ON THIS DAY 18TH SEPTEMBER
WORDS: John Coyle
On this day in 1911 VIC DODSWORTH was born in Mexborough. He began his professional career with Grimsby Town, making his Football League debut in September 1932. A year later he was transferred to Manchester United, then in Division Two, but he failed to make a first team appearance. In January 1936 the central defender moved to Rovers, making his debut on 25th January 1936 at Belle Vue. Rovers lost the game 0-2 to West Ham United. Vic made 16 appearances for Rovers, his final one coming in March 1937 in a 2-1 home win over Fulham. Thar was the end of his professional career as later in 1937 he joined the police force in Grimsby. He died in 1986. ROY YOUNG was born in 1950 and played as an amateur in Sheffield United’s reserves before signing professional forms with Rovers in July 1970. Although signed as a striker, he played most of his brief Football League career at right-back. His Rovers career consisted of seven League appearances, six of which were lost and the other drawn. During the 1971-72 season he signed for Frickley Colliery and so left the full-time game.
Vic Dodsworth
This day in 1958 saw the birth, in Doncaster, of MARK JONES. The young midfielder showed great potential in Rovers’s youth team and signed professional forms in November 1975. In April 1976 he made his League debut in a 1-1 draw at Haig Avenue against Southport. Over three seasons he made thirteen appearances but never established himself in the first team. Following his release in May 1978 he joined Frickley Athletic. In 1948, English football was enjoying a post-war boom with many attendance records broken. Rovers started the 1948-49 season in Division Three (North) after a brief flirtation with the second tier. By 2nd October 1948 Rovers were in third place while visitors Hull City lay in second. The match was made all the more attractive because England international forward Raich Carter was player-manager of City. The crowds flocked to Belle Vue that Saturday afternoon, the gates being closed well before kick-off. The official attendance was given as 37,099, Rovers highest ever home crowd. An entertaining game ended 0-0 and Rovers ended the campaign in third place, fifteen points behind Hull who were promoted as Champions. Finally, twenty years ago, Rovers were “enjoying” their fourth season in the Football Conference. On Tuesday 2nd October 2001 they faced Northwich Victoria at the Drill Field. Tris Whitman and Neil Campbell put Rovers 2-0 up before The Vics made it 2-1 on the stroke of half time. On 69 minutes Barry Miller put Rovers 3-1 ahead but later he turned villain, receiving a red card after an altercation with Northwich’s Jimmy Quinn. The home side made it 3-2 late on, but Rovers hung on for a precious three points. Here’s to a similar outcome today (preferably without any red cards!)
Mark Jones
THE CROWDS FLOCKED TO BELLE VUE THAT SATURDAY AFTERNOON, THE GATES BEING CLOSED WELL BEFORE KICK-OFF. THE OFFICIAL ATTENDANCE WAS GIVEN AS 37,099, ROVERS HIGHEST EVER HOME CROWD
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