I went from going to every match home and away (where possible), to just home games, to now not going at all.

I just don't enjoy it anymore.

The thing that got me hooked on the Dons was going to away matches where there would be a decent number of Dons fans singing and having a bit of fun. That enthusiasm doesn't seem to exist anymore and match days just seem very bland.

I didn't used to understand it when long time fans would stop going completely and I thought it was some sort of badge of honour to be able to say you went to every match even when the team was playing badly but now I have other things that I would rather spend my Sunday doing.

Fair play to loyal fans that still go week in week out but I can't justify paying to do something I no longer enjoy just because of a sense of loyalty.

I set the closing date for this vote as 8th October. Would anyone who has not voted please vote before then, thanks.

I've been watching the game for the last 40 years and now find it tedious and formulaic. We seem to have quite a few willing lads, some less so, who give their all to the cause, but their limitations are plain to see. I've been to a few games this season and can't say that I've been particularly entertained by any of them. The lack of any marquee players or characters in our team makes the game sterile and predictable. The Keepmoat is not an ideal venue for a C1 team; much better a smaller stadium in an area with a RL tradition ( Bentley for instance, get the picture? ) In short, I won't be rushing back early next year to sample the non-existent atmosphere.

This year has been my sons first season watching the Dons. He is 8 years old and is now totally hooked. I've asked him why he likes it so much and he gave me a number of reasons some rugby related but a lot related to the club itself. He enjoys having his Sunday dinner before the match and watching football on the screens in the bar. He thinks the Vila mascot is fantastic. He likes the fact that the players take time to talk to him after the games. Having that access makes it so much more real for him. The DR with Hull means he watches super league so he can see if Feka or Yeaman are playing. He sat and watched the full challenge cup final because there was a link with the Dons.
In short, his experiences at the Dons have created a real rugby league fan.
We will definitely be season ticket holders next year (he is over the moon Tom Carr has signed again and keeps asking who else has).
At the end of the day we were one game away from challenging for promotion. For me it has been an enjoyable season and we can't wait for 2017.

nice post NEWDON,hope your lad enjoys many more seasons watching the Dons

Hello NewDon,

Welcome to the forum. I'm really pleased your son has got hooked after one season. I believe rugby's a great sport for the kids. Having heroes is what's it's all about at that age and being able to get close to the players is fantastic. The whole game day experience really seems to have caught his imagination.

If rugby brings your son half as much enjoyment as it's brought me over the last 40 years, then I'm sure he'll be forever grateful to you for introducing him to the game. Here's to an enjoyable 2017 for you both.

Hope your son carries on being a Don for many years to come!!

I was 12 when I saw my first match at Tattersfield, mainly because my mum & dad wouldn't let me go across town to Belle Vue.

We need to be looking after the next generation of Dons fans, us old pharts can only go on for so long.

Let's hope he tells his pals at school how good it is or better still, get the club down to his school along with all the rest in Donny.

My wife , son & I take our 4 year old grandson , he knows all the players names he even went to Barrow !
Agree we need the next generation to support our club .

re, gaining / keeping young supporters, a few seasons ago the dons players went round schools in the doncaster area to promote the club and gave away free tickets for kids as long as they were with a paying adult they got into the game. Considering our current situation with very low gates this would be a good way to get much needed support for the 2017 season, Maybe some of these kids will become supporters when they get older. The result of the poll so far is interesting CH seems to be copping for a few votes (which I totally disagree with) yet very few voters dont seem to think GT is at fault for the poor season/results/shoite rugby. What is most worrying is that up to now only 35 people have bothered to vote.

The flaw with such polls is that anyone registered with RLFans can vote. You might ask 'why would they?' but the fact remains that they can. There is no guarantee that all 35 votes are from Dons supporters. I suspect also that less than 35 people have voted as you have the option of two votes per person.

thanks for that info wanderer, so really the poll wont be a true reflection of what the real Dons fans think.

It's a bit of a devil if other fans take more interest in voting in our poll than our own fans do ... but I see where you're coming from.

With two votes each, there may have been no more than 18 people voting (Dons fans or otherwise) which I suppose proves more than anything that interest in the Dons is in decline.

I would agree sadly, although it's fair to say that there are a good few supporters who don't visit RLFans.

We desperately need signings which will excite the faithful.

I doubt even marque signings will have much effect , a lot of fans me included have lost confidence in the Club Doncaster set up . I have purchased a ticket because I hope one day for better things. I love rl & the Dons , but even I have a limit to what I can endure.

The fixture format is a nightmare , I have E Mailed the RFL & suggest others of a like mind do the same.

I agree. We all need a boost to give us hope that we have a serious chance of getting promoted next season.

Quite what is needed to bring the lost fans back, I doubt know ... probably three or four good quality players that are reasonably well known.

And I still fear the awful league structure could still stop people getting excited about it.