Doncaster Rovers v Bradford City: Harrison Biggins has unfinished play-off business as Rovers eye a 'statement' win

Leon Wobschall
By Leon Wobschall
Published 25th Feb 2023, 06:00 BST
HARRISON BIGGINS is among a select band of Doncaster Rovers players to have previous experience of the play-offs, but his memories are somewhat tainted.

It arrived back in 2019-20 while in the red and white of former club Fleetwood Town, and not Rovers. It was a season like no other across the English Football League.

Covid hit almost exactly three years ago in the United Kingdom and it had significant ramifications for football in particular in League One and League Two, which were both suspended in March 2020 with the suspension extended indefinitely the following month.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

May saw lower-division clubs vote to end the season with immediate effect with the final table being determined on a points-per-game basis.

Doncaster Rovers' Harrison Biggins, pictured on his debut in the reverse fixture at Bradford City. Picture: Bruce RollinsonDoncaster Rovers' Harrison Biggins, pictured on his debut in the reverse fixture at Bradford City. Picture: Bruce Rollinson
Doncaster Rovers' Harrison Biggins, pictured on his debut in the reverse fixture at Bradford City. Picture: Bruce Rollinson

The upshot was that Fleetwood, fifth in League One when the season was curtailed, 'finished' the campaign in the final play-off spot.

They would lose comprehensively to Wycombe Wanderers in a surreal semi-final played out with no supporters in high summer.

It was a tough time for Biggins. A serious facial injury sustained in January 2020 had looked like ending his season prematurely. Then Covid hit and it had a profound effect on his family.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He had a bout of Covid along with his parents, while his nan Dolly sadly passed away after contracting the virus which left his uncle Paul in intensive care for a long spell.

Emmanuel Osadebe is stretchered off after breaking his leg in the first meeting between Bradford City and Doncaster Rovers this season (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)Emmanuel Osadebe is stretchered off after breaking his leg in the first meeting between Bradford City and Doncaster Rovers this season (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)
Emmanuel Osadebe is stretchered off after breaking his leg in the first meeting between Bradford City and Doncaster Rovers this season (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)

Football was very much secondary. Biggins did regain fitness for the play-offs in early July, when the country was opening up again, and was an unused substitute in both legs with Wycombe. But he would have been forgiven for having his mind elsewhere.

Biggins told The Yorkshire Post: "It was a strange season for me. I must have made about 20 appearances in that season and I maybe started the first ten.

"Then Covid hit and I broke my cheekbone and I was out for a few weeks. When we came back, we literally had the two play-off games to play.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad