miss the biggest home crowd of the season) but I’m hoping to get into full flight this year. The problem always seems to be coming up with new ideas for things, the actual writing of stuff has never been that hard once the idea is in place. We do regularly fall back on the staple diet of anti-Seagulls and anti-Hull KR stuff but we know what the customer wants. We have always wished we’d get a bit more done by the regular readers though How many issues are you up to then? The last issue was Issue 55. I’m just glad we got rid of the same front cover with a different face in the armour being burnt by the Dragons early on cause we’d have run out of people a long time ago Sounds like you lot have had a lot of upheaval in the last 11 years. None moreso than last year what with the chnage of colours, name and the untimely death of St John Ellis. How was 2005 as a Donny fan? Did the fanzine get more interest from disgruntled fans/ supportive fans/ the media etc? 2005 was indeed an interesting year as a Dons fan. It of course ended horrificly with news of St.John Ellis but it had it’s ups and downs before then. The whole “rebranding” has been the biggest issue of the last 12 months and something that has been a major talking point. Personally I never warmed to “The Dragons” massively anyway so the “The Lakers” is just as good/bad depending on your point of view, we’ve always been the Dons and always will be. This news came shortly after the chairman also announced going into the play offs that if we were to win the league we would not apply for promotion on that occasion which was probably sensible if ultimately dissappointing as a supporter. But then the bomb shell came of the colour change and people weren’t happy. People saw the Blue and Gold as our link to the past of Tattersfield but as we have been notoriously unsuccesful for over 50 years this was a past
the current chairman was keen to distant the new era from. As we took our kind of year out last year it was probably bad timing as everyone suddenly wanted to have their say but there is a lot of stuff happening over here now with the relaunch, going full time in 2007 and a Stadium on it’s way up for next year so we’re hoping that will trigger some interest in the supporters voicing their views through the fanzine...forums don;t help a great deal though. One issue with the name change does however mean the name of the fanzine makes no sense what so ever..but we were here first Super League in 5 years then? The plan is meant to be by 2009. The club have made no secret of the fact that they will try to get there the “proper” way but have always said they will apply for the South Yorkshire franchise that the RFL are keen for us to take if we haven’t won the GF before then. The whole future is revolving around the new stadium so we’re expecting something big from next year onwards. How is the St John Ellis fund going? Singes’ fund seems to be going great...all the other clubs have helped out so much. Even on Sunday a Batley fan road his bike pulling the guy in the bulldogs mascot suit from Mount Pleasant to Belle Vue to raise money and the first game at the new stadium is going to be a double header of The Dons v Cas and a game against 2 Super League sides to raise money. How can people help/donate? People can donate to the Memorial Fund at any high street bank, the account details are St John Ellis Memorial Fund; Barclays Bank; Sort code 20-35-84; Account No. 90392774. or by sending a check via the club to: St John Ellis Memorial Fund c/o Doncaster Lakers RLFC, Belle Vue Stadium,