# 2010–11 Doncaster Rovers F.C. season

The 2010–11 season marked the 131st season in Doncaster Rovers Football Club's existence, and their third consecutive year in the Championship, the second tier of English football. The team finished the season with 11 wins, 15 draws, and 20 losses, for a total of 48 points, only good enough for 21st in the league, avoiding relegation by 6 points. Forward Billy Sharp led the team with 16 goals scored in 31 appearances, while midfielder John Oster had 43 total appearances for the team, leading all players. The team started the season winning three of their first six league matches, and generally alternated wins and losses or draws throughout the season, but ended the year losing six of their last seven matches. In the FA Cup competition, they played the Wolverhampton Wanderers to a 2-2 draw in the first match at home but lost the replay 6-0 at Molineux Stadium. In the League Cup, they lost in the first round to Accrington Stanley 2-1 after extra time.

## Players
### First team

Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 2010–11 season.
| No. | Name | Position | Date of Birth (Age) | Signed from | Notes |
| Goalkeepers |||||||
| 1 | Neil Sullivan | GK | (1970-02-24)24 February 1970 (aged 40) | Leeds United | First team goalkeeper |
| 33 | Gary Woods | GK | (1990-10-01)1 October 1990 (aged 19) | Manchester United | |
| Defenders |||||||
| 2 | James O'Connor | RB | (1984-11-20)20 November 1984 (aged 25) | Bournemouth | |
| 6 | James Chambers | RB | (1980-11-20)20 November 1980 (aged 29) | Leicester City | |
| 24 | Mustapha Dumbuya | RB | (1988-02-03)3 February 1988 (aged 22) | Grays Athletic | |
| 11 | Adam Lockwood | CB | (1981-10-26)26 October 1981 (aged 28) | Yeovil Town | Vice captain |
| 4 | Shelton Martis | CB | (1982-11-29)29 November 1982 (aged 27) | West Bromwich Albion | |
| 23 | Byron Webster | CB | (1987-03-31)31 March 1987 (aged 23) | FK SIAD Most | |
| 21 | Sam Hird | CB | (1987-09-07)7 September 1987 (aged 22) | Leeds United | |
| 5 | Wayne Thomas | CB | (1979-05-17)17 May 1979 (aged 31) | Southampton | |
| 3 | George Friend | LB | (1987-10-19)19 October 1987 (aged 22) | Wolverhampton Wanderers | |
| Midfielders |||||||
| 15 | Mark Wilson | DM | (1979-02-09)9 February 1979 (aged 31) | FC Dallas | |
| 22 | Dean Shiels | RW | (1985-02-01)1 February 1985 (aged 25) | Hibernian | |
| 26 | James Coppinger | RW | (1981-01-18)18 January 1981 (aged 29) | Exeter City | |
| 8 | Brian Stock | CM | (1981-12-24)24 December 1981 (aged 28) | Preston North End | Captain |
| 7 | Martin Woods | LM | (1986-01-01)1 January 1986 (aged 24) | Rotherham United | |
| 18 | Simon Gillett | CM | (1985-11-06)6 November 1985 (aged 24) | Southampton | |
| 14 | Josh Payne | MC | (1990-11-25)25 November 1990 (aged 19) | West Ham United | |
| 34 | Robbie Clark | CM | (1991-04-30)30 April 1991 (aged 19) | Youth academy | Reserve team player |
| 16 | John Oster | RW | (1978-12-08)8 December 1978 (aged 31) | Crystal Palace | |
| Strikers |||||||
| 9 | Steve Brooker | ST | (1981-05-21)21 May 1981 (aged 29) | Bristol City | |
| 10 | Billy Sharp | ST | (1986-02-05)5 February 1986 (aged 24) | Sheffield United | |
| 12 | James Hayter | ST | (1979-04-09)9 April 1979 (aged 31) | Bournemouth | |
| 29 | Waide Fairhurst | ST | (1989-05-07)7 May 1989 (aged 21) | Youth academy | Reserve team player |
| 36 | Bradley Grayson | ST | (1992-04-12)12 April 1992 (aged 18) | Youth academy | Reserve team player |

#### Squad statistics

    As of 31 June 2011
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Championship | Championship | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | SCO | Neil Sullivan | 34 | 0 | 30+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | ENG | James O'Connor | 37 | 2 | 34 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | ENG | George Friend | 35 | 1 | 30+2 | 1 | 0+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 4 | MF | ANT | Shelton Martis | 27 | 1 | 24+2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Wayne Thomas | 21 | 0 | 17+4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | ENG | James Chambers | 9 | 0 | 6+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | ENG | Martin Woods | 15 | 1 | 13+2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | WAL | Brian Stock | 37 | 2 | 31+6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Steve Brooker | 16 | 1 | 1+12 | 1 | 0+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Billy Sharp | 31 | 16 | 27+2 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | DF | ENG | Adam Lockwood | 19 | 1 | 13+3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 12 | FW | ENG | James Hayter | 35 | 10 | 28+4 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | ENG | Josh Payne | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 14 | MF | BEL | Franck Moussa | 14 | 2 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | ENG | Mark Wilson | 30 | 0 | 15+13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | WAL | John Oster | 43 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | ENG | Ryan Mason | 15 | 0 | 5+10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | ENG | Simon Gillett | 22 | 1 | 21+1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | JAM | Jason Euell | 12 | 3 | 7+5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | NIR | David Healy | 8 | 2 | 6+2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | DF | ENG | Joseph Mills | 19 | 2 | 17+1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | DF | ENG | Sam Hird | 35 | 0 | 20+12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | NIR | Dean Shiels | 35 | 3 | 15+18 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | ENG | Byron Webster | 7 | 0 | 1+6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | SLE | Mustapha Dumbuya | 24 | 0 | 17+6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 25 | DF | BRA | Dennis Souza | 9 | 0 | 3+5 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | MF | ENG | James Coppinger | 42 | 7 | 38+2 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | DF | ENG | Matthew Kilgallon | 12 | 0 | 7+5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | FW | ENG | Waide Fairhurst | 3 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 30 | MF | EIR | Paul Keegan | 10 | 0 | 9+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | MF | ENG | Ryan Burge | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | GK | ENG | Gary Woods | 16 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | MF | ENG | Robert Clark | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 35 | | ENG | Brett Lucas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | FW | ENG | Bradley Grayson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 37 | | ENG | Aaron Jones | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | | ENG | Robert Oldham | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Results
### Championship

Championship match details :
| Date | Time | Opponent | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 7 August 2010 | 15:00 | Preston North End | Away | W | 2–0 | O'Connor 12', Hayter 18' | 12,190 |
| 14 August 2010 | 15:00 | Bristol City | Home | D | 1–1 | Sharp 90' pen. | 9,291 |
| 21 August 2010 | 15:00 | Cardiff City | Away | L | 0–4 | | 24,027 |
| 28 August 2010 | 15:00 | Hull City | Home | W | 3–1 | Woods 2', Sharp 44' pen., Coppinger 69' | 11,149 |
| 11 September 2010 | 15:00 | Watford | Away | D | 2–2 | Gillett 23', Friend 90' | 15,101 |
| 14 September 2010 | 19:45 | Norwich City | Home | W | 3–1 | Coppinger 14', 50', 86' | 9,314 |
| 17 September 2010 | 19:45 | Leeds United | Home | D | 0–0 | | 13,293 |
| 25 September 2010 | 15:00 | Queens Park Rangers | Away | L | 0–3 | | 13,990 |
| 28 September 2010 | 15:00 | Coventry City | Away | L | 1–2 | Sharp 43' | 12,292 |
| 2 October 2010 | 15:00 | Nottingham Forest | Home | D | 1–1 | Lockwood 33' | 10,759 |
| 16 October 2010 | 15:00 | Scunthorpe United | Away | W | 3–1 | Sharp 31', 59' pen., O'Connor 72' | 7,005 |
| 19 October 2010 | 19:45 | Derby County | Home | L | 2–3 | Shiels 66', 68' | 9,000 |
| 23 October 2010 | 15:00 | Sheffield United | Home | W | 2–0 | Coppinger 33', Sharp 42' | 8,985 |
| 30 October 2010 | 15:00 | Reading | Away | L | 3–4 | Hayter 26', Martis 42', Shiels 50' | 15,553 |
| 6 November 2010 | 15:00 | Millwall | Home | W | 2–1 | Hayter 56', Healy 58' | 10,356 |
| 9 November 2010 | 19:45 | Burnley | Away | D | 1–1 | Hayter 13' | 13,655 |
| 13 November 2010 | 15:00 | Portsmouth | Away | W | 3–2 | Hayter 15', Coppinger 26', Healy 79' | 14,828 |
| 20 November 2010 | 15:00 | Swansea City | Home | D | 1–1 | Hayter 16' | 13,614 |
| 27 November 2010 | 15:00 | Crystal Palace | Away | L | 0–1 | | 12,470 |
| 11 December 2010 | 15:00 | Leicester City | Away | L | 1–5 | Sharp 6' | 27,549 |
| 17 December 2010 | 19:45 | Middlesbrough | Home | W | 2–1 | Hayter 22', Stock 90' | 9,543 |
| 1 January 2011 | 15:00 | Scunthorpe United | Home | W | 3–0 | Sharp 26', Hayter 38', Mills 45' | 9,447 |
| 3 January 2011 | 15:00 | Sheffield United | Away | D | 2–2 | Sharp 66', 74' pen. | 21,102 |
| 15 January 2011 | 15:00 | Reading | Home | L | 0–3 | | 9,496 |
| 22 January 2011 | 15:00 | Ipswich Town | Away | L | 2–3 | Sharp 6', 61' | 17,298 |
| 25 January 2011 | 19:45 | Barnsley | Home | L | 0–2 | | 10,740 |
| 1 February 2011 | 19:45 | Burnley | Home | W | 1–0 | Duff 59' o.g. | 8,893 |
| 5 February 2011 | 15:00 | Millwall | Away | L | 0–1 | | 11,427 |
| 12 February 2011 | 15:00 | Portsmouth | Home | L | 0–2 | | 10,288 |
| 15 February 2011 | 19:45 | Ipswich Town | Home | L | 0–6 | | 8,448 |
| 19 February 2011 | 15:00 | Swansea City | Away | L | 0–3 | | 13,309 |
| 22 February 2011 | 19:45 | Norwich City | Away | D | 1–1 | Drury 83' o.g. | 25,529 |
| 26 February 2011 | 15:00 | Watford | Home | D | 1–1 | Euell 45+1' | 8,954 |
| 1 March 2011 | 19:45 | Derby County | Away | W | 3–1 | Sharp 41', 48', Mills 71' | 24,239 |
| 5 March 2011 | 15:00 | Leeds United | Away | L | 2–5 | Sharp 45+2', Moussa 49' | 27,027 |
| 8 March 2011 | 19:45 | Coventry City | Home | D | 1–1 | Hayter 88' | 7,921 |
| 12 March 2011 | 15:00 | Nottingham Forest | Away | D | 0–0 | | 25,442 |
| 19 March 2011 | 15:00 | Queens Park Rangers | Home | L | 0–1 | | 11,747 |
| 2 April 2011 | 15:00 | Bristol City | Away | L | 0–1 | | 13,726 |
| 9 April 2011 | 15:00 | Cardiff City | Home | L | 1–3 | Coppinger 78' | 9,174 |
| 12 April 2011 | 19:45 | Preston North End | Home | D | 1–1 | Stock 77' | 9,456 |
| 16 April 2011 | 15:00 | Hull City | Away | L | 1–3 | Moussa 16' | 21,395 |
| 22 April 2011 | 15:00 | Crystal Palace | Home | D | 0–0 | | 14,312 |
| 25 April 2011 | 15:00 | Barnsley | Away | D | 2–2 | Euell 59', 73' | 12,418 |
| 30 April 2011 | 15:00 | Leicester City | Home | D | 1–1 | Brooker 50' | 11,757 |
| 7 May 2011 | 12:45 | Middlesbrough | Away | L | 0–3 | | 19,978 |

### FA Cup

FA Cup match details :
| Round | Date | Time | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers | Attendance | Ref. |
| Third round | 8 January 2011 | 15:00 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Home | D | 2–2 | Sharp 41', Hayter 43' | 8,616 | |
| Third round replay | 18 January 2011 | 19:45 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Away | L | 0–5 | | 10,031 | |

### League Cup

League Cup match details :
| Round | Date | Time | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers | Attendance | Ref. |
| First round | 10 August 2010 | 19:45 | Accrington Stanley | Home | L | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | Payne 57' | 4,603 | |

## Team kit

Doncaster Rovers were sponsored by Nike, after their deal with previous sponsor Vandanal expired. Their shirt sponsor changed to One Call Insurance who previously sponsored the club during their days in the Football Conference.

## Transfers
### In

First team
| No. | Pos. | Name | Age | EU | Moving from | Type | Transfer window | Ends | Transfer fee |
| 3 | LB | Friend | 21 | EU | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Transfer | Summer | 2012 | Free |
| 10 | FW | Sharp | 24 | EU | Sheffield United | Transfer | Summer | 2013 | £1.15M |
| 18 | CM | Gillett | 24 | EU | Southampton | Transfer | Summer | 2013 | Free |
| 14 | CM | Payne | 19 | EU | West Ham United | Transfer | Summer | 2010 | Free |
| 5 | CB | Thomas | 30 | EU | Southampton | Transfer | Summer | 2011 | Free |
Last updated: 8 May
Reserves and academy
| No. | Pos. | Nat. | Name | Age | EU | Moving from | Type | Transfer window | Ends | Transfer fee | Source |
Last updated: 8 May
Total spending: £1.15 million

### Out

First team
| N | Pos. | Name | Age | EU | Moving to | Type | Transfer window | Transfer fee |
| 7 | FW | Guy | 24 | EU | MK Dons | Contract expired | Summer | Free |
| 14 | FW | Heffernan | 28 | EU | Sheffield Wednesday | Contract expired | Summer | Free |
| 3 | LB | Roberts | 32 | EU | Derby County | Contract expired | Summer | Free |
| 18 | LB | McDaid | 23 | EU | Carlisle United | Contract expired | Summer | Free |
| 10 | CM | Spicer | 26 | EU | Notts County | Contract expired | Summer | Free |
| 13 | GK | Smith | 23 | EU | Shrewsbury Town | Contract expired | Summer | Free |
| 14 | CM | Payne | 20 | EU | Oxford United | Contract expired | Winter | Free |
Last updated: 7 July
Reserves and academy
| N | Pos. | Nat. | Name | Age | EU | Moving to | Type | Transfer window | Transfer fee | Source |
| 35 | DF | | Fisher | 18 | EU | Released | Contract expired | Summer | Free | |
Last updated: 7 July
Total income: £0 million

### Loaned in

| # | Pos | Player | From | Start | End |
| 17 | AMC | Ryan Mason | Tottenham Hotspur | 13 August 2010 | Present |
| 20 | LB | Joseph Mills | Southampton | 19 October 2010 | Present |
| 19 | FW | David Healy | Sunderland | 4 November 2010 | Present |
| | CB | Matthew Kilgallon | Sunderland | 9 January 2011 | Present |

### Loaned out

| # | Pos | Player | To | Start | End |
| 14 | MC | Josh Payne | Oxford | 1 September 2010 | 31 December 2010 |
| 35 | MC | Robbie Clark | Sheffield F.C. | 9 October 2010 | Present |