I was at the game yesterday and it was obvious from the beggining that there was a good possibility of this happening. I have to say this wasn't the minority of the Queens fans but was in fact the majority, probably at least 100 - 200.

I have contacted the stadium management company expressing my disgust at their inept management of the situation and await a reply.

I was also at the game yesterday and felt utterly disgusted by the behaveour of the so called fans from Queens ARLC.

When the Dons first moved into the Keepmoat Stadium there were a number of incidents with the stewards who were felt to be too heavy handed on supporters of a family orientated game. It has taken nearly two years for the stadium management team and security/stewards to realise that both sets of fans can sit together, beer can be sold and that verbal banter between fans is just that. I am not so nieve to recognise that there hasn't been any trouble at all, but nothing like the animalistic behaveour of the fans from Queens ARLC, and as for there players who appeared to be applauding such actions beggers belief.

I just hope that thisd debarchal isn't somehow put at the doors of "dirty Donny" as might happen. Also that other visitors to the Keepmoat are not subjected to heavy handed stewarding in the future based on the actions of those yesterday.

The palyers for 40-50 minutes were not out of the game though their fitness began to show when we went in front, but I feel that aside they should be banned from all competitions.

I'm not usually one to rant but what happened yesterday was a disgrace.

I have found the stewards at Donny to be very unapproachable and oft clueless about a game of RL!

This however, does NOT reflect on Donny RL club one bit and should NOT be held against the club.
A risk assessment based on the crowd levels and intelligence would/should have determined the levels of stewards required to police the game.
As it is, I believe that even given what the club knew, they could not have anticipated the force required by the law to calm a situation that appears to have deteriorated rapidly right from the start.

If proven against - and I wasn't there to pass further comment, the guily club could face a long expulsion from the competition. If I just hope Donny don't get penalised in any way if it is proven they weren't the protagonists. The club hardly needs a further load heaping on it's shoulders.

Bon Chance mes amis!

Can the RFL get involved in BARLA decisons?? (National Cup and League)

As has been said earlier on the thread, this was an accident waiting to happen. It was pretty obvious from about 5 minutes into the game that the stewards were unable to control those from Queens (deliberately avoids referring to them as supporters).

By the time the second half got underway, the sitution was clearly spiralling out of control. Someone connected with the Stadium Management / Security should have got the police down then.

I find it totally staggering that it appears that it was supporters who sought the attendance of the police (was told this around the time they arrived).
As for the players from Queens, there were a couple of them who made their way over to the area where the trouble had broken out. I'm prepared to accept the they may have had family in that area and were concerned for their safety - I may be giving credit there where it's not due? Either way, applauding people who had been involved in trouble just leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

The fact that this is not the first time that followers of this Club have caused trouble suggests that they are 'getting away with their animalistic behaviour' and unless the Club is sanctioned, they will expect to continue to behave in this way!

To conclude, a very sad day for Doncaster RLFC and for Rugby League in general.

I was sat having a drink about 6 o'clock and was almost speechless and in all honesty somewhat disillusioned. I don't like the 'Keepmoat experience' at the best of times and that is just another nail in the coffin as far as I am concerned.

There were no police at the game until half time. This was because the satium management didnt anticipate any trouble so didnt see the need for the police presence.

At half time one of the match officials (think it was the TJ on the far side) complained that he had been spat at and also had a missile thrown at him from the Queens section of the crowd. At that point the police were asked to come to the ground but for reasons unknown they stood in the control room (at the opposite side of the ground to where the fans were)

I saw the trouble start and it was at least 3mins before a steward got anywhere near. IMO the level of stewarding on the game was not good enough and had Doncaster had done a little research they would have known about Queens reputation.

The referee was left with little option when 20 police officers ran across the middle of the pitch during play.

From what i was told the reason for the fighting in the crowd was down to an incident that happened last week at the Queens v Moorend game. Apparently after the match they were fighting in a pub at Moorend. For some reason Moorend players/supporters had decided to sit amongst the Queens crowd in the second half.

has an offical statement been made from any part either club or the rfl been made yet?

I don't know where you got that info from

but there was no trouble at all between the Moorends & Queens players last week.. The Queens players and their 'genuine' fans all came back to the Social after the game for a drink and they were all perfectly ok... Moorends have played them twice this season and on both occasions they have been good hard games, with no bad feeling afterwards...

As for the Moorends lads purposely sitting in with the Queens fans in the second half, that is not true.. They had been sat on that side all through the game, as were a lot of other Donny fans... It wouldnt have mattered where they had sat to be honest,, those thugs were gonna kick off anyway..

PBGIANT wrote:

Now according to the club they did inform the SMC of the potential problems of Queens ARLFC. What more can the Dons do then?
They only pay rent to play there. It isn't for them to manage the other aspects of using the stadium.

from Sporting Life.com

The Rugby Football League will rule on the outcome of Saturday's Carnegie Challenge Cup third-round tie between Doncaster and Leeds amateur outfit Queens after it was abandoned due to crowd trouble.

Doncaster trailed 2-0 at half-time but had fought back to lead 16-12 when trouble broke out and the referee called a halt after 61 minutes.

Although it was a home tie for the amateurs, the match was switched to Doncaster's Keepmoat Stadium.

What aload of rubbish!! i was in the crowd where it all kicked off the only reason it kicked off was because a few fans from doncaster were chanting racist comments to our fans. Yes some of the queens fans had alot to drink and some should of been thrown out but this still doesnt deserve racist abuse from Your fans!! and the incident with the "young lad" what young lad is this???? because thats aload of bollox and so is that about a pregnant woman the only person who got involved in the punch up was a steward who you have mistaken for a young lad....

The incident with the 'young lad' certainly happened and the culprit was subsequently taken away by the police.

For your info this was away from the main area of trouble.