Ryan On The Record: Rovers chairman on new signings, Brian Stock and “a pub team having a laugh”
WE have been busy reshaping the squad this week ahead of Saturday’s first League One game at Walsall.
Jamie McCombe has joined us from Huddersfield Town and Billy Paynter has come to us from Leeds United.
Billy he has had something of a difficult time at Leeds.
We all know strikers need a good run in the side to start scoring goals.
If his time at Swindon Town, where he scored a bag full of goals at this level, is anything to go by then he will hopefully have a very fruitful time with us.
One hopes he will certainly benefit from some good service via our wide men.
Yorkshire lad McCombe enjoyed a promotion from League One to the Championship with Bristol City and joins from Huddersfield who also went up last season.
With the equally tall Rob Jones also enjoying two promotions to the Championship in his career, we now have two centre backs with some aerial capability which we haven’t really enjoyed at Rovers in recent seasons.
I would like to place on record my appreciation to our former captain Brian Stock who has given six very good years service to the club.
I’ve enjoyed seeing some of his quality goals, my two favourites being his thunderbolts at Nottingham Forest in a 1-0 win and last season at Peterborough.
Brian is a lovely man who has been dedicated to the cause and I am sure I am not alone at Doncaster Rovers in wishing him all the very best at Burnley.
His talent deserves to be in the Championship and playing at a higher level than League One.
The Capital One League Cup tie with York City was a tough one and they took us all the way to penalties.
I expected a hard tie with them coming off the back of a successful Conference season and I expect them to have a very good season in League Two.
It was ideal preparation in many ways, including the all-important match fitness with the extra time, for the trip to the Bescot Stadium.
That will be a tough one as well with our former assistant manager Richard O’Kelly winding up his boys to try and get a result over us.
I must say it was nice to see the York City fans and the vocal support they gave their side.
It reminded me so much of when we came up as a “pub team only having a laugh” and surprised the doubters.
I just hope we can now rekindle the enthusiasm of those days and get the supporters behind the team.
As we saw at the Olympics, the crowd can act as the twelfth man.
Let’s hope we have plenty of support this weekend at Walsall.
Following our trip to the Bescot, it is our first home league fixture of the season against Bury on Tuesday evening.
Tickets are available from £5 per child and £20 per adult if bought prior to matchday, whilst our family tickets are now also available for £22.
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Weather for Thorne
Monday 20 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 10 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: North
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Temperature: 8 C to 14 C
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