So here we are at last – writing a Supporters Club column in ‘The Pirate’ for the first time in many long months. None of us could have thought what was to occur when we packed-up following that moral-boosting and thoroughly deserved win last season over promotion-chasing Sunderland although rumours were already afoot that night that some form of restrictions were heading our way as a result of a new kind of virus spreading over from China.
In the S.C. cabins we prepared everything in readiness for the next home match scheduled in only fours days time against another of the League 1 ‘giants’ and the chance of an unlikely ‘double’ over Ipswich Town. Those preparations remain untouched to this day but how ironic that Rovers opening League game of the new season would be against the ‘Black Cats’ and the first home match should end in defeat to the ‘Tractor Boys’!
Preparing a match programme is one thing but it is of course for a match that we are not able to watch, certainly not in the flesh, and that is something I really am struggling to get used to. I know there are many so-called ‘fans’ who follow ‘their’ teams quite happily purely by television or via tablet of some form or another but that is simply not for me. I need the action live by being at the game and I guess that goes for most of you who will take the time to read this. Last Saturday morning I took my partner to her hairdresser and next Saturday morning I have a flu jab appointment – on a matchday morning – two things I have never agreed to before. Last week I should have been travelling up to Doncaster with Vice-Chair Phil Draper and next Saturday is another long trip to Lincoln. I have therefore been thrown back many years to a time when my 24-hour job in shipping prevented me from travelling away with Rovers when I was on duty and had to try and squeeze in a couple of hours at a local non-League game, Mangotsfield United being a favourite if I could make it. Nowadays my younger son Mike is player-manager of Downs League side Ashley so I guess that’s where most of my Saturday afternoons will be spent whilst the current restrictions apply but I am definitely missing my ‘Pirates’!
All of the Supporters Club’s committee and, as far as I am aware, all our matchday ‘army’ have thankfully survived this terrible virus to date and hopefully all will continue to do so to return to work at some time in the future. The only missing face that I know of is of course ‘car park Nige’ who sadly succumbed to ‘Covid 19’ quite early on and he will be greatly missed by those who previously passed by him when entering the stadium on a matchday or who enjoyed his company on our travels all over the country in support of the team. R.I.P. Nige! Unfortunately there has been another ‘passing’ from Rovers’ ‘family’ in the last couple of weeks with the death of a great friend and former colleague in Gordon Bennett. Younger supporters and I guess all the present management of the club will not have known Gordon and may not even have heard of him but let me assure you that Bristol Rovers will probably not be in existence today had it not been for him – a true ‘Gas Legend’. I have said to many in and around the club that I could write a book about Gordon and his ‘antics’ on behalf of his beloved Rovers – some stories being well known, others not so for obvious reasons but I will try to relay some of them to you in future columns. If you are not familiar with Gordon my best advice would be to look up Ian Holloway’s excellent tribute to him in his ‘Bristol Post’ article of Friday 25th September. Apart from his sister Barbara, who I believe emigrated many years ago, I don’t think Gordon had any ‘real’ family but I can’t let his passing go without expressing the sincere condolences of the Supporters Club. R.I.P. Gordon and thanks for all that you did for our Rovers. We should never forget you!
Keep safe Gasheads!
Jim Chappell.