Doncaster Rovers were founded in 1879 by a group of apprentices, who decided to form a team after initially getting together just to play a one-off game.

In the 1900s Midland League side Rovers enjoyed two brief spells in the Football League but did not rejoin it until 1933, entering Division Three North.

Two years later, Doncaster Rovers were promoted and in 1936 they attained their highest-ever football position (seventh in the old Second Division).

Doncaster FC achieved another record in 1946-7, when they registered the most victories in a league season - 42 - in winning the Third Division North title.

However, in 1997-98 Doncaster Rovers set the record for losses in a season. With 34 football league defeats, they finished bottom of Division Three and entered the Conference for a five-year stretch.

A year after achieving promotion back into the Football League under manager Dave Penney, Doncaster Rovers Football Club became Division Three champions in 2004.

Doncaster FC lifted their first major domestic trophy in 2007 when they beat Bristol Rovers 3-2 in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy football final after an extra-time goal from skipper Graeme Lee.

That success was the prelude to an even better season in 2007-08 season as Doncaster Rovers beat Leeds 1-0 in the First Division play-off final at Wembley thanks to a second-half header from James Hayter to enter the Championship after half a century outside the second tier of English football.