All Golds v Doncaster KPL1 2017 Final

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6 NO MORE BLOODY SUNDAYS WRITTEN BY GEORGE COWBURN In 1980, Yorkshire TV aired a programme called Another Bloody Sunday chronicling Doncaster’s 1979 season and their attempts over the last four matches of the season to finally win a league game. The title came from long-serving local winger Stuart Piper who said “You wake up on a Sunday morning and it’s there. Another bloody Sunday – it’s there.” Also featured heavily (literally) was Londoner Tony Banham who scored the winning try in Doncaster’s 6-3 victory over Geoff Fletcher’s Huyton team in the last game of the season at Tattersfield, the Dons home ground. The programme is still available on YouTube and makes grim watching at times - training in virtual darkness, a dilapidated stadium, tiny changing rooms with communal baths and defeat after defeat after defeat. The celebrations after the Dons finally got a win were something else, though, as was the warmth, comradeship and loyalty of the team and its faithful band of supporters. Doncaster joined the league in 1951 along with Cardiff who only lasted one season. Despite a respectable 11th place finish in the league, which consisted of all 31 clubs, life was a struggle for the Dons until the 1990s. Starting off with a 10-3 win over Wakefield Trinity at the Doncaster Greyhound Stadium in front of a crowd of seven and www.allgoldsrugby.com @AllGolds facebook.com/AllGoldsRugby

Money troubles were never far away however and new owner John Wright had to rescue the club in 1991 before announcing in 1997 that the club would have to be liquidated unless new owners were found who arrived in the shape of Shane Miller and Craig Harrison. In 2007 the club moved to the new Keepmoat Stadium on the edge of town and dropped their short lived ‘Lakers’ moniker to be known as the Dons again. a half thousand the Dons moved to a new stadium on Bentley Road in 1953, which was later renamed Tattersfield in honour of former chairman Len Tattersfield. Success was elusive, however. Between 1956 and 1961 Doncaster were bottom of the league every year, in the bottom three between 1963 and 1968 and only twice out of the bottom three between 1970 and 1985. The appointment of former Great Britain international Tony Fisher - a tough uncompromising Welshman - as coach heralded happier times in the 1990s. Promotion from Division 2 was achieved in the 1993/4 season when Doncaster finished second behind Workington Town. Overseas players such as Jamie Bloem (who later became a referee), Vila Matautia and Sonny Whakarau and stalwarts like Audley Pennant, Tony Miller and Robert ‘Rocky’ Turner formed the backbone of the team. A sensational start in the top division with wins over St Helens, Widnes and Wakefield Trinity saw the Dons briefly on top of the league. Sadly it did not last and Doncaster finished their only season in the top flight at the bottom, their last win coming against Hull on 15 January (winter rugby league in those days, of course). Relegation and liquidation followed but the club reformed as the Doncaster Dragons in the bottom tier of the league in 1995/6. Tattersfield had been sold for housing and the club moved to the Meadow Court Greyhound Stadium then later shared the Belle Vue stadium with Doncaster Rovers FC. After St John Ellis became coach in 1999 the club began to prosper again. Playing a tough, aggressive, physical style, their ground was referred to as “the House of Pain” by Ellis an ebullient larger than life character who sadly died all too soon on New Years’ Eve 1995. With the legendary Ellery Hanley at the helm, Doncaster (with a young Luke Gale at scrum half) won the 2008 National League 2 play off final 18-10 against Oldham at Warrington’s Halliwell Jones Stadium to earn promotion to the game’s second tier. Unfortunately Hanley resigned shortly after citing financial constraints and the club were relegated back to the third tier the next season. History repeated itself in 2012 when player coach Paul Cooke led the Dons to another play-off victory in Warrington, 16-13 against Barrow, as well as winning the League Leaders Shield. Now back in the third tier and owned by the town’s football club, Doncaster are looking to newly-appointed coach Richard Horne to guide the club to better times ahead - a far cry from the days of “Another Bloody Sunday”. The Documentary is available on YouTube: CLICK HERE 7 Subscribe to our website mailing list to get exclusive All Golds news first.

Money troubles were never<br />

far away however and new<br />

owner John Wright had<br />

to rescue the club in 1991<br />

before announcing in 1997<br />

that the club would have<br />

to be liquidated unless<br />

new owners were found<br />

who arrived in the shape<br />

of Shane Miller and Craig<br />

Harrison.<br />

In 2007 the club moved to<br />

the new Keepmoat Stadium<br />

on the edge of town and<br />

dropped their short lived<br />

‘Lakers’ moniker to be<br />

known as the Dons again.<br />

a half thousand the Dons<br />

moved to a new stadium<br />

on Bentley Road in 1953,<br />

which was later renamed<br />

Tattersfield in honour<br />

of former chairman Len<br />

Tattersfield.<br />

Success was elusive,<br />

however. Between 1956<br />

and 1961 <strong>Doncaster</strong> were<br />

bottom of the league every<br />

year, in the bottom three<br />

between 1963 and 1968<br />

and only twice out of the<br />

bottom three between 1970<br />

and 1985.<br />

The appointment of<br />

former Great Britain<br />

international Tony Fisher -<br />

a tough uncompromising<br />

Welshman - as coach<br />

heralded happier times in<br />

the 1990s. Promotion from<br />

Division 2 was achieved in<br />

the 1993/4 season when<br />

<strong>Doncaster</strong> finished second<br />

behind Workington Town.<br />

Overseas players such<br />

as Jamie Bloem (who<br />

later became a referee),<br />

Vila Matautia and Sonny<br />

Whakarau and stalwarts like<br />

Audley Pennant, Tony Miller<br />

and Robert ‘Rocky’ Turner<br />

formed the backbone of<br />

the team.<br />

A sensational start in the<br />

top division with wins over<br />

St Helens, Widnes and<br />

Wakefield Trinity saw the<br />

Dons briefly on top of the<br />

league. Sadly it did not<br />

last and <strong>Doncaster</strong> finished<br />

their only season in the top<br />

flight at the bottom, their<br />

last win coming against<br />

Hull on 15 January (winter<br />

rugby league in those days,<br />

of course).<br />

Relegation and liquidation<br />

followed but the club<br />

reformed as the <strong>Doncaster</strong><br />

Dragons in the bottom tier<br />

of the league in 1995/6.<br />

Tattersfield had been sold<br />

for housing and the club<br />

moved to the Meadow<br />

Court Greyhound Stadium<br />

then later shared the Belle<br />

Vue stadium with <strong>Doncaster</strong><br />

Rovers FC.<br />

After St John Ellis became<br />

coach in 1999 the club<br />

began to prosper again.<br />

Playing a tough, aggressive,<br />

physical style, their ground<br />

was referred to as “the<br />

House of Pain” by Ellis an<br />

ebullient larger than life<br />

character who sadly died<br />

all too soon on New Years’<br />

Eve 1995.<br />

With the legendary<br />

Ellery Hanley at the helm,<br />

<strong>Doncaster</strong> (with a young<br />

Luke Gale at scrum half)<br />

won the 2008 National<br />

League 2 play off final<br />

18-10 against Oldham at<br />

Warrington’s Halliwell Jones<br />

Stadium to earn promotion<br />

to the game’s second<br />

tier. Unfortunately Hanley<br />

resigned shortly after citing<br />

financial constraints and the<br />

club were relegated back<br />

to the third tier the next<br />

season.<br />

History repeated itself in<br />

2012 when player coach<br />

Paul Cooke led the Dons<br />

to another play-off victory<br />

in Warrington, 16-13 against<br />

Barrow, as well as winning<br />

the League Leaders Shield.<br />

Now back in the third tier<br />

and owned by the town’s<br />

football club, <strong>Doncaster</strong> are<br />

looking to newly-appointed<br />

coach Richard Horne to<br />

guide the club to better<br />

times ahead - a far cry from<br />

the days of “Another Bloody<br />

Sunday”. The Documentary<br />

is available on YouTube:<br />

CLICK HERE<br />

7<br />

Subscribe to our website mailing list to get exclusive <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> news first.

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