Bristol Rovers fans: our manager’s a bit of a ‘tinkerman’
Three Rovers fans think their manager makes too many changes but things look promising at boardroom level…
Thanks to REP for posing the questions to three members of gaschat.co.uk
About the fans…
lpgas – I saw my first game at Ashton Gate in January 1968. It was City versus Rovers in the FA Cup, a 0-0 draw, but I fell for Rovers, especially as my mate was a City fan.
stuart1974 – I’m a third generation Rovers fan, I’ve been going since 1982 but less so recently due to family commitments.
Markczgas – I first went to a Rovers game in 1972 after my two older brothers. My football-loving dad got us into it one-by-one. He started going in the early 50’s after arriving in The UK from war-torn Poland. I’m a season-ticket holder these days.
About the opposition…
How do you expect your team to do this season?
I think we will end up just in the top-half, but who knows?
lpgas – I think we will end up just in the top-half, but who knows? For the last two years we have started off slowly and after Christmas we were virtually unbeatable!
stuart1974 – Hopefully we’ll be comfortable mid table, it’s been eventful in the last three seasons so we could do with a boring season then push on next year.
Markczgas – It’s a tricky one to call, but if Taylor and Sinclair stay fit for most of the season then I’d say 11th. We will be hard to beat and perhaps finish the season stronger than we have started it.
What are your thoughts on the manager and his signings?
lpgas -I think we all love DC but we often get frustrated at his constant team changes. Danger Players? I wouldn’t say we have any dangerous ones. I suppose we are more like a swarm of annoyed bees. Any of them can sting you!
stuart1974 – A good manager and his players seem good in theory. But it’s probably too early in the season to be sure.
Markczgas – The manager has evolved like the team. We generally play a nice passing game now. He is a bit of a tinkerman but knows who is producing the goods and who isn’t. The dangermen have to be Taylor and Bodin as well as Hartley from set-pieces.
Your thoughts on the board?
lpgas – Brill! For the first time in my lifetime we have people who know what they are doing. In a few years time we will have forgotten our “Ragbag Rovers” tag.
stuart1974 – The board are new and making up for lost time. Again, it’s a bit early but we should know soonish whether the expectations become a reality.
Markczgas – The board are new but are piecing together a lasting infrastructure; slight improvements in our current ground, more staff behind the scenes, new training ground and stadium in the pipeline – plus a more professional approach sprinkled with ex- Rovers players ( Marcus Stewart, Steve Yates). So, it’s all very positive.
A score prediction and predicted away following?
lpgas -2-1 Taylor will get one of ours. Crowd around 8,000.
stuart1974 – 2-1 with 8,100 watching.
Markczgas – 2- 1 to Rovers, Taylor most likely will get one. I don’t really know the names of your players. The attendance will be between 7,200 and 8,000 (with what 300- 400 Valiants?)
About the Vale…
Where do you think Vale will finish?
lpgas – Mid table.
stuart1974 – Vale will finish top eight.
Markczgas – I expect Vale to start well but begin to fade from Christmas onwards – you have too many foreign players new to English football. So bottom eight for you.
A guide for Vale fans…
Can you tell us something about your side we may not know?
We have played at four grounds whilst I have been watching them…
lpgas – Our original ground at Eastville not only had a dog track, but it had a speedway track too, until the neighbours complained about the noise. We now own and play at the old Bristol Rugby club’s ground. We have played at four grounds whilst I have been watching them.
stuart1974 – Don’t call us Bristol when shortening our name, call us Bristol Rovers or Rovers. The quarters were thought to make us look bigger by the then manager. We never went bankrupt in 1982
Markczgas – We played outside the city for a long-period (for eleven years in Bath until 1996) and even on our enemy’s pitch back in the 80s, no-one really uses our nickname – The Pirates – because The Gas is now the adopted one, our ground used to be only a Rugby Union ground until we became lodgers in 1996.
Any recommended pubs, eateries and parking spots?
lpgas – I’d say the Inn on the Green, park around there. It’s a bit of a walk but mostly it’s quicker to walk than drive after the game.
stuart1974 – Sorry, the others are better at recommending than me.
Markczgas – Most pubs at top end of Gloucester Road such as The Wellington and Sportsman which does very good pizzas post-match are good pubs . A lot of people are talking about a Lebanese eating place on Gloucester Road as a great place to eat ! Parking is always at a premium – but streets off Wellington Hill West have parking spots.
Can you recommend any forums, fanzines or blogs?