Trophy after defeating Bristol Rovers (snigger) in the final. Prior to reaching the final, Donny looked like they were going to also be play-off chasers, but they appeared to lose their way after getting through the JPT Area Finals and their league season tailed off. An eye on the 'big final' was used by most as an excuse for Donny's suddenly poor league form, and so they were expected to be a top five side during the 2007-08 season. So far though, they've yet to grasp the nettle and currently lie roughly where they've been in the past two seasons - tucked in on the wrong side of the play-off places. They clearly still have a chance for this year, but as the Glovers are finding this season, some very big League One hitters are beginning to pull away from the mid-table pack and that will be a concern to them.

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RECENT RESULTS

01/04/2008	Leeds United	Home	CCL1	L	0-1	15001
05/04/2008	Huddersfield Town	Away	CCL1	D	2-2	10279		Taylor 52, Green 84
11/04/2008	Swindon Town	Home	CCL1	W	2-0	8371		McDaid 39, Stock 68
19/04/2008	Leyton Orient	Away	CCL1	D	1-1	4582		McCammon 60
26/04/2008	Luton Town	Home	CCL1	W	2-0	9332		Mills 34, McCammon 82
03/05/2008	Cheltenham Town	Away	CCL1	L	1-2	6787		Green 76

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES

CLUB GOALSCORERS

Name	LGE	FAC	FAT	LGC	CC	Total
Jason Price	7	0	0	0	0	7
James Hayter	7	0	0	0	0	7
Paul Heffernan	7	0	0	0	0	7
Lewis Guy	6	0	0	0	0	6
Richard Wellens	6	0	0	0	0	6
Paul Green	5	0	0	0	0	5
Brian Stock	5	0	0	0	0	5
Mark McCammon	4	0	0	0	0	4
James Coppinger	3	0	0	0	0	3
Adam Lockwood	3	0	0	0	0	3
Matthew Mills	3	0	0	0	0	3
Gareth Roberts	3	0	0	0	0	3
Sean McDaid	1	0	0	0	0	1
Gordon Greer	1	0	0	0	0	1
Mark Wilson	1	0	0	0	0	1
Gareth Taylor	1	0	0	0	0	1
Own Goals	2	0	0	0	0	2

ATTENDANCE STATISTICS

Highest League Attendance: 15001, vs Leeds United, 01/04/2008
Lowest League Attendance: 5967, vs Yeovil Town, 16/12/2007
Average League Attendance: 7978

CURRENT LEAGUE SEQUENCE STATISTICS

Games Without A Win:	1		Games Without A Home Win:	0
Games Without An Away Win:	5		Games Without Defeat:	0
Games Without A Home Defeat:	2		Games Without An Away Defeat:	0
Games Without A Draw:	2		Games Without A Score Draw:	2
Games Without A No-Score Draw:	28		Games Without Scoring:	0
Games Without Conceding:	0		Home Results Sequence:	WDWLWW
Away Results Sequence:	WLLDDL		Overall Results Sequence:	LDWDWL

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Leave the M18 at Junction 3, taking the first exit (left) at top of sliproad signed Doncaster. Follow the A6182 towards the town Doncaster and after two and a half miles you'll meet a giant roundabout, the Lakeside Shopping Centre on your right........... and the stadium is behind it. That's it.

However you might wish to travel on to Belle Vue, not for the nostalgia but the parking (see Parking below). Follow the brown signs for the Racecourse.

Parking

There is space for 1,000 cars at the new stadium, but N.B.: 1) the charge is £5.00; 2) the stadium encourages the allocation of all parking spaces to multi-occupancy vehicles carrying three or more people. If you have less in your car you may be refused entry.

Alternatively you can make use of the 'Park & Walk' scheme. That large unsurfaced car park is still in front of the Belle Vue stadium. Our interpretation is that this should now be free. As this is an Sunday fixture there may, or may not, be a shuttle bus operating from Belle Vue to the Keepmoat for £1.00. There is for afternoon games but no clarity whether this service is provided for night matches. If running it starts from the Racecourse across the road rather than Belle Vue car park itself, and is operated by First Bus.

The nearby leisure complex between the two grounds is not advised for parking unless you can demonstrate you are a customer of one of the facilities there. Wheel clamping is in operation.


By Rail

There's normally a good direct service to Doncaster from London King's Cross, with several trains an hour through the day taking from one hour forty-one minutes to one hour fifty-one minutes. Services are offered by Hull Trains and GNER.

Doncaster railway station is near the town centre and a long walk from the ground so you may want a bus or taxi (see below).

By Bus

Nos. 72, 72A, 75 and 75A serve the Lakeside area.

By Taxi

A selection of Doncaster taxi companies can be found here.

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Local Pubs :

It has to be said that, fairly or unfairly, Doncaster doesn't have the best reputation as a friendly place to visit. Whilst we've always found the great majority of their population entirely decent chaps and chapesses they do seem to have an element (mostly snotty-nosed yoofs) that want to perpetuate the stereotypical image of Yorkshire folk as miserable bleeders whose sole aim in life is to confirm their prejudice that all Southerners (and anyone else from outside a two-mile radius of Doncaster one suspects) are poofters who need their legs broken to prove it. If it's aggro you want you can find opportunities to demonstrate you're 'ard enuff fairly easily. Otherwise most visiting fans make their time in Doncaster a brief one.

There is the usual mix of chain pubs and local boozers in town. The prices are generally good and there’s plenty of pool tables and Sky Sports screens to go round. Of those nearer the ground there are a couple of pubs that seem to be geared towards the races rather than the football but could easily satisfy your thirst. The first of these two is the Grand St Leger Hotel. It can be found on the corner of the last roundabout before you reach the old ground, diagonally opposite the race course. The Cheswold is about ten to fifteen minutes walk from the ground deep into a large leisure park. Family friendly - if you have a family utterly lacking in taste - but not keen on colours.

We've tried quite a few hostelries in the area over the years. The two that have stood out for good beer are The Salutation in Doncaster and the Scarbrough Arms a few miles away in Tickhill.

An alternative in Tickhill to the Scarbrough Arms © Hugh Gleave Carpenters Arms: Also in Tickhill and an alternative to the Scarbrough Arms if you also want food. Real ales are Jennings Cumberland Ale, Black Sheep Best Bitter and John Smith's Bitter. Good portions of food, and a fairly wide ranging menu. Children are welcome in the conservatory, and there is a garden and play area for younger ones. Opening 12.00 p.m. - 11.00 p.m. everyday, except Saturday when it closes at 12.30 a.m. and Monday when it doesn't open at all. Own car park. Carpenters Arms, Westgate, Tickhill, South Yorkshire, DN11 9NE. Tel: 01302 742839. Map: Click Here.

Cheswold: Brewers Fayre pub in the Doncaster Leisure Park, ten minutes from the ground. Caters particularly for those with younger families. Standard Brewers Fayre menu, large children's area, etc. The chain makes lots of money so some people must like their pubs. We don't. Cheswold, Doncaster Leisure Park, Bawtry Road, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN4 7NW. Tel: 01302 533000. Map: Click Here.

Posh, but has no problem with serving football fans © Hugh Gleave Grand St. Leger Hotel: A couple of minutes walk if you've chosen to use the old Belle Vue car park and your party want a drink. Up-market looking outside, London prices inside, 3 star hotel which perhaps surprisingly has never had any issues with football fans dropping in. Hotel style bar - as one would expect given it's a hotel - open to non-residents. Mostly standard fizz, though there was one real ale on. Can't now recall what it was, so nothing exciting presumably. Open all day. Grand St. Leger Hotel, Racecourse Roundabout, Bennetthorpe, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN2 6AX. Tel: 01302 364111. Map: Click Here.

Salutation : best pub in the area © Hugh Gleave Salutation: Old coaching inn dating from 1745. Large single bar, partially divided into smaller areas. Good cheap food served 12 noon - 9.00 p.m. The large screen had gone last time we used the place but word is it's now been replaced by a couple of plasma TVs. Does an excellent range of real ales. Tetley Bitter and Dark Mild are regulars, with a changing series of up to seven guests. There's also a beer brewed in aid of Doncaster Rovers - but you don't have to drink that. Popular with Donny fans, and a chatty and friendly crew they were too. The only downside is that it is a long walk to the ground. Opening 12 noon - 11.00 p.m. (12.00 midnight Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, 10.30 p.m. Sunday). Some (very) limited parking. Wheelchair friendly. Salutation, 14, South Parade, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN1 2DR. Tel: 01302 368464. Map: Click Here.

Traditional pub out in Tickhill © Hugh Gleave Scarbrough Arms: Those preferring to drink outside Doncaster will find this repeated winner of local CAMRA awards is still OK but not what it was in our opinion after a change of ownership. Opening hours are 11.00 a.m. (noon Monday) - 3.00 p.m and 6.00 p.m. - 11.00 p.m. on weekdays, 11.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m. Saturday. The pub is divided into three smallish rooms each with a different atmosphere. For those who have eaten there in the past - and excellent it was too - the news is..... they don't do food any more. Beers are now the rather dull Greene King Abbot, John Smith's Bitter and Courage Directors as regulars, though the guests were interesting last time we called in. Children welcome. Tables outside for good weather. Good sized car park. Scarbrough Arms, Sunderland Street, Tickhill, South Yorkshire, DN11 9QJ. Tel: 01302 742977. Map: Click Here.

The Park Hotel: A venue we haven't used so just going on reports: stacked out with Doncaster fans, but friendly before kick-off. However some have mentioned problems after games, so this may be one for a pre-match sup. They do food there as well, with decent sized chip baskets to keep the stomach quiet. The Park Hotel, 232 Carr House Road, Hyde Park, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN4 5DS. Tel: 01302 364008. Map: Click Here.

Likelihood the Natives Will Understand You :

Low, unless you insert a collection of localised additions around your usual conversation. Useful sentences would include "Di’ye know the way t’ground?" and "Amaye a’rite fer a pint?" We suggest you also shy away from heavy usage of phrases containing ‘mate’, ‘geezer’ and ‘gert any zider, boy’ as this will swiftly identify you as a bit of an outsider.

Top-Tip :

Stay up the day before and have a go on the Gee-Gees whilst you're there. Although that would mean you'd have to sample some of the Doncaster nightlife. On second thoughts ...

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[No responsibilty is taken for any inaccuracies. This page is entirely the product of bias and prejudice.]

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