Full name | Doncaster Rovers Football Club |
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Nickname(s) | Donny, The Rovers |
Founded | 1879 |
Ground | Keepmoat Stadium |
Capacity | 15,231 |
Chairman | David Blunt |
Manager | Darren Ferguson |
League | League Two |
2015–16 | League One, 21st (relegated) |
Website | Club home page |
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. The team competes in League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system, after relegation from League One in 2015–16.
The club was founded in 1879 and turned professional in 1885. Doncaster have spent the majority of their playing history between the third and fourth tiers of the English football league system and are one of four clubs to win the Division 4/Division 3/League Two title three times.
The club's colours have traditionally been red and white. Their home strip is red and white hoops, which has been the main design of the club's home shirt since 2001.
The associated Doncaster Rovers Belles L.F.C. are one of the most successful women's clubs in English football.
The club was formed in 1879 by Albert Jenkins, a fitter at Doncaster's Great Northern Railway works. He gathered together some friends to play a match against the Yorkshire Institute for the Deaf and Dumb in September 1879. On walking back from the game, the team took a rest at the Hall Cross, and had a discussion in which they decided to play more and called themselves Doncaster Rovers.
The first match under the name was on 3 October 1879, a draw away against Rawmarsh. Gradually, they became the main team in the town, and appear to have had their first professional players in 1887–88.