The Hub For Women’s Football In South Yorkshire

The world of South Yorkshire Women’s Football media and Donny Belles’ stadium future
Lewis Railton

We caught up with Doncaster Rovers Belles’ Social Media Officer, who reflected on the opportunities that women’s football in South Yorkshire offered him, whilst also discussing the club’s ongoing stadium situation.

It has been a difficult season for Doncaster Rovers Belles, who were unfortunate to suffer relegation from the National League Division One North.

A troublesome ending to the campaign condemned Belles’ fate in the fifth tier for next season, although the season did have its high-points.

Notably, Belles played a handful of games in front of a healthy crowd at the Eco power Stadium, whilst also travelling to the Riverside Stadium to play table-toppers Middlesbrough, a game that was witnessed by a record-breaking attendance of 4,083. Despite the game unfortunately resulting in a 7-0 defeat for Belles, it provided a fantastic opportunity, not just for the players, but for the staff involved.

One member of the backroom staff, Joe Burton, a Social Media Officer at the club, spoke about his joy of being part of such an event.

“The Middlesbrough one was interesting because we got absolutely hammered that day,” said Burton when speaking to SYWF. “But, it was an interesting experience because you’re sat in a stadium and it’s a proper crowd, they’re celebrating around you, and you get the kind of the experience of what it would be like on a professional matchday. And it does feel a lot more real. I feel a lot more part of it.”

It all started back at home for the Durham-born Joe Burton, who gained experience working for a local women’s club, stating that ‘clubs [at that level] are just happy to have anyone’

Burton couldn’t help but express his excitement in being involved with the Belles in such a capacity, but it has been challenging when results haven’t gone their way.

“It’s difficult when we’ve had a season like what we’ve just had, because you’re trying to dress things up in a way that’s suitable for a club channel. 

“Whilst the results on the pitch are not what people want to see, and you’re getting kind of replies to the tweets from supporters who are unhappy, quite a few of them. So we’ve had to take actions against that this season. At about March time, we stopped doing interviews, not my decision, but the manager said he didn’t want to throw his players into the bus anymore.”

Calls for Doncaster Rovers Belles to replicate Newcastle United and Middlesbrough

It wasn’t all doom and gloom for Belles, who, like Middlesbrough, were given the opportunity to play at the men’s team’s stadium, something that Burton hopes that they will continue to do, despite relegation to the regional divisions.

“We got, I think, four-figure crowds in for the women’s games. So again, it’s trying to sort of harness that again and try and repeat that whilst also keeping it kind of achievable.

“It’s something that we at the Belles need to look at and try to aspire to [the game at Middlesbrough]. At the start the season, we started playing all of our games at the Eco Power, and it didn’t really work. 

“But you look around the pyramid and now Middlesbrough got 3-4000 for a game against those who look a bit further up. Newcastle getting 30,000 for some of their games at St James’s Park, it is possible, if you get it right, to get the people in the stadiums and make it a proper intimidating atmosphere. 

“If these clubs can do it, why can’t we?”