Crisis is a way of life in Doncaster, the rugby league club with a rock solid record of failure which has carried them into the Guinness Book of Records. In most sports success is the only acceptable currency. The sure path to glory is to win... the cup, the title, the European Cup. But the heroic manner in which Doncaster players and club officials face up to yet 'another bloody Sunday', and the inevitable prospect of yet another defeat and more derision, is a study in...

Crisis is a way of life in Doncaster, the rugby league club with a rock solid record of failure which has carried them into the Guinness Book of Records. In most sports success is the only acceptable currency. The sure path to glory is to win... the cup, the title, the European Cup. But the heroic manner in which Doncaster players and club officials face up to yet 'another bloody Sunday', and the inevitable prospect of yet another defeat and more derision, is a study in resourcefulness, courage and sheer Yorkshire grit. Their sole ambition is to win every now and again, so that the players, officials and the small but loyal band of supporters have something on which to survive. But as the season grinds remorselessly on, a crisis of the kind which may prove to be fatal arises.  The YTV crew followed the Dons as they tried to avoid finishing the season without winning a single game. The documentary saw the team struggle without success until the very last match when Doncaster managed a 6–3 home win over Heiton. The film opens with aerial shots of industries in South Yorkshire – coal mines, cooling towers, brutalised landscape, steam rising – and finally the rugby pitch.  There are a few players on the pitch.  This is followed by a Rugby League match and close ups of players in action.  Newspaper articles detail the disastrous record of Doncaster Rugby team, and the League table showing them without a win. Tom Morton walks along derelict track towards Doncaster Rugby Ground.  There are various shots of Doncaster Rugby Club stadium which is in a derelict state.      Tom Morton speaks to camera, and as the Doncaster Rugby team gets onto a coach, there is a small group of Doncaster Rugby League F.C. fans, one of whom olds up a Union flag with Doncaster printed on it. The coach drives along a dual carriageway of A638.  Inside, members of the team are playing cards.  Morton talks to the players.  A man and boy stand outside Rochdale Hornets Rugby League stadium before the film shows inside the changing rooms where the men prepare for the match.  Some have their legs massaged, others put on tape.  Their coach tries to motivate the players, and finally prepared, the men leave the room.   There is a small crowd in Rochdale Hornet's stadium.  There are shots of Tom Morton and management team, the scoreboard at Rochdale Hornets Rugby league ground, and the players running off pitch.  Doncaster players enter the changing room at halftime, and the team get a pep talk.   The second half of the match continues, and spectators can be seen in the stadium.  At the end of the match, both teams leave the pitch, and the Doncaster team heads to the changing rooms.  One of the players suffers a broken tooth.  There is footage of the men in the changing rooms, disrobing, drinking cups of tea, and bathing after the game.   There is a shot of Doncaster Rugby League Stadium in the rain.  A woman does the washing for the team.  Other women enter the F.C. souvenir shop, and there is a sign in shop window advertising lucky draw run by Doncaster Rugby League.  Tom Morton talks to camera. Following this, the programme follows the players during their day jobs.  Cutaways to John Baron and a wheel turning at top of colliery.  Here, miners exit a mine.  Keith Millet is in front of class, lecturing, and following this, he speaks to camera.  Stuart Piper is in a car showroom. Supporters arrive at Doncaster Rugby League F.C. ground.  They enter through a turnstile, and the Featherstone Rovers team coach arrives at Doncaster's ground.  Supporters of Doncaster Rugby League F.C. talk to the camera from stand in ground. Tom Morton and another man can be seen talking, and the Featherstone Rovers Rugby League team walks towards camera. Inside Doncaster Rugby League F.C. changing room, players prepare for the match.  Some players have liniment applied.  There is a slow motion footage of some of the match.  After the game, inside Doncaster Rugby League F.C. changing room, players take off strip and walk into a communal bath. General changing room chat follows. Bouncer Tony Ballan is in the night club.  Inside the club, there are flashing lights and people dancing.  The Bouncer runs across floor to break up fight.  The scene cuts to children in playground where kids and Old English sheepdog come down the slide. Tony Ballan is with wife and kids.  He pushed a child on a swing while he’s interviewed.   Doncaster Rugby League F.C. directors walk towards their mobile board room.  There is a shot of the caravan while the directors speak, and this is followed by the team training at night under floodlights.  Tom Morton talks to camera, followed by a panning shot across the muddy, derelict ground to bus approaching along track.  Inside Doncaster Rugby League F.C. changing room, players prepare for the match.  This cuts back and forth with the other team in their changing room.   Doncaster Rugby League F.C. players run onto pitch, and the referees walk to the centre as the Heiton players arrive on pitch.  Doncaster officials take their place in stands before match.  There is footage from the first half of the match as well as shots of the scoreboard and spectators gathered.  Back to the changing room at half time for a team talk.  The second half of the match starts.  This half involves a player suffering an injury and his substitution arriving on field.   Supporters run onto the pitch at end of match celebrating Doncaster's first victory for 9 months! The players then leave the pitch after the match, and as they do so, are congratulated by fans.  Celebrations at the social club follow.  Champagne is flowing, and there is general jollity following first win for 9 months. Credits text: Writer/Producer/Director/Narrator - BARRY COCKCROFT April  1981  Dir. Barry Cockcroft