Football Season Review

Doncaster Rovers season can be separated into two parts, an exciting first half and a desperate second. The abrupt end to the previous season due to the global Covid-19 pandemic gave manager Darren Moore the opportunity to fix things during an extended summer and built a small but exciting squad that promised much. Rovers recovered well from the blow of losing loan goalkeeper Josef Bursik but missed the chance to spend Christmas Day top of League 1 and things started to go wrong with the opening of the January transfer window. Key man Ben Whiteman was sold to Preston North End for £2million and in March Moore shocked the club by moving to Yorkshire neighbours Sheffield Wednesday. The effects weren’t felt immediately as centre-half Andy Butler took caretaker charge but the cracks soon began to appear. Doncaster slid down the table, winning only two of its last 16 league games to finish in a miserable 14th position. It is a sad way for club legend James Coppinger’s career to end, having announced his retirement the previous summer. There were several players who had enhanced their reputation before being part of a team that absolutely fell apart. Jon Taylor’s influence was limited by injury, Matt Smith and Taylor Richards both impressed whilst on loan, whilst full-backs Brad Halliday and Reece James provided attacking outlets from their defensive positions. The appointment of a new manager will be pivotal to the clubs fortunes as they look to recover from the disappointment of this campaign.

Player of the Season: Reece James