High Fives (obscure stat warning)

[Dutch Uncle]

With James Hayter scoring his 20th competitive goal for Rovers today he is the 5th player currently on the books with 20 or more goals in competitive matches after Heffs (54), Guy (24), Coppinger (23) and Stock (20). I am counting Heffs as our player still. I count goals in league games, FA Cup, League Cup, Johnstone's Paint Trophy in all its guises, and Play-offs. I do not count regional cup games (e.g. Sheffield County Cup), reserve and friendly fixtures.

This got me thinking how often in our history have we had such a ‘High Five’? It needs a period of stability of players combined with high goalscoring. It’s a difficult one to check because I am never sure of the exact date when some players left e.g  Alick Jeffrey (then on 34 goals) was on the club’s books as a player for at least a couple of years without making an appearance after his serious injury in 1956. There do not seem to be many examples but I have come up with the following four other occasions:

2008-9, just before JJ went on loan we had Heffernan, Guy, Price, Coppinger and Stock

1984-85 we had Colin Douglas, Glyn & Ian Snodin, Steve Lister and David Harle

1969-70 we had Rod Johnson, John Regan, Laurie Sheffield, Graham Watson and Bob Gilfillan

The best of the lot in 1934-35 and the start of 1935-36 we had no fewer than a ‘magnificent seven’: Reg Baines, Stan Burton, Albert Turner, Bobby Smith, Fred Emery, George Gladwin and Ronnie Dodd were at the club at the same time and all with more than 20 goals

I think that in all other cases that might seem a possibility a player left midseason before another player reached 20

The only other interesting time was 1955-6 when we had players Bert Tindill, Alick Jeffrey, John Mooney and Eddie McMorran simultaneously on the books with over 20 goals, and Peter Doherty as manager with 60, but presumably he was no longer registered as a player

[Alonzo Drake]

Thanks Dutch -- wonderful stats. I'm particularly interested in the 1930s Rovers. From around 1933 up until the War, we had some outstanding players, and impressive attendances.

Despite wider economic difficulties, Donny as a community prospered during this decade thanks to its coal mines, railway works, and its manufacturing companies such as British Ropes, International Harvester, Peglers, Crompton Parkinsons and Bembergs. Accordingly, we had some well-heeled and ambitious directors who invested in the club, so much so that by Xmas 1935 we shared top spot in D2 with Leicester. Although relegated the following season we were runners-up in D3N in 37/38, and 38/39, and were considered favorites for the championship and promotion in 39/40.

Unfortunately, those great 1930s teams have fallen out of the collective public memory, now only recalled by such Rovers nerds such as myself, Dutch and Red Baron. For example, my late dad spoke lovingly of players Ronnie Dodd and Dizzy Burton, who he adored as a kid in the 1930s.

The club maintained its ambition during and after the War, resulting in nine seasons in D2 between 1947 and 1958. We had a bit of a renaissance in the 60s, when I was first bitten by the Belle Vue bug, but we then declined badly -- so much so that by the mid 80s, even with teams that threatened to knock on the door of D2, we couldn't attract gates of 3,000 for home games -- mainly thanks to Thatcher's decimation of our local infrastructure.

So, those periods you mention Dutch, had some fine players who showed loyalty to the club as they knocked in those goals.

Taking our checkered history, and the town's economic plight into consideration then, it amazes me that we get 10K to 12K gates now, and that posters on this forum whine about how poor they are. Check the D2 gates of smaller teams from the past 20 years or so who have flirted with D2, such as Crewe, Scunthorpe, Colchester, Tranmere, Port Vale, Southend, Blackpool and Peterborough.

Save for the club's shit marketing efforts, we have so much to be proud of as Donny Rovers fans!

[Alonzo Drake]

Thanks Dutch -- wonderful stats. I'm particularly interested in the 1930s Rovers. From around 1933 up until the War, we had some outstanding players, and impressive attendances.

Despite wider economic difficulties, Donny as a community prospered during this decade thanks to its coal mines, railway works, and its manufacturing companies such as British Ropes, International Harvester, Peglers, Crompton Parkinsons and Bembergs. Accordingly, we had some well-heeled and ambitious directors who invested in the club, so much so that by Xmas 1935 we shared top spot in D2 with Leicester. Although relegated the following season we were runners-up in D3N in 37/38, and 38/39, and were considered favorites for the championship and promotion in 39/40.

Unfortunately, those great 1930s teams have fallen out of the collective public memory, now only recalled by such Rovers nerds such as myself, Dutch and Red Baron. For example, my late dad spoke lovingly of players Ronnie Dodd and Dizzy Burton, who he adored as a kid in the 1930s.

The club maintained its ambition during and after the War, resulting in nine seasons in D2 between 1947 and 1958. We had a bit of a renaissance in the 60s, when I was first bitten by the Belle Vue bug, but we then declined badly -- so much so that by the mid 80s, even with teams that threatened to knock on the door of D2, we couldn't attract gates of 3,000 for home games -- mainly thanks to Thatcher's decimation of our local infrastructure.

So, those periods you mention Dutch, had some fine players who showed loyalty to the club as they knocked in those goals.

Taking our checkered history, and the town's economic plight into consideration then, it amazes me that we get 10K to 12K gates now, and that posters on this forum whine about how poor they are. Check the D2 gates of smaller teams from the past 20 years or so who have flirted with D2, such as Crewe, Scunthorpe, Colchester, Tranmere, Port Vale, Southend, Blackpool and Peterborough.

Save for the club's shit marketing efforts, we have so much to be proud of as Donny Rovers fans!

[Dutch Uncle]

Thanks Alonzo

It's probably not news for you, but just in case - are you aware of the book (small one) by Paul Gilligan entitled 'First Time Champions' published in 2004 which tells the detailed story of the 1934-35 season - a great read

Cheers

Brian

[leedshayter]

thats the season my grandad joe hall played centre half for rovers . i have a scrap book of that time !