Only way is up for Doncaster this year – Halliday
AHEAD of next month’s ‘anniversary’ of the first national lockdown, many people will be in reflective mood.
Doncaster Rovers defender Brad Halliday will probably count himself among that number.
His garden may have looked rosy last Spring, but Rovers’ playoff designs were nipped in the bud in the process after the EFL 2019-20 season was suspended in mid-March due to Covid-19.
It was the eventual precursor to the League One and League Two seasons being cancelled, with the majority of clubs in both divisions subsequently voting to end the season and determine final standings via a points-pergame formula.
For players at Doncaster, who had boosted their hopes of gatecrashing the end-of-season party with three wins in five matches prior to the season’s suspension to move up to ninth place, there was a definite sense of ‘if only’ according to Halliday.
Almost 12 months on and Rovers are in a stronger position in sixth and with games in hand.
Their form may have dipped of late, but there is extra motivation ahead of the final few months of the campaign which should at least finish in far more conventional fashion than last year.
Halliday said: “I was devastated with last season ending (due to lockdown) and us not getting to where I believe we’d have got.
“Away from football, I found it alright to be fair and I did my gardening and also the jobs around the house and the missus was happy and we did go on a few nice walks.
“It was not too bad in the grand scheme of things, but footballingwise, we were devastated.
“We mentioned it in pre-season and the first thing we said when we walked through the door was promotion, really.
“That has been our goal throughout the full season and at this time of a season, we have put ourselves in a great position to go on and do that.
“Recently, the run of form we have been on is not anywhere near where we want it to be, but in the last two games, performances have been there and now we have gelled as a squad, we are only going to go in one direction.”
With the raft of new signings who have arrived at the club now assimilated into the squad, there is hope for Rovers despite a tough February against a number of rivals in their immediate vicinity of the League One table.
Notable contributions arrived from two recent experienced arrivals in John Bostock and Omar Bogle in last weekend’s dramatic 3-3 draw with Hull City and the sight of James Coppinger penning another chapter in his special Rovers story was significant – and not just sentimental.
Coppinger was afforded an emotional round of applause in the dressing room after his stunning late equaliser against Hull in what is likely to be his 17th and final season at the Keepmoat.
In the here and now, the availability of the 40-year-old, back after injury and still a player capable of producing big moments, offers an additional key option.
With key forward and topscorer Fejiri Okenabirhie also back in the fray for Saturday’s trip to Ipswich Town after missing the past three matches with an ankle problem, Rovers will be hoping that the end of winter can be the cue to an early Spring renaissance again, with 19 games still remaining in their season.
Halliday added: “We have only just gone past half-way, really. There are loads of games to play and looking at the depths of our squad, we are in a great position.
“We just need to maintain performances and standards and going forward, results will come.
“The enjoyment of this season is because when you play a game, you quickly move on and it is ‘how are we going to win the next one?’. Whatever the result is, you move on.
“When you are winning, it is good as you have the momentum and if you lose, it is a quick turnaround.”
On the personal front, Halliday toughed it out in his native northeast on a difficult afternoon just under a fortnight ago at Sunderland – and more especially at the hands of Aiden McGeady.
The mercurial winger, close to unplayable on his day, produced a dazzling performance in the Wearsiders’ 4-1 win over Rovers when he set up all four headed goals for Charlie Wyke.
Like all good professionals, Redcar-born Halliday took that difficult afternoon on the chin and has not hidden away and is mindful that it is now all about the reaction and not dwelling on a rank bad day at the office.
The right-back continued: “We looked at that game and it was disappointing for myself personally. I felt I had let myself and the team down.
“It was a loss of three points and you have to look at it in terms of each game. I try to improve every day as a player and a person on and off the pitch.
“There are things on the playing side I want to improve on and I have always said that since the day I walked through (the doors). I don’t think anyone can look at themselves and say they are the complete package.”
SUPER LEAGUE referee James Child says he hopes that by speaking openly about being gay it will help educate others on the subject of sexuality.
In an interview with the BBC’s LGBT Sport Podcast, the Dewsbury-born official discussed his sexuality publicly for the first time.
Child, 37, conceded that plenty of people close to him and around him have long-known he is gay.
However, ahead of the new Betfred Super League season that starts next month, he wanted to talk about it more openly for myriad reasons.
“The way I’ve lived my life on social media, I’m pretty open about the fact I have a male partner,” he told the podcast.
“I don’t necessarily broadcast it but just live my life normally, and that’s the way I’ve chosen to deal with it up until now.
“And in many ways, my sexuality and my job are completely separate and it’s irrelevant. When I run out and make a decision, it doesn’t matter whether I’m gay or straight. What matters is whether the decision is right or wrong.”
Child, who refereed the 2017 Super League Grand Final, is used to getting abuse from the crowd. Unfortunately, it is common for referees at all levels.
“I do receive my fair share (of abuse), including a couple of death threats over the past few years that have been referred to the police,” he added.
“I’m not saying that’s all to do with my sexuality, but I certainly think one, if not two of those, were homophobic.
“By me speaking about this publicly, there can’t then be a situation where somebody is homophobic, but denies knowing I’m gay. If this will help educate people and get us all to be a little more respectful to each other, then that’s great.”