Part Three in the League One preview takes a look at Doncaster Rovers, Gillingham and newly promoted Hartlepool United.
Doncaster Rovers
Nickname: The Rovers
Ground: Keepmoat Stadium
Capacity: 15, 213
Manager: Sean O’Driscoll
KEY PLAYERS: Neil Sullivan provides a wealth of experience between the sticks for Donny. The signing of Blackpool midfielder Ritchie Wellens is also a notable capture from the summer transfer activity at the Keepmoat Stadium. Up front, Paul Heffernan is always a danger while James Hayter has signed for the club following a successful eleven years at Bournemouth.
TRANSFERS IN: Martin Woods (Rotherham) FREE, Neil Sullivan (Leeds) FREE, Sam Hird (Leeds) FREE, Ritchie Wellens (Blackpool) FREE, James Hayter (Bournemouth) £200,000
TRANSFERS OUT: Jon-Paul Pittman (Crawley) FREE, Jan Budtz (Hartlepool) FREE, Sean Thornton (Orient) FREE, Liam Green (Released), Adam Brown (Released)
SQUAD:
GOALKEEPERS: Neil Sullivan, Benjamin Smith, Barry Richardson
DEFENDERS: James O’ Connor, Gareth Roberts, Graeme Lee, Adam Lockwood, Sean McDaid, Sam Hird, Matt Noble
MIDFIELD: Stephen Roberts, Kevin Horlock, Brian Stock, Mark Wilson, Anthony Griffith, Martin Woods, Paul Green, Jason Price, James Coppinger, Craig Nelthorpe, Ritchie Wellens
FORWARDS: Lewis Guy, Paul Heffernan, Mark McCammon, Bruce Dyer, James Hayter,
LAST SEASON: Doncaster gained a creditable top half finish in a season where they swapped the old Belle Vue stadium for the brand new Keepmoat Stadium.
The season began with mixed results and an inconsistent run of form that was highlighted by a run of five draws from six games in September and October. Luck would soon turn though and take Rovers up the table as three straight wins eased any early fears of relegation. Rovers went well in all the cup competitions, especially the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy where they reached Cardiff following an epic 6-5 aggregate win over Crewe Alexandra. They would go on to win the competition at the expense of Bristol Rovers who they defeated in extra time at the Millenium Stadium.
Back in the league, Rovers just weren’t good enough to gain a playoff place and though they did manage a victory at Nottingham Forest, form slipped and defeats to Oldham, Cheltenham Town and Bristol City meant their season would end with a mid-table position.
Gillingham
Nickname: The Gills
Ground: Priestfield Stadium
Capacity: 10,952
Manager: Ronnie Jepson
KEY PLAYERS: With a small squad, the Gills will be needing all of their main men fit through the season. Efe Sodje signed from Southend and is always a danger from set pieces while Delroy Facey has a good goal scoring record in the lower leagues.
TRANSFERS IN: Efe Sodje (Southend) FREE, Simon Royce (QPR) FREE, Craig Armstrong (Cheltenham) FREE, Aaron Brown (Swindon) FREE, Delroy Facey (Rotherham) FREE, Barry Cogan (Barnet) FREE, Simon King (Barnet) £200,000
TRANSFERS OUT: Danny Jackman (Northampton Town) FREE, Danny Spiller (Millwall) FREE, Matt Jarvis (Wolves) FREE, Leon Johnson (Wycombe) FREE, Michael Flynn (Blackpool) FREE
SQUAD:
GOALKEEPERS: Kelvin Jack, Simon Royce
DEFENDERS: Aaron Brown, Sean Clohessy, Ian Cox, Andrew Crofts, Duncan Jupp, Simon King, Efe Sodje
MIDFIELD: Craig Armstrong, Mark Bentley, Barry Cogan, Luis Cumbers, Dean McDonald, Nicky Southall, Craig Stone
FORWARDS: Delroy Facey, Gary Mulligan, Guylain Ndumbu-Nsunga, Andy Pugh
LAST SEASON: Despite a win on the opening day of the 06/07 season against Huddersfield Town, the Gills then lost five of their next six games. Goals were being shipped at the wrong end and they conceded four goals at Oldham, three at Orient and another four at Crewe.
Following an FA Cup exit at Bristol City, Gillingham lost games at Port Vale and Yeovil but turned their form around with a Christmas double win over Tranmere and Orient. Despite the Christmas bonus, form slipped once again and three defeats over the new year period took them back down to the nether reaches of the league.
Towards the end of the season the club were in relegation trouble but late wins over Bristol City, Chesterfield and Port Vale kept them in League One for another season.
Hartlepool United
Nickname: Pools
Ground: Victoria Park
Capacity: 7,629
Manager: Danny Wilson
KEY PLAYERS: Joel Porter was a key figure in Hartlepool’s promotion from League Two last season and his goals will again be needed as the Monkey Hangers look to make their mark at a higher level. Ritchie Barker scored nine times in eighteen appearances after signing in early January and will also be looking to prove his worth in League One. Former Cobbler Ali Gibb also features for Hartlepool.
TRANSFERS IN: Jamie McCunnie (Dunfermline) FREE, Jan Budtz (Doncaster) FREE
TRANSFERS OUT: Michael Proctor (Wrexham) FREE, John Brackstone (Darlington) FREE, Demitrious Konstantopolous (Coventry) FREE, Eifion Williams (Wrexham) FREE, Darrell Clarke (Salisbury) FREE, Phil Turnbull (York) FREE
SQUAD:
GOALKEEPERS: Jim Provett, Jan Budtz
DEFENDERS: Mickey Barron, Ben Clark, Graham Low, Michael Nelson,
MIDFIELD: Willie Boland, Lee Bullock, Ali Gibb, Ritchie Humphreys, Gary Liddle, Michael Maidens, Jamie McCunnie, Andy Monkhouse, Matty Robson, Antony Sweeney, Stephen Turnbull
FORWARDS: Ritchie Barker, James Brown, David Foley, Joel Porter, Michael Rae
LAST SEASON: Hartlepool gained promotion by finishing second to Walsall in League Two last season.
With no wins in August, ‘Pool didn’t really hit any sort of form until December where they won seven games in a row to put them back in the hunt for promotion. Huge victories over promotion rivals Swindon Town (1-0) and Walsall (3-1) helped them to climb to the summit of the table before the run-in.
Hartlepool were level on points with Walsall going into the final game of the season but a home defeat to playoff chasing Bristol Rovers combined with Walsall’s draw at Swindon meant that they had to settle for second place.
Doncaster RoversNickname: The Rovers
Ground: Keepmoat Stadium
Capacity: 15, 213
Manager: Sean O’Driscoll
KEY PLAYERS: Neil Sullivan provides a wealth of experience between the sticks for Donny. The signing of Blackpool midfielder Ritchie Wellens is also a notable capture from the summer transfer activity at the Keepmoat Stadium. Up front, Paul Heffernan is always a danger while James Hayter has signed for the club following a successful eleven years at Bournemouth.
TRANSFERS IN: Martin Woods (Rotherham) FREE, Neil Sullivan (Leeds) FREE, Sam Hird (Leeds) FREE, Ritchie Wellens (Blackpool) FREE, James Hayter (Bournemouth) £200,000
TRANSFERS OUT: Jon-Paul Pittman (Crawley) FREE, Jan Budtz (Hartlepool) FREE, Sean Thornton (Orient) FREE, Liam Green (Released), Adam Brown (Released)
SQUAD:
GOALKEEPERS: Neil Sullivan, Benjamin Smith, Barry Richardson
DEFENDERS: James O’ Connor, Gareth Roberts, Graeme Lee, Adam Lockwood, Sean McDaid, Sam Hird, Matt Noble
MIDFIELD: Stephen Roberts, Kevin Horlock, Brian Stock, Mark Wilson, Anthony Griffith, Martin Woods, Paul Green, Jason Price, James Coppinger, Craig Nelthorpe, Ritchie Wellens
FORWARDS: Lewis Guy, Paul Heffernan, Mark McCammon, Bruce Dyer, James Hayter,
LAST SEASON: Doncaster gained a creditable top half finish in a season where they swapped the old Belle Vue stadium for the brand new Keepmoat Stadium.
The season began with mixed results and an inconsistent run of form that was highlighted by a run of five draws from six games in September and October. Luck would soon turn though and take Rovers up the table as three straight wins eased any early fears of relegation. Rovers went well in all the cup competitions, especially the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy where they reached Cardiff following an epic 6-5 aggregate win over Crewe Alexandra. They would go on to win the competition at the expense of Bristol Rovers who they defeated in extra time at the Millenium Stadium.
Back in the league, Rovers just weren’t good enough to gain a playoff place and though they did manage a victory at Nottingham Forest, form slipped and defeats to Oldham, Cheltenham Town and Bristol City meant their season would end with a mid-table position.
GillinghamNickname: The Gills
Ground: Priestfield Stadium
Capacity: 10,952
Manager: Ronnie Jepson
KEY PLAYERS: With a small squad, the Gills will be needing all of their main men fit through the season. Efe Sodje signed from Southend and is always a danger from set pieces while Delroy Facey has a good goal scoring record in the lower leagues.
TRANSFERS IN: Efe Sodje (Southend) FREE, Simon Royce (QPR) FREE, Craig Armstrong (Cheltenham) FREE, Aaron Brown (Swindon) FREE, Delroy Facey (Rotherham) FREE, Barry Cogan (Barnet) FREE, Simon King (Barnet) £200,000
TRANSFERS OUT: Danny Jackman (Northampton Town) FREE, Danny Spiller (Millwall) FREE, Matt Jarvis (Wolves) FREE, Leon Johnson (Wycombe) FREE, Michael Flynn (Blackpool) FREE
SQUAD:
GOALKEEPERS: Kelvin Jack, Simon Royce
DEFENDERS: Aaron Brown, Sean Clohessy, Ian Cox, Andrew Crofts, Duncan Jupp, Simon King, Efe Sodje
MIDFIELD: Craig Armstrong, Mark Bentley, Barry Cogan, Luis Cumbers, Dean McDonald, Nicky Southall, Craig Stone
FORWARDS: Delroy Facey, Gary Mulligan, Guylain Ndumbu-Nsunga, Andy Pugh
LAST SEASON: Despite a win on the opening day of the 06/07 season against Huddersfield Town, the Gills then lost five of their next six games. Goals were being shipped at the wrong end and they conceded four goals at Oldham, three at Orient and another four at Crewe.
Following an FA Cup exit at Bristol City, Gillingham lost games at Port Vale and Yeovil but turned their form around with a Christmas double win over Tranmere and Orient. Despite the Christmas bonus, form slipped once again and three defeats over the new year period took them back down to the nether reaches of the league.
Towards the end of the season the club were in relegation trouble but late wins over Bristol City, Chesterfield and Port Vale kept them in League One for another season.
Hartlepool UnitedNickname: Pools
Ground: Victoria Park
Capacity: 7,629
Manager: Danny Wilson
KEY PLAYERS: Joel Porter was a key figure in Hartlepool’s promotion from League Two last season and his goals will again be needed as the Monkey Hangers look to make their mark at a higher level. Ritchie Barker scored nine times in eighteen appearances after signing in early January and will also be looking to prove his worth in League One. Former Cobbler Ali Gibb also features for Hartlepool.
TRANSFERS IN: Jamie McCunnie (Dunfermline) FREE, Jan Budtz (Doncaster) FREE
TRANSFERS OUT: Michael Proctor (Wrexham) FREE, John Brackstone (Darlington) FREE, Demitrious Konstantopolous (Coventry) FREE, Eifion Williams (Wrexham) FREE, Darrell Clarke (Salisbury) FREE, Phil Turnbull (York) FREE
SQUAD:
GOALKEEPERS: Jim Provett, Jan Budtz
DEFENDERS: Mickey Barron, Ben Clark, Graham Low, Michael Nelson,
MIDFIELD: Willie Boland, Lee Bullock, Ali Gibb, Ritchie Humphreys, Gary Liddle, Michael Maidens, Jamie McCunnie, Andy Monkhouse, Matty Robson, Antony Sweeney, Stephen Turnbull
FORWARDS: Ritchie Barker, James Brown, David Foley, Joel Porter, Michael Rae
LAST SEASON: Hartlepool gained promotion by finishing second to Walsall in League Two last season.
With no wins in August, ‘Pool didn’t really hit any sort of form until December where they won seven games in a row to put them back in the hunt for promotion. Huge victories over promotion rivals Swindon Town (1-0) and Walsall (3-1) helped them to climb to the summit of the table before the run-in.
Hartlepool were level on points with Walsall going into the final game of the season but a home defeat to playoff chasing Bristol Rovers combined with Walsall’s draw at Swindon meant that they had to settle for second place.
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