Manchester City will pay their first visit to the Keepmoat Stadium on Saturday for a pre-season friendly match. It will, however, be a different Manchester City from the one that arranged the match in the first place. The club is now under new ownership and a new manager has been appointed, Sven-Goran Eriksson, whose last job was manager of England. Whether they have had time to make any big signings before Saturday will only be known when they show up at the Keepmoat.

They last came to Doncaster, to Belle Vue, for a pre-season game three years ago when Kevin Keegan was their manager and a rather explosive match ended all square at one apiece. However, their last match at Belle Vue came in September 2004 when, under the stewardship of Stuart Pearce, they suffered defeat in the Second Round of the League Cup, albeit on penalties but nonetheless a rather ignominious defeat for a Premier League club. For the Rovers this win set the club on a record run in the competition that only ended on the very brink of reaching the semi-final. Another famous match between the two clubs, only remembered by an older generation, came in October 1950 in a Division 2 game. City, going for promotion to the top Division, went in at half-time with a three goal lead, all three goals scored by George Smith who, despite having an arm injured in the War, was a fine, skilful inside forward. Then, in a nine-minute spell up to the hour mark, the Rovers hit back with four goals from Ray Harrison, Kit Lawlor and Peter Doherty, with a couple of goals to take the lead at 4-3. This remained the score at the final whistle and the Rovers had announced their arrival in the second tier of English football.

Peter Doherty, of course, numbered Manchester City among his previous clubs, just one of many who have played for both clubs. Sam Cowan, in the twenties, set things in motion when he left the Rovers for City in 1924 together with Robert Benzie. Two years later Cowan won the first of his three caps for England. In 1933 as captain of City he went up to the Royal Box at Wembley to collect a losing F.A. Cup medal from King George V and after receiving the King's commiserations was alleged to have replied that he would be back the next year to receive a winners medal. He was as good as his word because in 1934 he received the F.A. Cup and a winner's medal. Others who have displayed their skills for both clubs include Fred Gregory in the thirties, Eddie McMorran in the fifties, Ray Sambrook, Colin Barlow, Bill Leivers and Ken Oxford in the sixties. Tony Coleman, who is, perhaps rather sadly, remembered more for swinging a punch at the referee after being sent off at Belle Vue in May 1966 than for his wing skills, which were good enough for Manchester City to shell out £12,000 (a decent fee at that time) to take him from the Rovers in March 1967. Bobby Owen, Nicky Limber and Perry Suckling of more recent memory complete the list.

- Tony Bluff

Don't miss out on being part of the next chapter of the Rovers/Manchester City saga. The blue team of Manchester have had a poor record in recent years against Donny, with the Rovers keen to keep that record in tact. You can get your tickets NOW at the Keepmoat ticket office for the flat rate of £10 for adults and £5 for concessions.

Check back DoncasterRoversFC.co.uk for more as we count down to the first home pre-season game for Rovers - and the first game for City under Sven.