MAY 6TH
On this day in 2000 Rovers lost 1-0 against Cardiff City at Ninian Park and slipped out of the top six for the first time since the previous August. Whilst they had looked like they would gain promotion automatically and, at the very least, gain a play off spot they had won just once in nine games before travelling across the Severn Bridge.
Cardiff had already been relegated and before the match manager Ian Holloway said; ‘I don’t think I need to wind anyone up for this game. If I did, I would probably just make them nervous because I’m so excited myself.’
Unfortunately, they seemed very nervous and lost 1-0 to a 27th minute goal scored by central defender Scott Young who headed past goalkeeper Brian Parkin who was playing only his second game of the season. Parkin kept Rovers in with a chance as he made a number of fine saves but, sadly, his team mates failed to put up any sort of a fight which was strange given that a play off place was up for grabs.
Holloway said afterwards; ‘I thought Brian was fantastic, but the 10 men in front of him let him down. We’ve got too many chokers. Words fail me and I would just like to apologise to all our fans because the team didn’t show the heart and soul they have. We’ve shown relegation form in our last 10 games and we’d better have a look at that.’
Rovers finished the season in seventh place, two points adrift of the final play off place and eight points off of second place and automatic promotion.
Rovers: Parkin, Pethick (Astafjevs, 55), Foster, Tillson, Challis, Walters, Cureton, Thomson, Hillier, (Bryant, 27), Roberts, Ellington (Trees, 70).
Substitutes: Jones, Andreasson
Att: 6,655
Keith Brookman