GOALKEEPER TURNBULL JOINS DONCASTER

Doncaster Rovers have completed a deal to sign former Chelsea goalkeeper Ross Turnbull on a one-year-contract.

The 28-year-old spent seven years playing for Middlesbrough,making 27 appearances for the former Premiership team.He moved to Chelsea in 2009 but was used as a third choice goalkeeper 

'I had spoken to my wife Nicola about the move and she said it was best I went somewhere where I played on a regular basis.It's a new opportunity in my career',Turnbull told BBC Sheffield.

Turnbull had been a free agent since leaving Chelsea last month. 

KHUMALO JOINS ROVERS

Doncaster have successfully completed a loan deal for Tottenham defender Bongani Khumalo.

The South African joins newcomers Donny for the season,days after impressing in a friendly win at Bradford.

Khumalo has been at Spurs since 2011 and has spent time on loan at others Championship clubs including Preston and Reading two years ago.He has also played for PAOK in Greece.

SPECIAL ARTICLE:EIGHT TROPHILESS YEARS

So much has happened in the world since 2005,the last time Arsenal won a trophy.Since their triumphant season:

-Juventus have been relegated,promoted and won Series A

-The world's population has risen by 7.2%

-Lionel Messi has turned professional and won 78 awards

-Twitter has been created and has got 500,000,000 plus users

-381 new professional football stadiums have been built

-Arsene Wenger has received £56M in wages

-The average drinks can has been recycled 51 times

-Brimingham have been relegated three times,promoted twice and won the league cup

     BIRMINGHAM HAVE BEEN BUSY

-23 Ex-Arsenal players have won 56 medals

-Paul Scholes has retired and returned to the game

-Justin Bieber has lived 40.8% of his life

    AND BIEBER DOESN'T EVEN KNOW!

DICKOV LOOKING AT KELLO

Paul Dickov has looked carefully at trialling goalkeeper Marian Kello in hope of a deal being sealed.

The former Hearts number one was released by the Edinburgh club due to their financial problems in July last year and signed for Romanian side Astra Girgiu on a six-month-deal.

Kello,30,played the full ninety minutes against Motherwell in a friendly and kept a clean sheet.

The Slovakia international has been in England since joining Hearts from Lithuanian giants FBK Kaunus in January 2008.

ROVERS LEGEND #3:PAUL GREEN

Since he signed a professional contract in 2001,Paul Green has gone on to play for top clubs in England and has even gone to Poland with Ireland.

Paul was born in Pontefract in 1983.He trained with younger Doncaster players and stood out from the rest as a talented midfielder.The reward for his work was deserved-a professional contract.

He made his debut for Donny in 2002 aged just 19 and his first ever professional goal came at Belle Vue against Hayes in a 5-2 win on 25th March that year.He became a very important member to the squad and was key to Doncaster's promotion in 2003.He was also key in Donny's promotion to The Championship in 2008,helping the side win at Wembley.He was released at the end of May 2008 when his contract expired.

He soon joined Derby who'd recently been relegated from the top flight.His first game with the Rams was coincidentally the opening day fixture against Doncaster.Donny won 1-0 on that day.Over four years at Pride Park,he made 125 appearances and scored 10 goals.

In 2012,Green joined Neil Warnock at Leeds United on a two-year-deal.He made his debut against Shrewsbury in the League Cup.He scored his first goal in a 2-1 win at Elland Road against Crystal Palace in which his strike proved to be the winner.He has been named Leeds captain since.

Green was part of the Republic of Ireland squad that competed in Euro 2012.

    GREEN IN IRELAND COLOURS

He lives near Leeds with his wife Claire and daughter Ruby,4.

DONCASTER DEFEAT 'STILL RAW'-RÖSLER

Brentford manager Uwe Rösler still feels 'empty' after the final day defeat to Doncaster Rovers.

Brentford,who would achieve automatic promotion if they had won,were awarded a penalty in the 90+5th minute with the score at 0-0.

On-loan striker Marcello Trotta took the crucial kick,but hit the bar and the resulting counter attack from Doncaster saw them score and win the league.

'It is hard to describe',says Rösler,'A game which went down to 90 minutes really depended on 30 seconds.'

'I chose Kevin O'Connor(Brentford's captain and longest serving player) to take it but Marcello insisted he took it instead.He lost sleep to be honest after missing.'

THE DECISIVE KICK TAKEN BY TROTTA

Despite winning the semi final playoff on penalties against Swindon,The Bees lost in the final to Yeovil.

'We must bounce back and look ahead.I told the team that they must be focused ready for the new season although the agonising sense of defeat is still raw'.

Had Trotta scored,Brentford would've been back in the second tier for the first time in eleven years.

COTTERILL:'MY CAREER WAS IN TATTERS'

David Cotterill has admitted that before he joined Doncaster Rovers,his career was going nowhere.

Cardiff-born Cotterill,25,made his professional debut for Bristol City as a 16-year-old in 2004.He made 62 appearances for the Reds.

He then made a 'dream move' to Wigan in 2006 but never established himself as a good top-flight midfielder and was loaned out to Sheffield United in January 2008.He made a total of 56 appearances under Kevin Blackwell and scored 4 times.

    COTTERILL SCORING FOR UNITED

He signed for Welsh club Swansea in 2010 and adapted himself quickly.However,his career took a turn for the worst here.

'My wife Sasha was subject to death threats from Cardiff fans.I feared for the safety of her and my little boy,so I told her to avoid watching me at home games to be safe',Cotterill said.

Following spells at Portsmouth and Barnsley,the Welshman signed on a free transfer for Donny in July 2012 along with Robbie Blake.He has been a regular since.

GIVEN 'UNCONVINCED' BY ROVERS

Birmingham evening post has said that Aston Villa goalkeeper Shay Given appears to be 'unconvinced' by a loan to Doncaster.

Given,who is no longer wanted at Villa Park according to reports,has made 40 appearances for the Premier League side who struggled last season.

Veteran shot stopper Given,37,has told the press he isn't 'keen on dropping down' although a potential takeover at Donny will see the club have money to spend.

But Rovers still want Given and with not long until the start of the season,Paul Dickov hasn't thrown in the towel yet.

LAWS 'POWERLESS' TO KEEP DUFFY

                       

Scunthorpe United manager Brian Laws has admitted he 'couldn't stop' Mark Duffy from leaving.

Scunthorpe were relegated from League One last season and Laws was quick to clear out his squad. Nine players left including striker Akpo Sodje and captain Paul Reid.

Duffy,a former Liverpool trainee,signed for Scunthorpe from Morecambe in 2011 and became a fan favourite.Known for his free kicks and skill,he was voted The Iron's player of the season twice.

Laws said that,despite all his efforts to keep him,Duffy wanted a new challenge and has subsequently signed for Donny on a two-year-deal.

ROVERS TARGET STRIKER KEOGH

                       

Doncaster Rovers are looking to sign Millwall striker Andy Keogh to strengthen their squad.

Keogh,an Ireland international,is notable for partnering former Red Billy Sharp up front during their time at Scunthorpe.

Keogh has been at Wolves since January 2012 since joining from Wolves.The 27-year-old had previously played for Cardiff,Bristol City and Leeds on loan,all of which were successful.

ROVERS NOT GIVEN UP YET

Doncaster are still on the hunt to sign Shay Given and Stephen Ireland on loan from Aston Villa.

Given,37,has been at Villa since 2011 and wears the number one shirt.He spent last season on the bench due to a series of outstanding performances from Bradley Guzan, Aston Villa's second choice goalkeeper and USA international.

The Irishman has previously played for Blackburn,Newcastle and Manchester City. He has been capped for his home country 125 times having made his debut for Ireland against Russia as a 20-year-old.

Ireland,26,has featured 40 times for Villa since joining them in 2010 from Manchester City where he had spent 5 years working under Stuart Pearce and others to develop his game.

Also, Donny have taken Bongani Khumalo on trial. The South African defender recently spent time at PAOK in Greece and has had spells at Preston and MK Dons where he scored one goal.

ROVERS LEGEND #2:DINO MAAMRIA

                                                          Dino Maamria signed for Donny in 1998. He had spent five years playing in England and was ready for the challenge.

Dino was born in Tunisia in 1971 but moved to France when he was a teenager to pursue his career as a striker. He signed for Tunisian club AS Marsa as a 21-year-old in 1992 but after two years, he left to play for CO Transports and scored four goals during his time.

Northern Irish Premier League side Glentoran snapped up Maamria on a free transfer in 1996 after he'd failed to sign a contract with Burnley. However, he and his wife weren't settled at the club so he left by mutual consent in April 1997 having scored twice in seven games.

Dino caught the attention of fans across England after signing for The Rovers in July 1998 and was given the number 10. He finished the club's top scorer in the 1999/2000 campaign with eight goals.Shortly after his release in 2000, he did his coaching badges whilst trialling for Cardiff City. He rejected the offer though.

He moved to Southport in 2000 but made few appearances, so had a brief spell with a part-time club in a lower league. He joined Stevenage in January 2003 and became a fan's favourite by scoring 33 times in 96 appearances during his time.

In August 2006, he re-joined Southport although he was poised to go to Rushden and Diamonds, but he didn't receive international clearance. However, he reunited with his old manager Graham Westley at Rushden in 2007 but was immediately loaned back to Southport.

   DINO AT HAIG AVENUE,2000
He was made player-manager of NPL side Northwich Victoria in 2007 but was sacked after a year in charge. He later joined up with Graham Westley back at Stevenage as assistant manager. He won back-to-back promotions with Westley in a successful two years for the Boro which saw go from non-league to League One.

DINO WITH WESTLEY AT HILLSBOROUGH

In 2012, he went to coach Preston with Westley who'd been appointed manager of the Lancashire club. He left in January 2013 following Westley's sacking.

He now lives in Hertfordshire.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SULLY JOINS LEEDS ACADEMY

 

             
Former Rovers number one Neil Sullivan has joined Leeds United as a goalkeeping coach in the youth academy.

Sullivan,43,signed for Rovers from United in 2007 after a successful loan spell and made a total of 187 appearances in South Yorkshire. He was ever present during the 2009/10 campaign for Donny and helped them win the League One title this year.

Sullivan said, 'I have wanted to do some coaching and Leeds is the perfect place to start. It's a great club with a fantastic history and there are some future stars brewing here'

ROVERS LEGEND #1:JAMES HAYTER

James Hayter is a well-known player in Doncaster history, probably best known for scoring a very important goal in a very important match.

James Edward Hayter was born on the Isle of Wight in 1979. He signed a professional deal with boyhood club AFC Bournemouth in 1996 and made his debut against Peterborough. With him struggling to fit in, he was loaned out to Salisbury City as a 19-year-old and made eight appearances.

HAYTER AT DEAN COURT,2002
A series of outstanding performances saw him back in regular team football. In October 2000, he scored four goals in a match away at Bury. He became widely known as the partner up front with Steven Fletcher, becoming one of the best strikers outside of the Premier League. He went on to win promotion in Division Three with The Cherries in 2003.

He is best known for his time at Dean Court for scoring the fastest hat-trick in the Football League after scoring three goals in 140 seconds in a 4-0 win against Wrexham, shortly after coming on. His parents attended the match but missed the hat-trick as they had to get the last ferry back to the Isle of Wight.

In 2006, Hayter teamed up with former manager Sean O'Driscoll at Doncaster. He had a shaky start to life in South Yorkshire, but soon became known for his heading ability. This proved useful in the 2008 Play-off final against Leeds at Wembley by heading in the goal that saw Donny promoted to the Championship for the first time ever.

Hayter struggled at first in the 2008/09 season, but found his real form during the 2010/11 campaign by opening the scoring during the first game of the season at Preston. His header against Middlesbrough in December was his 7th goal that season. He was injured for most of 2011/12 and was released at the end of his contract.

Shortly after his release, he signed for Yeovil Town in League One. He scored against his former club Doncaster with a header in a 2-1 win for Gary Johnson's side. He helped Yeovil win promotion to the Championship for the first time in their history. At Huish Park, he partners top scorer Paddy Madden and Sam Foley who acts in midfield.

  HAYTER ON THE DAY HE SIGNED FOR YEOVIL
He now lives in Tiverton with his partner and they have two children.

 

QUINN STAYS ON

 

 Paul Quinn has signed a new deal with Doncaster that should see the defender stay with the club until 2015.

Quinn,27, signed for Doncaster in August 2012 following his release from Cardiff and was ever present for Donny last season. He played a key roll in defence along with Rob Jones, Jamie McCombe and Tommy Spurr.

Former Motherwell trainee Quinn signed for Cardiff in 2008 and made 86 appearances under Dave Jones. However, during the 2011/12 season he often started on the bench and wasn't used regularly so was released by The Bluebirds when his contract expired.