I'm not sure I can count myself as a real fan of Rovers. I can nearly match Micky's 70 years but it's been sporadic support at times. My main support was in the Peter Doherty era. When we were a division 2 /championship club. Going to Belle Vue with my dad, uncles and friends for every home game and a few away trips. I moved away from Donny in '66. My interest and support waned. It then seemed Rovers became a division 3 and 4 yo yo club until the disaster of the late 90s. It was literally the rise from the ashes that perked my interest again. A steady rise up and the pleasures of supporting a SOD managed team. I guess we've a lot to thank John Ryan for but the Willie Mckay era was troubling. I liked Dean Saunders and a lot of credit should go to Brian Flynn. Downhill again with the Dickov era. Never really took to Darren Ferguson but at least he stayed for a while. Since then it's been a not so magic roundabout of managers culminating in today's disaster. John Ryan had his flaws but I'm sure we now need some new blood at director level to have any chance of another Championship era. We're going nowhere under DS. However we are unpredictable so I'll go 1-1 Miller.

Incidentally this will be our lowest finish in the EFL for 20 years I think. Not something the board should be proud of.

I can’t remember a time since we got back to League football that my morale was so low.

I go back to the late 40s when my dad used to take me. Even in the dark days in and around the Division 4 basement in the 60s, 70s and early 80s when I came South I was there more often than not, even though I was living up to 35 miles away at one time. But the thing was that they still provided enough encouraging football and fight to sustain the faith.

It is the total absence of that and Schofield’s mistaken belief that that by to dressing up what is being served up as containing “positives” as though we are stupid enough to swallow it, which is so utterly demoralising. He is man possessed by theory operating in a world of practicality.

And all this going on with everyone in a position to do something about it, just watching in the wings and letting it happen.

Donaldo and Nookie, I'm with you totally - I really remember Peter Doherty as player-manager, and have been through the ups and downs since then. I left the UK in 1974 so have not not seen many live games - and never been to the Keepmoat/Eco Stadium. For a time my Mum kept me up-to-date through cuttings from the Green 'Un and other publications, and then it was the Beeb website.
We need another John Ryan - OK, the end of his era was not good, but without him, would we even have. team? I treasure my DVD about raising from the ashes, and as Pauline went to Intake Junior as Ryan did. we have a lovely personal inscription to Pauline in a copy of Ryan's book.
Will we ever have the equivalent of the Ryan/SOD days in the Championship? We all live in hope - of course, hope is not a strategy .
I'm really disappointed in Copps.
I'll wait to see the team before making a stupid prediction - will our young striker start?

I'm a little bit later in my Rovers journey - my earliest real memories are of the Kitchen / O'Callaghan era. I do agree with all of your comments though and funnily enough was watching the "Reason to Believe" video on YouTube the other day, covering the first John Ryan / Snodin brothers season. I think the difference was real passion at Board level, a club and fan base totally united and an absolute commitment to driving the club forward.
JR was an exceptional owner and Chairman. You have to be grateful to the post JR owners too, especially TB and DW who put £25m in between them and the club is now self-sustaining financially. I get the impression that this is part of an exit strategy to reduce barriers for a new buyer coming in.... but the club will only remain self- sustaining if the interest of and ticket purchases by fans continues. Right now, it feels like the club is treading water at best and without a "reason to believe" fans' interest will wane.

As its Crawley its creepy we're all virtual neighbours in Hope! 😂

Because there is only a 7 hour time difference at the moment, I probably will not see the team before my other commitments. I'll go with Crawley 2 Rovers 1 with Goodman scoring if he starts (unlikely, but with Miller and Biggins apparently injured, who knows what DS will do). If Goodman does not start, I'll go with Hurst.

Crawley 2-1 Rovers
Lavery to score ⚽

1-0 to Crawley.

Well, I just saw the second half. First thing I will say is one appreciates the condition of Rovers' pitch as Crawley's looked in very poor shape.
The Rovers ran around like headless chickens, but almost prevented Crawley from scoring which to me means Crawley are a little pathetic.
We apparently had just two shots in the whole game, with one on target that went in.
I suppose, in the end, a lucky point.
This should end anybody with a hope of a play-off finish.
To me, it it so depressing to watch our games.
Congrats to Nookie for predicting the score.

I’d be angry if I were a Crawley fan; angry that they could not beat what must have been the worst visiting team all season. Rovers were considerably worse than the last time I saw them. So are so many of the players. Why can’t they beat a man or make a tackle any more?

If it were a theatrical production where the focus was on the most incompetent football team in the League, Rovers would be in line for the Oscar. Hours of practice could not perfect such a display of total inadequacy throughout. Do they understand what the “process” is?

No running into space, no ability to hold on to the ball, useless at tackling, no physical strength, no ball control, no dribbling skill. Under this management all skill is drained away. Who is responsible for failing to keep them fit? Do they practice being awful at everything? There is no energy. Can’t they run?

The defence was not quite as bad as the rest and Seaman and Moore deserve credit.

The entire management are totally derelict in their duty, but we know NOTHING WILL BE DONE.

https://popularstandfanzine.com/2023/03/22/crawley-town-1-1-doncaster-rovers-250-word-match-report/

Says it all!