History 7 of 11

7. History 7


During the closed season of 2011 ground improvements were once again on the agenda as the club is determined not to stand still on this side and continue to provide the best facilities that are financially available. On the field Paul Colley agreed to take on the role of 2nd Team manager. A new Under 19 side was formed with Kevin Eley, Paul McCreadie and Andy Cowe in charge. Andy Jackson and Keith Newstead stepped up from the Juniors to take the helm of the Under 17 side. These two Junior sides were to be self-funded and separate from the Senior sides.

The 2011-12 season became the best, for the club as a whole, it had ever had.

Steve Lodge, Ian Wilson and Daniel Lodge continued with the First Team and finished 7th with a points total of 64, smashing the record set of the previous season and also qualifying for the Presidents Cup for the first time in several years. The team also finished with a plus Goal Difference a feat that hasn't been achieved since the 92-93 season!! Many records fell this season including most goals scored 87 and most wins in a season 19. It should be noted that during this season we lost an entire team (11 players) to moving on and injuries. Dan Lodge did a detailed look into some of these previously on this site. http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/rossingtonmain/news/moving-on-499456.html.

Paul Colley's Second Team also had a fantastic season. They led the Premier Division of the Doncaster & District Senior League all the way until the last 2 months of the season. A run of poor results allowed 2nd placed Sutton Rovers to take over at the summit and a title decider between the two went the way of Sutton to leave The Colliery with Runners-Up spot amazingly some SEVEN!!! points behind. This was still some achievement with many of the players stepping up to play in the First Team over the season. 18 games won from the 26 played and a plus 52 Goal Difference!

The Under 19 side competed in the Central Division of the Northern Under 19 Alliance and after an indifferent start that saw them win only 2 of their opening 6 league games, along with a loss to Frickley in the cup, they managed to finish Runners-Up to Frickley with 6 wins in their last 8 games! 25 points and a plus 12 from the 14 games played was excellent.

As for the Under 17 side in the Premier Division of the Doncaster & District Junior Sunday Football League the again were competing at the top of the table only for the League to remove them from the competition due to financial problems.

After winning the Soccer Club Swap Shop Programme of the Year for Division One in season 2010-11 Pete Murden vowed to better it. So then in May 2012 the results came out and The programme came top of Division One again. But not only this it came ELEVENTH!! in all of Non-League football leaving Premier Division winners Long Eaton Utd in 19th. This was some achievement considering that it was all produced and printed at his home on his own equipment. Notable clubs that finished below ours that are known to have professionally printed programmes, and considerably healthier finances, were Grimsby Town (21st), Scarborough Athletic (34th),York City (49th) and many from Conference and Northern Premier Leagues. At the end of the season Pete decided that he was to step down from his Programme Editing duties and allow someone else to take over the role.