Doncaster Rovers FC was formed in September 1879 by Albert Jenkins, a fitter at Doncaster's Great Northern Railway works in response to the emerging popularity of the game in the nearby city of Sheffield.  The club were founder members of the Midland Alliance League and later joined  the Midland League becoming Champions in 1896–97 and 1898–99. They were first elected to the Football League in 1901, as a replacement for New Brighton Tower. They only lasted two seasons in the league before being voted out in favour of local rivals Bradford City. The club returned to the Midland League before successfully applying for election back to the Football League at the end of the 1903-04 season replacing Stockport County: Doncaster finished bottom  having gained just eight  points. They were voted out once more returning yet again to the Midlands League. In August 1914 the club went into liquidation but a new company was formed almost immediately and took over the formers club's fixtures. In the summer of 1920,  Rovers were revived and with the help of Doncaster Corporation, a new ground was built and named Belle Vue. Rovers application to the new Third Division (North) in 1921 was not successful but in 1923 the division was expanded and this time Doncaster's application was accepted. Rovers were promoted to the Second Division where they lasted two seasons before being relegated. Immediately after the Second World War, the club won the Third Division (North) championship twice (1947, 1950 - they were relegated in 1948) and became established in the middle of the Second Division. Successive relegations in 1958 and 1959 took Rovers back down to the Fourth Division and in 1962 they had to apply for re-election. During the late 1960s Rovers twice won the Fourth Division title (1966 and 1969) but were relegated soon afterwards. Throughout the 1970s Doncaster were firmly stuck in the lowest division. During the 1980s  Rovers had two spells in the Third Division but in 1988 they were relegated back to Division Four. In 1997-98, Doncaster set the record for losses in a season, suffering the humiliation of enduring a record 34 league defeats as they finished bottom of Division Three and went into the Football Conference. Just after this relegation, chairman Ken Richardson was sent to prison after he tried to set fire to the Belle Vue ground in hope of being able to pay off the club's debts with the insurance money.  They returned to the league five years later as Conference play off winners and were Division Three champions the following season. In May 2008 Doncaster reached the play-off final where they unexpectedly beat Leeds United to earn a place in The Championship, England's second tier. They returned to Divison One at the end of the 2011-12 season but  returned to the Championship as Champions of League One in 2013-14. Once again they were relegated the following season. Rovers finished the 2014–15 season in 13th place, before being relegated to League Two after finishing 21st in 2015–16 with new manager Darren Ferguson. The 2016–17 season saw them being promoted back to League One where they remained until relegation in 2022.