Next Season's Opponents

I had no idea about the Sheff Wed case. What was it? Wigan have a bit of a case about the FA/EFL approving the take-over with what proved to be many lies - i.e. where was the money!

Glad you are surviving Micky. Many UK senior citizens seem nervous about venturing far afield even though things seem to have settled down a bit here. But the US has had an eventful few months in so many ways with your city quite a microcosm of the bigger picture. I read of continuing BLM demonstrations and of the seemingly unwelcome presence of federal agents. What is happening now certainly tests the strength of the Constitution, a subject of which I had only a very vague knowledge until recently.

However, back to the mundane and the EFL. I am sure you can get a full grasp of Sheffield Wednesday’s dispute if you do a search, but it is related to the Financial Fair Play rules and the sale of their ground to their “owner” in order to reduce the operating loss. From what I can recall there were two problems; it did not seem to show up in the relevant accounts and there was a suggestion that it was grossly overvalued. But that is not all. Derby County also face allegations under the same Rules and in each case a sanction of a points deduction (depending on its size) as opposed to a fine, could see both falling into the bottom three.

Problems seem to spring up everywhere you look. The latest talk is of certain clubs (Ipswich and Bradford being mentioned) not being prepared to begin the 2020/21 season because of high costs of Covid-19 testing. The two clubs in question would have significant attendance receipts built into their budgeting and even with socially distanced fans that income would be hit significantly. (Rovers, on the other hand, with a relatively large ground rarely more than half full, would not be.)

Of course, the departure of the Watsons from the Board is another talking point as they did seem to provide some long-term assurance of financial security by virtue of their being relatively young. Perhaps I should be revising my ideas about “Club Doncaster” which reflects one aspect of Terry Bramhall’s admirable range of wider charitable interests in the town’s sports and the Arts generally. (I admit I did not really know much about him until recently.) We might hope that he will already have made suitable provisions that will perpetuate what he has already established within them to sustain Club Doncaster and DRFC.

Hull’s fans seem to focus most of their ire on their owners who they blame for a failure to invest and McCann has conducted himself well, now believing that his knowledge of League 1 will make him the best man to continue to lead them. Having said that, it is perhaps surprising that his team has not managed to avoid defeat in just the small handful of matches this year which would have been enough to save them.

Whatever happens its not going to be a normal season. It shouldn't be that difficult for Rovers to organise appropriate social distancing measures at the Keepmoat. I would have thought October 1st would have been a better start. Who knows who we will be playing! Not kept up with the ins and outs of playing staff but no matter as No 26 has signed.

Well, today must have been one of the most exciting final days in a Premier League (or may be any league) with so much decided. I watched the Man U vs. Leicester game and highlights of other. What a contrast it was - one team on a great comeback this year and one with a great collapse. In many areas Leicester played well, but just could not finish. Also although they played well today, the Cherries did not make it after 5 years in the top flight. Just to think that we pipped them to the championship of League One just as we did to Hull in Division Three (now League Two) and both teams made the Premier League.
Just as Brentford blew it against us for auto-promotion and lost in the play-offs, they seem to be doing that again with their loss against Swansea today.
Donaldo, as always I find your comments interesting and thoughtful. I also see that there is a points deduction case at Derby, so when we really know who is coming to join us in League One?
About Portland, first of all it is b----- hot: 35C in the shade on our deck at the moment (at 16:20). As far as riots and destruction are concerned, it is worse then most media say. I admit it is mainly limited to a small area around the Justice Centre and the Federal Courthouse, but Police Precinct buildings elsewhere have been attacked. At one, an attempt to set it ablaze was made with police and civilian workers inside. Despite what the BBC and other media have said, Trump has not sent troops into Portland. They are law enforcement officers, mainly from the US Marshalls Service and the Federal Protection Service. Part of the latter's job is to protest Federal (i.e.Tax-payer funded) buildings from damage, and so I am pleased they are here. Our spineless mayor say Federal officers are causing the problem. If so, how come there have been riots for over five weeks before any Federal officers came to Portland? The lack of logic by some politicians is unbelievable, and some, plus much of the media try to blame everything on Trump. There is much I do not like about him, but the version much of the world see in the media is a very biased view.
Sorry for the rant, but my wife and I are fed up with the lack of real leadership in the State of Oregon and the City of Portland. I know the city is somewhat peaceful during the day, but we will not go downtown at night. As we had dinner there usually twice a month, and so this hurts small businesses that have re-opened - such as our two favorite Italian restaurants. Another of our favorites has decided to close for good - a combination of losses due to covid-19 and the rioting.

Micky: Very interesting. I did read "agents" rather than troops and perhaps the point there was that arrests were being made and those involved had no way of knowing who was arresting them; but I appreciate your wider perspective which broadcasters like CNN choose to edit to favour their political stance. You would not get anything like the political battle of CNN vs Fox News in the UK; all the national broadcasters strive to be neutral, despite what Governments in power tend to say about he BBC!

It was interesting to see that 2 of the 4 teams in the Championship Play-offs were only 10 and 11th when the lockdown began. Cardiff and Swansea replaced Forest and Preston!

September 12 is the start date for 2020/21 and the uncertainty created by the various appeals will make it almost impossible for Wigan, Wednesday and Derby, and very difficult for Charlton and Barnsley; even Hull could be reprieved.

I should have added the words “to prepare for the new season” to my last sentence to make my point absolutely clear.

I see there are still problems about ownership at Charlton. Part of the EFL statement:
"Extensive correspondence has been exchanged in respect of outstanding information still required to be submitted to the EFL and the league will continue to work with the club.
However, it remains the responsibility of the club and any prospective owner or owners to demonstrate the requirements of the EFL regulations are met.
The club is aware of the consequences of not meeting those requirements."
The EFL have many decisions to be made before we all know who will be where next season. As you say Donaldo, this must be so difficult for the clubs to plan - it is bad enough for teams like the Rovers.
With the way the EFL let Bolton off lightly over the postponed match with the Rovers, who know what will happen!

We are off to a good start in the signing of Jason Lokilo, but with PL and Championship clubs taking a breather at end of their intense season, it is understandably difficult to expect the loan market to properly open up for a week or two yet. And all the clubs in Leagues 1 and 2 will be similarly impeded.

We are led to believe that Rovers are regarded as a good place to come and get games which is what it is all about from the loanee’s point of view, but from DRFC’s, it is a case of getting players who are good enough to be worth a regular place and in this respect I would hope that “space” will be available for Amos and the other home-grown talent. If the Academy is to remain viable and attractive, its objectives need to be fulfilled in practice.

The financial resources of the relegated clubs will always give rise to questions over how level the playing field is, but this time there are serious doubts about the financial resources of all 3 relegated clubs. (Incidentally any points deductions that might impact on Wednesday and Derby will not hit them till next season, so there will be no change to the current line-up.)

This means that the competition could be less challenging. Portsmouth rarely play impressively and Sunderland never seem to coerce their assorted talent into a truly powerful force. Mr Barton and Fleetwood and Richie W and Swindon will have to be treated seriously and we will need a decent goalkeeper, because even the local football reporters seem to recognise that Lawlor needs to improve if he is to fill that role with sufficient competence. I was amused to read recently that Peterborough were “Consistent”. They are certainly a threat, but their main consistency seems to be that they start well and always fade when the going gets tough and is it a coincidence that Darren Ferguson rather followed that path when he was at the Keepmoat?

Reading between the lines, Copps is not entirely comfortable in Moore’s team and the latter ought to make an effort to use him more effectively. We must hope Whiteman will spend another year with us and it will be interesting to see which of the loanees comes back, although we seem to have given up on Ramsey. Apart from him, I cannot see an overwhelming case for any of the others to expect any Championship club wanting to guarantee them regular first team football.

Prediction was never easy, but with the state of lower league finances, it is more speculative than ever before because player movements will be greater than ever with few clubs able to offer more than 12 month deals. DRFC are cautiously managed off the field and very much on it too with DM’s profile which has been considerably raised in the BLM era and his leadership role in that sphere. So let us hope that there will be collateral benefit.

Yes, I guess we'll all be in the same boat this season. Just hope its not the Titanic. Not feeling confident of any kind of success for us. Still a long way to go yet before the season starts. Sadlier a blow but not unexpected.

I think all of us would have like for Sadlier to stay, and it was reported we were interested in the winger who had gone to Hearts. It was a little bit of a surprise to me that Lawlor has basically left the Rovers - but I assume we have a call-back clause? I do not know much about Jones to make an opinion - just a few U-23 clips.
Here in Portland we have a little to smile about - last night the Timbers won the "MLS is back" tournament. This was played in Orlando with a group stage and then knock-out from a Round-of-16. Timbers won their group stage, drawing one game and winning the rest. For once, their defence took them through the knock-out rounds, and many of their goals were from set-pieces. In the 2-1 win over Orlando in the final, both were headers, one from a free kick and the other from a corner. Orlando had 62% possession, but their goal being the only shot on target!
Winning this tournament gives them a place in the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League - this is the Champions League for North American, Central American, and Caribbean teams. The Timbers have been in it twice before, but never got past the knock-out stage. Usually a Mexican team wins!