MOORE IS KEY FOR ROVERS
‘Unflappable’ former player has led a quiet revolution at the Keepmoat
CANVASS the opinions of respected football people on the identities of those English Football League managers who have been the quiet achievers of 201920 and the chances are that Darren Moore’s name will figure prominently.
For the second season in succession, Doncaster Rovers find themselves as active participants in the League One play-off picture, but it only tells part of the story.
Given what they have had to contend with this term – and the players they lost in a close season that was testing with a capital T – it represents a minor miracle.
As it stands, after 34 league games in this campaign, Rovers have amassed just one point fewer than at the same point of 201819.
This being a squad, lest we forget, diminished by the eve-of-season departure of a striking talisman in John Marquis, whose total of 21 league goals was the joint second-best in the division last season.
The loss of Malik Wilks, who struck 14 times last term and another influential loanee in Herbie Kane should also be factored in. Not to mention the summer exit of three regulars in the back five in Andy Butler, Danny Andrew and Marko Marosi and experienced former captain Tommy Rowe.
The justified pre-season fear of many was that Rovers, faced with effectively building a new side, would suffer a similar fall from grace to Shrewsbury Town, who went from League One surprise packages in 2017-18 to a relegation fight the following season after the sale of a number of leading lights.
The sudden exit of Grant McCann to Hull City exacerbated those worries.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man and Rovers have one in the shape of the redoubtable Moore.
Rock-solid in his days as a defender of stature and leadership during difficult times at Rovers in the mid-Nineties, Moore has been similarly unflappable and a calming and unifying figure in his second coming at the club he has grown to love.
When supporters were clamouring for a recognised replacement for Marquis towards the end of the summer window, Moore did not panic when none arrived and played with the cards he was dealt with.
It is to Moore’s immense credit that Rovers have maintained a steady upper mid-table position despite being without a recognised senior striker at this level until the dual arrival of Devante Cole and Fekiri Okenabirhie in late January.
Even more given some further extenuating circumstances.
The sad demise of Bury – scheduled to host Rovers in early-season – and crisis club Bolton Wanderers’ hugely controversial decision to call off their home fixture with Doncaster on August 20 without the prior agreement of Rovers or the EFL set the tone.
Further postponements due to international call-ups and the good old British weather stymied Rovers’ hopes of major momentum in a truncated first half of the season, with some injury ills compounding matters.
Now Moore must contend with arguably football’s greatest alltime crisis with the game on lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic. It never rains but pours.
Disruption as opposed to transition – which most expected at the Keepmoat Stadium in 201920 – may have played a fair part of the Rovers story, but the fact that there is real hope for the future is the greatest gift that Moore has bestowed upon Doncaster.
Their pure footballing style has been a delight to watch at times. No cries of Rovers again being the ‘Arsenal of the North’ just yet – something that an ebullient former Doncaster chairman used to gushingly state during the days of Sean O’Driscoll – but the club are going in the right direction and winning friends.
Moore’s coaching acumen and philosophy has been embraced by the club’s players. Training sessions at Cantley Park are enlightening, innovative and technical and it has helped cajole some memorable episodes.
It all came together beautifully in the second half of their derby win over Rotherham United on September 7 when Rovers produced a dazzling performance which was too much for their rivals.
A late winner from the spot from Ben Whiteman provided a spot of karma for Rovers after having been on the receiving end of a definitive penalty in the 13th minute of stoppage-time in a bitter 2-1 reverse in the previous meeting between the pair in February, 2018.
A fortnight later, a sweet home victory over Darren Ferguson’s Peterborough United – ending a six-match unbeaten run for the rampant free-scoring visitors –further whetted the appetite.
A sublime 3-0 Boxing Day victory in the reverse fixture at London Road further showcased what Moore’s side are capable of as they outclassed Posh in one of the division’s stand-out performances of the season.
There was also the 7-1 evisceration of sorry hosts Southend as Rovers equalled a club record of scoring seven goals away from home.
Amid the promise shown by Doncaster, individuals have flourished under the tutelage of Moore.
Tom Anderson has marked himself out as one of the most consistent defenders in League One this season, while Kieran Sadlier has emerged as a goalscoring midfielder of note with a penchant for the spectacular.
The responsibility of captaincy is sitting comfortably upon Whiteman, whose development has been further nurtured by the shrewd influence of Moore.
It remains to be seen how the season pans out, but Rovers supporters can at least rest assured that they are in safe hands under Moore, who has quickly proved himself to be the club’s biggest asset.
Everyone at the Keepmoat should enjoy him while they can.