Re: Richard Horne : Fri Sep 27, 2019 11:48 am  

Yup I agree Double Movement, I think the game in general is struggling to find a audience. Crowds have declined across all divisions for me to many counter attractions in the Summer (holidays etc etc) we were resonably unique in being a winter sport and that was our niche.

I just dont feel the same going to games anymore, its all to clinical these days, there was always something comforting about a wet and windy Sunday at Crown Flatt.

To reply to Another Penalty, yes I can be negative I've been a Dons supporter long enough to see many many false dawns and almosts only to have the rug pulled out from under our feet, experience has told me to expect the worst and be suprised when something positive happens. If we do gain promotion it will be a well done with RH and the players, but you have to temper that positivity with realism that to survive in the Championship we will need to heavily invest in almost an entirely new squad there are probally only a hand full of the current squad who are ready for that level and its rigours.

Our recruitment (some recent notables aside) on the whole has been poor its we have improved with midseason signings and been fortunate that there are some poorer sides in CL1. We wont have this in the Championship every single game will be a challenge. If we get promoted and if we recruit (no reliance on DR) well for the season I could be positive about our chances of retaining Championship status, but as yet its an IF and history indicates we traditionally dont recruit well in the off season.

Re: Richard Horne : Fri Sep 27, 2019 12:20 pm  

Some very good posts on here at present. Every on this site usually at heart wants the club to do well. There is frustration at present, with the lack of promotion probably being the biggest factor. The club is financially sound, the set up and the stadium is first class. All that is needed is the promotion cherry. York IMO are a good example at present, the crowds have come back given their excellent run of form. This assists with player recruitment and they now have the added benefit of their new stadium to look forward to.

We will at some point get out of this League, I am not convinced it will be this year, we may just fall short again but it will come.

Re: Richard Horne : Fri Sep 27, 2019 1:30 pm  

York and much as it agreives to to say but T'Eagles have both done very well on limited budgets and being effectively nomads for a few years, they have reinforced there identities and performed on the pitch which as you say has brought the crowds in, we need to follow in there footsteps going forward, a stable and settled side can do wonders (see second half of season). I am still skeptical of RH he needs to win me over gaining promotion would be a good step, failing to do so I would still see as failure given all the pre-season hype and rhetoric we were fed.

And Wilf surely I am being a negative nelly who has no right to comment as I dont attend games.... :-p

Re: Richard Horne : Fri Sep 27, 2019 1:50 pm  

Without doubt, York have done an outstanding job not only getting out of this league but also with their achievements in the Championship this season. They deserve a huge amount of credit. It's great to see their attendances improving too, giving hope to everyone else that they may do the same. I'm sure there's much that can be learned from what York have done.

Championship One is a tough league to get out of but this season has probably provided an easier challenge than of late with no Toronto, Toulouse, or Bradford to deal with. Having said that, the likes of Whitehaven, Oldham and Newcastle are certainly no pushovers.

For whatever reason, the Dons enhanced DR arrangement hasn't worked as well as we could have expected. It left us with some gaps to plug. As a consequence, we dropped points in a number of games, especially in the early part of the season, where we could have reasonably have hoped to win.

In the end, we were 8 points (4 wins) worse than Whitehaven, 6 points (3 wins) adrift of Oldham, and 5 points behind Newcastle. We may have won two more games (although this is not certain) had we not played at Fev but still finished some way off the best.

We've done well towards the back end of the season going into the play-offs in good form. I would certainly fancy our chances of beating Oldham at the Keepmoat but their home advantage certainly plays to their strengths. It has to be said Oldham fully deserve the right to have this weekend off and home advantage next week as they have earned that right by finishing second.

If we don't go up, we really cannot afford to get off to a sluggish start next season. 2020 will be a year when going up will be vital as New York and Ottawa could be in the league the following season. If we do go up, I would imagine the first objective will be to stay up.

As fans, we don't really know how player recruitment works. Will most players already be signed up to their clubs for next season giving limited scope for improving our squad further? I presume we will have already made some new signings for 2020, signings that have yet to be revealed. Will Dons' players who have signed up for next year have release clauses if we don't go up? Or do they not consider their options until the last match of this season has been played?

Anyway, there are two possible matches left season. Let's hope for the best!

Re: Richard Horne : Fri Sep 27, 2019 2:04 pm  

SteveRoebuck wrote:

Yup I agree Double Movement, I think the game in general is struggling to find a audience. Crowds have declined across all divisions for me to many counter attractions in the Summer (holidays etc etc) we were resonably unique in being a winter sport and that was our niche.

I just dont feel the same going to games anymore, its all to clinical these days, there was always something comforting about a wet and windy Sunday at Crown Flatt.

To reply to Another Penalty, yes I can be negative I've been a Dons supporter long enough to see many many false dawns and almosts only to have the rug pulled out from under our feet, experience has told me to expect the worst and be suprised when something positive happens. If we do gain promotion it will be a well done with RH and the players, but you have to temper that positivity with realism that to survive in the Championship we will need to heavily invest in almost an entirely new squad there are probally only a hand full of the current squad who are ready for that level and its rigours.

Our recruitment (some recent notables aside) on the whole has been poor its we have improved with midseason signings and been fortunate that there are some poorer sides in CL1. We wont have this in the Championship every single game will be a challenge. If we get promoted and if we recruit (no reliance on DR) well for the season I could be positive about our chances of retaining Championship status, but as yet its an IF and history indicates we traditionally dont recruit well in the off season.

I never mentioned anyone's name Steve, I said across both platforms people have negative views. One big issue for me is that the club do not get important information across to fans quick enough and this is something that needs to be worked on.

Re: Richard Horne : Fri Sep 27, 2019 2:20 pm  

Another Penalty wrote: One big issue for me is that the club do not get important information across to fans quick enough and this is something that needs to be worked on. I agree, Baz. As an example, there's still nothing on the Dons website about the awards' night. Here's a link to the Free Press report: https://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/sport/other-sport/doncaster-rlfc-honour-players-they-get-set-newcastle-thunder-test-636659

Another Penalty wrote: One big issue for me is that the club do not get important information across to fans quick enough and this is something that needs to be worked on. I agree, Baz. As an example, there's still nothing on the Dons website about the awards' night. Here's a link to the Free Press report: https://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/sport/other-sport/doncaster-rlfc-honour-players-they-get-set-newcastle-thunder-test-636659

Re: Richard Horne : Fri Sep 27, 2019 2:31 pm  

I know Baz, people think or believe I am a "negative nelly" It wasnt a dig at you

Yes the club is poor at communication, the post match videos stopped dead, highlight have stopped but I suspect Rob was doing those off his own back and does it purely on an voulenteer and goodwill basis.

[Jemmo]

Re: Richard Horne : Fri Sep 27, 2019 2:56 pm  

Re: The Championship, I am a firm believer that the top of League One is better than the bottom of the Championship. Even ourselves in recent years have beaten Batley and had very narrow defeats to Sheffield and Featherstone, all of whom are top half champ sides (or mid table at worst). Very rarely does a relegated team go straight back up to the Championship, (with the exception of Bradford who spent a bomb to do it) and very rarely does the promoted team come straight back (any return to League is often after a few years at least, as is the case again this year). The problem with the Championship is always keeping hold of the better players now they're in that shop window as well as the interest dwindling when teams start losing more than they win, season three always seems to be the tough one.

Re: Richard Horne : Fri Sep 27, 2019 4:40 pm  

That's a good point, Jemmo.

Here's the list of ups and downs in recent years:

........ League 1 Up ...................... Champ Down
2015 Oldham/Swinton.................. Dons/Hunslet
2016 Rochdale/Toulouse ............. Workington/Whitehaven
2017 Toronto/Barrow ................... Oldham/Bradford
2018 York/Bradford..................... No relegation
2019 ............................................ Barrow/Rochdale

The Championship looks really tough next season though. There don't appear to be any obvious candidates for coming down. Assuming Toronto go up, the league would be made up of:

London, Toulouse, York, Leigh, Fev, Bradford, Sheffield, Halifax, Swinton, Batley, Widnes, Dewsbury, Whitehaven plus one other.

From past history, Swinton would look at risk but they finished 9th this season and seem to be improving. Dewsbury could have more money to spend with Bradford lodging with them. Widnes survived a 12 point deduction and would have finished 9th without it.

Maybe Batley are vulnerable? What about the Eagles?

With fewer obvious candidates for coming down, maybe the promoted sides will find it a little harder to stay up this time around?

What does everyone else think?

Re: Richard Horne : Fri Sep 27, 2019 5:44 pm  

I think it's a point well made. Bottom half of Championship and top half of league one can compete.
Good point though Mike. Championship looks very tough next year. Obviously whoever goes up will strengthen. I'd back ourselves or Newcastle to be more capable of that than Oldham.
Anyway. Let's not put the cart before the horse.

P.S. I'd say Dewsbury, Batley and Swinton are the teams any promoted side should be looking at picking up points at