Gideons International recently came down to the Keepmoat Stadium to hand out Rovers-branded bibles to staff.
Gideons are an international organisation who provide bibles free to members of the public, most famously ensuring there is one in most hotel rooms.
They recently resupplied Doncaster Royal Infirmary, and now Rovers are only the second football club in the country to receive bespoke branded bibles.
Club chaplain Barry Miller arranged this after working with Gideons and Club Doncaster’s supporter services manager Charles Swallow.
Barry, a former Rovers centre-back, said: “We wanted to get a bible to every person who works here because we know how much it can make a difference.
“The thing I found with football, and it’s the same off the pitch, that if you’re performing well on the pitch then all is good, but if you’re not performing well then it impacts your relationships in life.
“Footballers have to perform, for the manager, for the fans, to keep in the team or to earn a move your identity is wrapped up in that. Because faith is so important to me, my identity is wrapped up in who God thought I was and how valuable I was to him.”
Barry is a familiar face at Rovers, visiting the Keepmoat Stadium and Cantley Park training ground once a week to speak to staff.
He added: “I’m just an ear for people to come and talk to. I am independent, I don’t get paid so I am not beholdent to anyone, it’s the person who is in front of me who is the most important. I also help out Jim the groundsman on matchdays.”
Chris Axelby from Gideons added; “We wanted to take up the opportunity to give these bibles to everyone at Doncaster Rovers that we could. We are really keen to give crested New Testaments like this to any organisation, so it’s wonderful to work with Barry to have these printed up to give to all the staff and players.
“Sports people are under pressure, as we all are, and all Gideon New Testaments have a help section at the front. Say you can be upset about your team not winning – it doesn’t tell you here how to win, but it tells you how to deal with those things in life. We call it a guidebook for life.”