Dickov to get financial backing to halt Rovers’ plunge

DONCASTER ROVERS have pledged to support manager Paul Dickov as best as they can in the January transfer window to get the club’s fading Championship season back on track.
Paul Dickov.Paul Dickov.
Paul Dickov.

Fourth-from-bottom Rovers have taken just one point from a possible 15 available in a demoralising December so far and head into tomorrow’s crunch home clash with fellow strugglers Millwall on the back of a miserable four-match losing sequence which has seen them ship three goals on each occasion, scoring just once.

Matters came to a head in Rovers’ limp 3-0 Boxing Day home loss to Ipswich Town when many irate supporters called on major shareholder Terry Bramall to leave the club and chanted their support for former chairman John Ryan, who left the club in November following a high-profile dispute over Rovers’ future direction with Bramall.

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And anything resembling a repeat of that performance and result against the managerless Lions would potentially plunge Rovers’ season into a full-blown crisis.

Boss Dickov was without nine players for Thursday’s clash with Ipswich with the lack of depth in Rovers’ squad having been painfully exposed so far this month – with fans anxious that new signings are brought in next month to ensure the club’s season doesn’t head into freefall.

The Rovers board remain keen on the club operating on a cost-efficient and sustainable basis, but are equally mindful of the club’s current parlous position, with the South Yorkshiremen bottom of the current Championship form table along with Millwall.

All told, Rovers have won just twice in their past 12 Championship outings and the fixture list after tomorrow’s clash with the Lions doesn’t offer much salvation with three of their first four Championship matches of 2014 being away from home.

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That kicks off with a daunting looking trip to automatic promotion candidates QPR on New Year’s Day.

Bramall said: “We would like to get better results on the pitch. But we are supporting the manager and he’s upbeat.

“We aren’t getting good results, but been hit pretty badly over the past six weeks with injuries and people not being available.

“But we like the style of football that we are playing and the business we are doing and we are very content to continue owning the club.”

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Despite seeing their bid to take over the club rejected recently, Irish-based consortium Sequentia Capital remain keen on taking the reins at the Keepmoat Stadium and are waiting in the wings for any fresh developments.

Spokesperson Kevin Phelan, who has pledged significant funds to spend on players if their takeover is approved, said: “Our message to the board is that we want them to invest generously in the team in the January transfer window to make sure that the club stays in the Championship. But (if not), we are ready, willing and able to do the deal.”

Rovers preview: Page 2.