Jean van de Velde, Devon Loch, Jim Peters…
Carnoustie, Aintree, Vancouver… Individual collapses are probably better known than those of lower league football teams, but DRFC has rather too consistently been sinking into this rather unwelcome sporting class so that ignominy may be nearer than we may think.
Strangely no one seems to blame the manager, me included, and equally, when the team do win, I tend to give him the credit.
Reaction generally in these situations tends to be sympathetic, but perhaps in football it will be more like the one poor old Jean van de Velde received; a degree of mirth at our plight especially since we are serial failures.
However, unusually, more will be more rooting for the away team than for Oxford United. Barnsley, Portsmouth, Sunderland and Charlton will all be willing on Doncaster Rovers. None of them would want to contend with either Peterborough or Coventry in the play-offs, buoyed as they will be by the great surge against the odds to have forced their way into them.
The predictable and somewhat unconvincing affirmations of self-belief once again fill the air around the Keepmoat as the players board the bus to the city where they might vainly hope the opposition may take on the poetic quality of the local spires. But it is difficult to dispel the feeling that fate has already decreed that Rovers' hopes of playing off for the league above are gone, even with 2 matches to go.
The odds are so against us; the league’s form team must surely crush the serial fallers-on-the- home-straight. Can nothing can stop Oxford breezing past us?
The most interesting question might be by how many?
But somehow, perhaps because it is so very predictable, I cannot believe it will happen this time. So I’ll go for 3-1 to Rovers, Marquis with the first and 7000 there.
DPL vs Oxford
posted on 27/4/19
Excellent away point and now, thanks to Walsall, even if Coventry beat us in the final game due to our superior goal difference Portsmouth need to win against both Portsmouth and then Burton Vanishingly unlikely. What a season!
posted on 27/4/19
We are as good as in the play offs.
Coventry have to overturn a 14 goal difference with two wins to get past us.
Say a 5-0 win tomorrow and then beat us 5-0.
Peterbro have to win their last two and on Tuesday they are at Portsmouth who need to win.
Two wins for Pompey could win them the title and we know what they did a couple of years ago to pip us.
Even if Peterbro were somehow to win their last two we would still be able to pip them by beating Coventry.
posted on 27/4/19
Fergies having a bit of an end of season wobble again
Play Offs it is, but, who you fancy, could be our dingle neighbours or even Luton. More than likely it'll be Pompey.
Thing is, I don't think we've got a team, let alone a squad capable of survival in the championship. Yet we can hold our heads up if we go out in the semis, as nothing is done n dusted yet.
I believe Charlton are the ones who will win it, shame as that massive club from up north are already planning an open top tour again.......... Just like a few weeks ago.
posted on 27/4/19
Zigger, you are right about our squad not being good enough for the Championship.
But....... if we were to get there then there is no doubt that McCann would get the backing to improve us enough to give it a good go a staying up.
posted on 27/4/19
All part of following the mighty Ziggers Hound.
posted on 27/4/19
Dream on! But probably off. Nevertheless a much better season than expected.
posted on 27/4/19
I wouldon’t want it any other way Zigger.
posted on 28/4/19
So Coventry are now out of the running having only drawn against Shrewsbury.
Peterborough need to win at Portsmouth to remain a factor; a draw is no good unless they can also win their final match by a huge margin and we lose by enough to reverse our current 10 goal advantage
posted on 30/4/19
I did not watch the game on iFollow - problems caused by updating my Mac to the latest operating system that iFollow somehow refuses to work with Safari. I contacted iFollow and they said use Chrome. I did not want to as it is part of Google which I avoid like the plague - but it seems I have to. The extended highlights show us a little better than the Free Press seemed to indicate. One of my cousins is an Oxford supporter and was at the game. We had some email banter before the match, but he has been silent since - I thought he would say "We wuz robbed".
Anyway, I can't wait for Tuesday results!
posted on 30/4/19
I wasn’t able to go to the game either but I spoke with one of the lads I play football with who did go.
He said that we were very average in the first half but that we played very well after the break.
Anyway, I am going to the DIY shop now to buy a bell 🔔 so I can support Portsmouth tonight.