A top half finish in the second tier of English football...
Each day, Doncaster Rovers are reviewing James Coppinger’s career in the red and white hoops season by season as we count down to the Legends game due at Keepmoat Stadium on Sunday 19th April 2015 (4pm).So far we have looked at seasons 1-5.
2009/10
Perhaps Coppinger’s most consistent season to date came in the 09/10 campaign where Doncaster finished in the top half of the Championship.
Sean O’Driscoll’s men finished the season 12th; just five places shy of their highest ever finish in English football.
The season began with Coppinger as a substitute on the opening day of the season, but his first start three days later yielded the only goal of the game against Notts County in the League Cup – setting up a second round tie at home to Premier League Tottenham Hotspur.
While Rovers were soundly beaten by the Londoners, in the league they were giving as good as they got, only to throw valuable leads away – most notably in defeats at West Brom and Newcastle United.
O’Driscoll’s well assembled side – including Jason Shackell, John Oster and Billy Sharp – were still at the peak of their powers and playing attractive football to boot, culminating in a ‘total football’ display at home to Queens Park Rangers (W2-0).
Not the most prolific during that season, Coppinger rubber stamped a win at Pride Park against Derby County with a goal as Rovers entered the festive season in 2009 with six wins from 8 games.
Though the Rams dispatched Doncaster out of the FA Cup fourth round, Rovers would record a league double over them – and rivals Sheffield Wednesday.
Coppinger was to score three more times from the turn of the year until the end of the season – against Crystal Palace (D1-1), Barnsley (W1-0) and Plymouth (L2-1).
Fans favourite Billy Sharp will return to the Keepmoat Stadium on Sunday to take part in the Legends game.
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