Welcome
Good Afternoon to all at the Memorial Stadium for today’s EFL League One fixture with Rotherham United. We extend a warm welcome to the supporters, players, staff and officials who are travelling with their team today. Enjoy your football with us in Bristol and a safe journey home after the game.
Jim Says
It’s not a good time to be a ‘Gashead’ at the moment with no news to hand on a new stadium or on development of the training ground complex, with our nearest and dearest rivals seemingly able to do no wrong up in the Championship and with Rovers going through a very poor run of results – the worst since Darrell Clarke took charge of the team as we fell out of the Football League in 2014.
Whilst the results have been disappointing, that has not always been the case with the performances and last Saturday’s effort at Ewood Park was one in which we really should have returned home with something, just as at Scunthorpe in the previous away game. The ‘Pirates’ were to my mind the better side at Blackburn and we played some great football. Ellis Harrison scored another fine goal, my nomination for the best of the month and I can’t think of any of the players who had a poor game.
Unfortunately we switched off at the vital time just as ‘DC’ says and I well remember back in the 1970’s when one of his predecessors, the great Don Megson, said that a side is always at its most venerable when it has just scored a goal. What made things worse was another poorly performing referee as Ollie Clarke’s well-deserved opening ‘goal’ was eventually ruled out, incredibly after both teams had lined-up for the restart and the scoreboard had showed the visiting Rovers to be in front. Subsequent viewing of the highlights showed that Ellis was not interfering with play and that the goal should have stood.
Later on Ollie had his day further ruined with a contentious penalty award against him after what seemed an unpreventable collision; a decision that would only have been given to the home team in my opinion. The brief highlights did not show a blatant trip on the edge of the Blackburn ‘box’ and in front of the Ref that may not have been a penalty but certainly should have resulted in a direct free kick as the ‘Gas’ piled on the pressure at the finish. Having said all that we are still suffering from those individual defensive errors as the Boss keeps saying despite a much improved display at the favourites for promotion.
The introduction of Joe Partington in front of our two returning internationals almost proved to be a ‘matchwinner’ but of course we lost Ryan Sweeney to injury early on and perhaps he might just have won the header that eventually consigned us to another defeat. Let’s hope that another week on the training ground will make a positive difference this afternoon.
I cannot review the team’s good performance at Blackburn without mentioning the fantastic turn-out of support with 1,300 ‘Gasheads’ making the long trip north and roaring the lads on for the full 90 minutes. That figure was almost twice the number
our neighbours took on a similar-length journey to Hull on the same day and speaks volumes for the potential at this club should the owners manage to get things right in future. As an aside, quite why were both Bristol clubs scheduled to be at home on the previous Tuesday evening (today’s match is of course the result of an agreed postponement between us and Rotherham) and then both having to travel up north last Saturday? Could nobody at the Football League have switched one of the two fixtures around? Just a thought!
Enjoy the game and hopefully another good performance will result three long-awaited points for the boys in blue!
Jim Chappell.
What Other Football Club?
What other football club would be supported by over 1300 travelling fans on a cold November day with the forecast of rain and snow further north; roadworks, long journey time, early start, late return home. What other football club on the back of a home defeat that hurt all of us, staff, players, supporters, directors; what other football club? What other football club would be followed by supporters who gave everything to support their team at the time when results and points have been in short supply? What other football club would take fans to out sing and out support a decent home following? What other football club, what other group of supporters?
There is only one Bristol Rovers. Together we can do this! Thank you for supporting Bristol Rovers Football Club. Your support and your loyalty, your time and your effort, your contribution to the cause is so very much appreciated, thank you.
A Bid on the Side
Item 1. Fabian Broghammer Away Shirt.
I can’t be 100% sure but it is believed that this is a shirt worn in an away match by Fabian. He played around 40 games for Rovers between August 2012 and April 2014 and was playing for SV Wiesbaden in 2015-16. This shirt is size large, comes with the NPower Football League patches on the sleeves and is in extremely good condition.
Item 2. Errea Winter Rovers Top.
I have described this top as a winter one as it is made from quite thick cosy material that will keep you warm during the coming cold months. It is size extra large, long sleeved and is in pretty much as new condition.
Both of these items have been auctioned on Ebay since Thursday the 30th of November and will be available for 10 days. The minimum price is just 99 pence each item and the highest bidder wins. Links to all both auctions will be found at http://bristolroversmemorabilia.weebly.com/
If any other Rovers fans have any rare or interesting Rovers related items that they would be happy to donate, please pass the item(s) on to 199 Two Mile Hill Road, or pop in to the Supporters Club matchday shop..
And the Question Is?
Which current Rovers player scored and was named Man of the Match in an FA Cup match against Liverpool on 8 January 2016, the game finishing in a 2-2 draw?
This was one of the one hundred questions asked at our successful Quiz Night held in the Bristol Room on 23rd November. The questions were sorted into ten rounds with General Knowledge, Food & Drink, Sport & Leisure, Come fly with me, Television, General Knowledge, Classic Sci-Fi, Music, Utter Trivia being the subject headings along with a Picture Round. Screen Soccer were the winners with an impressive score of 85 points just holding off the challenge from the North Korean Tourist Board by just four points.
And the Answer is Tom Nichols.
With probably our best and longest raffle yet, a grand total of £62 was raised for our Bristol Rovers Youth Academy. Many thanks as always to Phil Draper who put the quiz together and was our compere for the evening. Thanks also to Janet for organizing Wooster’s Wonderful Raffle; simply the best!
Are you clever enough to beat Screen Soccer and win top spot in our next Quiz? Details to be announced in the New Year. Look out for the time and date and see you there.
Weston-super-Winner
Nigel Parker was the winner of the first prize in the 50/50 half time draw at the Wimbledon game at the Mem two weeks ago. Nigel travels up from Weston for all of our games and on this occasion went home with a super £1,100. Just think of the ice creams and candy floss you could buy with that! Nigel is a stalwart member of the Weston-super-Mare branch; very well done Nigel. Our man bought his ticket with number 022332 from Sue Dry at the Memorial Gates.
The second prize of a fixed £100 went to the holder of ticket number 022627. The prize can be claimed on production of the ticket from 199, Two Mile Hill Road, Kingswood; many thanks to Pat Newport who sold the ticket from her station inside the clubhouse turnstiles.
Thank you to all of our sellers and to all who bought tickets. Good luck today for a very nice early Christmas present, you’ve got to be in it to win it; all the best to everyone.