# List of Doncaster Rovers F.C. players (1879–1918)

This list contains players who have appeared in nationally organised first-team competition for Doncaster Rovers from its creation in 1879 until the end of First World War. Players that also represented the club after the war are included.

## Explanation of list

Players should be listed in chronological order according to the season in which they first played for the club, and then by alphabetical order of their surname. Initially, the club only played friendlies, their first cup match being in October 1885. Doncaster joined their first league, the Midland Alliance, in 1890. To varying degrees in subsequent years, friendlies still formed a significant part of the fixtures throughout the season. Further information on competitions/seasons which are regarded as eligible for appearance stats are provided below.

### League appearances

League appearances and goals should include data for the following league spells:
* Midland Alliance: 1890−91
* Midland Football League: 1891−92 to 1900−01; 1903−04; 1905−06 to 1915
* Football League: 1901−02 to 1902−03; 1904−05
* Midland Combination: 1915−16

### Total appearances

The figures for total appearances and goals should include the League figures together with the following competitions:
* FA Cup
* Sheffield and Hallamshire FA Minor Challenge Cup
* Sheffield and Hallamshire FA Senior Challenge Cup
* Gainsborough News Charity Cup
* Wharncliffe Charity Cup
* Wharncliffe Charity League
* Mexborough Montague Charity Cup
* The Yorkshire League
* Friendlies (pre 1890−91 when Doncaster weren't in a league)

## History
### First match as Doncaster Rovers

The first match was in September 1879 when Albert Jenkins got together a group of young men to play against The Yorkshire Institute for the Deaf and Dumb in which they drew 4−4 after being behind 4−0 at half time. It was after this match that the group of players decided to play further games and call themselves Doncaster Rovers on the walk back into the town. The first match played under this name was a 0−0 draw on 3 October 1879 at Rawmarsh F.C.. The line up in a 2−2−6 formation was:
* Goalkeeper: William Walker
* Right back: Albert Jenkins
* Left back: John Mitchell
* Right half back: Thomas Clark
* Left half back: William H. Salmon
* Outside right: William Chadwick
* Inside right: William Bedford
* Centre forward: Arthur Roper
* Centre forward: John Boyle Gosling
* Inside left: William Simpson
* Outside left: William Titterington

### First Football League match

After already playing their first game of the 1901–02 season in the Midland League on 2 September, Doncaster were voted into the Football League following New Brighton Tower folding as a club. Continuing with the squad they already had, the first match was against Burslem Port Vale on Saturday 7 September 1901. The crowd at the Intake Ground was 2,000. It was 0–0 at half time, then Len Goodson scored two for Rovers. The Vale then scored 3 goals, with Frank Bailey getting the equaliser making the final score 3–3. The line up was a 2–3–5 formation of:
* Goalkeeper: Jack Eggett
* Full back: George Simpson
* Full back: Walter Langton
* Half back: Billy Longden
* Half back: Arthur Jones
* Half back: Ellis Wright
* Forward: Billy Langham
* Forward: John Murphy
* Forward: Jack Price
* Forward: Len Goodson
* Forward: Frank Bailey

## Players

| Name | Position | Club career | League apps | League goals | Total apps | Total goals | Notes |
| William Bedford | Inside right | 1879–85 | | | | 4 | During this time, not all scorers in games were recorded |
| Albert Jenkins | Right back | 1879–86? | | | | | Also club founder, captain and secretary |
| John Mitchell | Left back | 1879–85 | | | | | Went on to play for Bolton Wanderers on the first day of the inaugural season of the Football League in September 1888 |
| Patrick Stirling | | 1885?–? | | | | | Became Mayor of Doncaster in 1914 |
| Billy Bridgewater | Inside Right / Centre forward | 1886–87 1888–89 1891–93 | | 7 | | 23 | During this time, not all scorers in games were recorded |
| Walter Langton | Left back / Centre forward | 1887−1905 | 45 | 28 | 48 | 48 | Appearance stats not including seasons 1887−1901 nor 1903−04 which are likely to at least put him well over 200 total appearances |
| James Gresham | Forward | 1890–91 | | 7 | | 12 | |
| Bob Herrod | Inside Right / Outside Right | 1890–91 | | 11 | | 14 | |
| Tom Kisbey | Centre forward | 1890–91 | | 9 | | 12 | |
| Jim Massey | Goalkeeper | 1890–93 | | 0 | | 0 | |
| Harry Thickett | Full back | 1891 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | Doncaster born, he went on to play for England twice, and won the First Division title once and FA Cup twice with Sheffield United before managing Bristol City |
| William Hopewell | Half back | 1892–93 | | | | | |
| Billy Calder | Outside Forward | 1893–96 | | 5 | | 9 | First manager of Doncaster, in 1920 |
| Richard Fenwick | Goalkeeper | 1893–94 | | 0 | | 0 | |
| Jack Eggett | Goalkeeper | 1894–1903 | 67 | 0 | 70 | 0 | Appearance stats not including 1894−1901 |
| Billy Linward | Outside Left | 1895−1901 | | 53 | | 65 | |
| Ellis Wright | Left half | 1895−1905 | 80 | 3 | 83 | 3 | Appearance stats not including 1895−1901, 1903−04 |
| Billy Longden | Outside Right / Right half | 1896−1902 | 31 | 2 | 33 | 2 | Stats only for 1901−02 season, he scored 17 League and 5 other goals in total |
| Arnold Oxspring | Inside Right / Outside Right | 1897–1900 | | 51 | | 56 | |
| Harry Crump | Left half | 1900−01 | | 0 | | 1 | |
| Len Goodson | Outside Left | 1900–02 1905−06 1909 | 38 | 6 | 40 | 6 | Scored Doncaster's first goal in the Football League Stats not including 1899–1901, 1905−06 and 1908−09 seasons where he scored 33 league and 14 other goals |
| John Murphy | Inside Left / Left half | 1900−04 | 62 | 8 | 65 | 8 | Stats not including Midland League seasons 1900−01 and 1903−04 when he scored 22 league goals |
| George Simpson | Full back | 1900−03 | 64 | 2 | 65 | 2 | Stats not including 1900−01 |
| Tommy Vail | Centre forward | 1900−01 | | 20 | | 26 | |
| Frank Bailey | Outside Left | 1901–02 | 22 | 6 | 23 | 6 | |
| Arthur Birch | Right back | 1901−04 | 34 | 0 | 34 | 0 | Stats not including 1903−04 season |
| Ernest Dowson | Right half | 1901−02 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Arthur Jones | Centre half | 1901−02 | 21 | 1 | 23 | 1 | |
| Billy Langham | Outside Right | 1901–03 1906−07 | 62 | 16 | 65 | 16 | Playing stats for first period, scored 9 League goals in second period |
| Manny Lindley | Outside Right | 1901–02 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| John McKenzie | Right half | 1901−02 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Ike Marsh | Left back | 1901−03 | 33 | 2 | 35 | 3 | |
| Frank Pepper | Right half | 1901−02 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Jack Price | Forward | 1901–03 | 59 | 17 | 61 | 18 | |
| Jack Aston | Inside Forward | 1902–03 | 30 | 3 | 31 | 3 | |
| Fred Bann | Centre half | 1902 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Phil Bratley | Centre half | 1902−03 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Alonzo Drake | Forward | 1902–03 | 36 | 7 | 37 | 7 | |
| Frank Foxall | Inside Left | 1902–03 | 12 | 2 | 12 | 2 | |
| Andrew Gordon | Centre half | 1902−05 | 43 | 0 | 46 | 0 | |
| Charlie Laverick | Full back | 1902−04 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | Stats not including 1903−04 season |
| Willie Nettleton | Outside Right | 1902–03 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| John Parker | Centre forward | 1902−03 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| James Pettit | Right half | 1902−03 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Arthur Pyle | Inside Right | 1902–03 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 2 | |
| George Ratcliffe | Left winger | 1902–03 | 27 | 7 | 28 | 7 | |
| Charlie Richards | Inside Right | 1902–03 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| Harry Roberts | Centre forward | 1902−09 | 5 | 19 | 5 | 22 | Includes all goals, but only Football League appearances |
| Albert Robinson | Left back | 1902−03 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Jack Stables | Goalkeeper | 1902–03 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Tom Woodland | Outside Left | 1902−03 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| E Bradley | Inside Left | 1903−05 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | Stats don't include 1903−04 where he scored 3 league goals |
| Jimmy Dyer | Forward | 1903–04 | | 11 | | 11 | |
| Joe Moran | Outside Left | 1903–04 | | 12 | | 12 | |
| Willie Wragg | Wing half / Full back | 1903?−04? | | 0 | | 0 | |
| Sam Bedford | Outside Right | 1904−06 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Stats only for 1904−05 season, he scored 1 league goal in 1905−06 |
| Josh Burn | Right back | 1904–05 | 19 | 0 | 21 | 0 | |
| William Butler | Left back | 1904–06 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | Stats not including September 1905−October 1906 |
| James Carnegie | Centre forward | 1904–05 | 14 | 3 | 15 | 3 | |
| George Crowcroft | Inside Left | 1904–05 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Harry Davies | Left back | 1904–05 | 26 | 1 | 28 | 1 | |
| Teddy Daw | Goalkeeper | 1904–05 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Charles Flowitt | Inside Left | 1904−05 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| James Gould | Inside Left | 1904−05 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Jimmy Hanson | Inside Right | 1904−05 | 14 | 2 | 16 | 2 | |
| Eddie Harling | Goalkeeper | 1904–05 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Sinjon Hawkins | Right back | 1904−05 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| David Howard | Right back | 1904−05 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Len Hyde | Inside Right / Outside Right | 1904–05 | 32 | 1 | 33 | 1 | |
| Billy Law | Outside Left | 1904–05 | 26 | 2 | 27 | 2 | |
| George McGhee | Inside Forward | 1904–05 | 11 | 3 | 11 | 3 | |
| James McIntyre | Inside Left | 1904–05 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| Matt Moralee | Half back | 1904–06 | 32 | 2 | 34 | 2 | Stats for first season, also scored 1 League and 2 FA Cup goals in second season |
| Bob Norris | Left half | 1904−05 | 21 | 3 | 23 | 3 | |
| Laurie Pember | Inside Left | 1904−05 | 17 | 0 | 19 | 0 | |
| Joe Raby | Inside Forward | 1904–05 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| John Russell | Inside Right | 1904–05 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Bert Shinner | Inside Forward | 1904–05 | 12 | 3 | 14 | 3 | |
| Tommy Thorpe | Goalkeeper | 1904–05 | 31 | 0 | 32 | 0 | |
| Tommy Tompkins | Forward / Half back | 1904–05 | 15 | 1 | 17 | 2 | |
| George Whittaker | Outside Right | 1904−05 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Alf Wilkinson | Centre forward | 1904−05 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Jack Almond | Forward | 1905–06 | | 8 | | 8 | |
| Bill Brelsford | Centre half / Right half | 1907−10 | | 5 | | 6 | |
| Fred Charles | Inside Forward | 1907–09 | | 7 | | 11 | |
| Fred Thompson | Goalkeeper | 1908–09 | | 0 | | 0 | |
| William Jex | Inside Left | 1908−09 1910−11 1913−14 | 65 | 49 | | 58 | Appearances not including 1913−14 |
| John Allen | Full back | 1909−10 | | 0 | | 0 | |
| John Pattinson | Winger | 1909, 1912–13 | | 10 | | 12 | |
| Tommy Simons | Centre forward | 1909−10 | | 12 | | 14 | |
| Peter Turner | Inside Forward | 1909–10 | | 0 | | 0 | |
| Billy Bromage | Outside Left | 1910–13 | | 20 | | 26 | |
| Samuel Gunton | Full back | 1910−11 | | 0 | | 0 | |
| Charlie Woodruff | Outside Right | 1910–13 | | 18 | | 20 | |
| Tommy Astill | Inside Left | 1911–13 | | 14 | | 18 | |
| Harry Bromage | Goalkeeper | 1911–13 | | 0 | | 0 | |
| Harold Buddery | Forward | 1911–13 | | 22 | | 24 | |
| Fred Shreeve | Full back | 1911−13 | | 3 | | 3 | |
| Bert Cook | Outside Left | 1912–13 | | 4 | | 5 | |
| Arthur Reed | Forward | 1912 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| Willis Walker | Goalkeeper | 1912–1914 | | 0 | | 0 | |
| Bob Hewitson | Goalkeeper | 1913?–? | | 0 | | 0 | |
| Tommy Birtles | Outside Right | 1914–15 | | 6 | | 8 | |
| Jack Hall | Outside Right | 1914–15 | | 5 | | 5 | |
| Freddy Hicks | Right half back | 1914–15 | | 0 | | 0 | |
| Horace Husler | Goalkeeper | 1914–15 | | 0 | | 0 | |
| Charles Alton | Full back | 1915−16 | | 0 | | 0 | |
| Bernard Frith | Outside Left | 1915–? | | 1 | | 1 | |
| Alfred Smelt | Right back | 1915−? | | 0 | | 0 | |