DONCASTER ROVERS: Double joy for Rovers
Were still behind you: Former directors Terry Bramhall and Dick Watson, pictured on the day they joined the Board, with chairman John Ryan, left. Picture: Steve taylor
MULTI-millionaires Terry Bramhall and Dick Watson will continue to financially support Doncaster Rovers next season - but neither will return to the club’s board.
Both men resigned from the board in January for different reasons and there had been fears that chairman John Ryan would be forced to effectively bankroll the club alone next season.
But Ryan stressed yesterday at a press conference at the Keepmoat Stadium that that would not be the case,
“They’ve both been committed to the club for the last five years and we because we each own a third of the shares each we actually own the club in that respect,” said Ryan.
“It is very important - especially after relegation - that they are still involved because it is easy to walk away when you are in a downward spiral after 10 years of an upward spiral - though we intend to turn things around next season.
“We will shortly take over the running of the Keepmoat Stadium and I think that has made a big difference to everyone.
“It feels like home now; we can do what we like within reason whereas before we were just tenants.
“I’d just like to thank Mayor Peter Davies who has been very helpful (during negotiations).”
Said Mr Bramall:” Dick and I left the board for various reasons but overall I think it has proved to have had a beneficial effect if you look where we are today compared to where we were at the end of December.
“We’ve never stopped being shareholders and putting money into the club - we may have wanted it to appear as though we had - and it certainly livened things up. We stepped down as directors for different reasons.
“I have a pretty varied life and being a director brings different responsibilities and I don’t have the time to fulfil those responsibilities. That is why I don’t intend to come back on the board but my financial support hasn’t changed, although it is our endeavour to make Rovers into a sustainable club.
“I think that we are moving towards that situation much faster than we have in the last five years. The club has got to start to balance the books. It is not an unusual view now in football.
“When Dick and I first came to the club we both recognised what it meant to Doncaster and that is why we wanted to support it because Doncaster (as a town) had been very good to us over the years.
“We’d admired John for what he’d done and decided to get on board when he asked for our help.
“We think the club has done well over those years and it is going to do even better.”
Mr Watson, who was vice-chairman at the time, stepped down from the board after suffering several heart problems.
“Like Terry I will not be coming back as a director,” he said. “I’ve been advised to cut back and take things easier and I’m taking that advice but I hope to get to as many games as possible next season.
“What John has done over the years - especially when it was on its uppers following the Richardson years - has been a fantastic achievement and he deserves all the credit.”
Ryan countered: “I pay tribute to both Terry and Dick because had they not got involved when they did we’d never have made the Championship.
“We got relegated but we did stay up there for four seasons and for a club our size that was a great achievement.”
“I will never forget the day at Wembley when we beat Leeds United (in the League One Promotion Play-Off final). It will always be one of my finest ever memories.”
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Weather for South Yorkshire
Wednesday 22 May 2013
Today
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Temperature: 4 C to 15 C
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