“The football under Graham hasn’t been great, so the fans are grumbling a bit.”


The last time The Imps met today’s opponents Bristol Rovers at home was on Saturday 13th September 2014 in the Conference. The Gas won that 3-2 that day in front of a crowd of 2,933. Stuart Sinclair put the visitors before Daniel Leadbitter’s angled strike made it 2-0. The Imps were awarded a penalty for handball, and Sean Newton scored to make it 1-2. Jordan Burrow levelled just before the break. In the 90th minute, Ellis Harrison converted from Lee Brown’s pass for a dramatic winner. Highlights below, if you dare watch the truly shocking defending!

The last time the two sides met was later on in the 2014/15 season (Saturday 7th February) at the Memorial Stadium, in front of a crowd of 6,528. The hosts won 2-0 that day, with goals from Lee Brown (36′) and Nathan Blissett (40′).

Time for the Q&As. Thank you to Bristol Rovers supporters Tom and Andy for answering our questions. The answers have been published on two pages. To get to the second set of answers, click here or press “click here for the second set of answers!” at the bottom of the page!

First up, the answers provided by Tom:

How long have you supported Bristol Rovers?

I’ve been Gas all my life growing up in East Bristol, which is a bit of a heartland, but I’ve only been a season ticket holder for 4 years. Between Uni and playing, I didn’t have that much time to get to games. Now I’m a bit older and slower my Saturdays are all about the Rovers.

Where did you finish last season?

We finished 15th which sounds like a comfortable mid-table finish, but we were in a relegation scrap with about 8 other teams for the second half of the season. It was hugely entertaining as the teams were so close, although I wish we could have watched it from afar as it was stressful!

What do you think of your Manager?

The jury is out on Graham. Stepping into the shoes of the ever-popular Darrell Clarke was always going to be difficult and saving us from relegation last season has gone a long way to building up goodwill with the fans.

That said the football under Graham hasn’t been great, so the fans are grumbling a bit. While its getting results no one can moan that much.

Who Are The League One Managers? No.5: Graham Coughlan (Bristol Rovers)

What are your hopes and expectations for the 2019/20 season?

Mid-table obscurity. We’re not good enough for the playoffs and we’re too good to go down so I’d take a middling season.

One(s) to watch?

Johnson Clarke-Harris is our standout player. Is coming back from injury but is still banging in goals. Scored an incredible overhead kick against Accrington at the weekend. Well worth looking that one up!

Which teams you think will finish in the top six?

I think all the big boys will be up there like Sunderland, Ipswich Town, Blackpool. After that, I think Peterborough United will get there with the signings they’ve made this season.

For the other two places, it’s a bit of a lottery. You are up there right now along with Fleetwood Town and Coventry City and oddly Wycombe Wanderers, but I think that will change come the end of the season. I’ll hedge my bets and say it’s too early to tell!

Which teams do you think will finish in the bottom three?

Southend United. Survived by the skin of their teeth last season and have started terribly. AFC Wimbledon have been treading water for too long and this could be their year to drop. Although Bolton Wanderers have signed a ton of decent players (Murphy anyone?) despite not having played their old players the wages owed I think 11 points is a bit too much to overcome. I do think they’ll make it close to safety though.

What are your thoughts on Lincoln City?

I’m probably the wrong person to ask as I didn’t follow Rovers closely when we played each other in the play-off semi in 2007. Lots of Rovers fans have fond memories of the away leg especially!

What do you think the score will be?

I’m going for a 3-1 home win. We’ve been awful on our travels this season and you sound good at home.

Random fact about your Club?

Rovers were originally founded as the very un-PC Black Arabs. Later to be the Eastville Rovers and then Bristol Rovers.

If you could steal one Lincoln City player for your own team, who would it be and why?

Jack Payne. We are crying out for a creative number 10 and he would have been perfect for us.

What are your proudest and most embarrassing moments as a Bristol Rovers Supporter?

Proudest is when fans organised a food bank collection for the North Bristol Foodbank and donated over a ton of food. Absolutely amazing!

Most embarrassing. There are quite a few. Top of the list has to be a video that went around just after the Al-Qadis took over saying how rich we are and how we’re gonna be in the Premier League in 5 years and all that. The very end said ‘unlucky da shit’ in reference to C*ty which has become a bit of a catchphrase for when something has gone wrong at Rovers.

Who would you say is your most underrated player?

A few weeks ago, I would have said, Ed Upson. He’s what makes our midfield tick by breaking up play and transitioning us to attack. In recent weeks fans have been appreciating him a bit more and we could see how badly we missed him against Accrington.

Do you have a Supporters Trust and what role do they play at the Club?

We do. Bit of a sore subject as they don’t seem to do an awful lot.

Which was your favourite match involving Bristol Rovers?

It’s hard to look past the 2-1 win against Dagenham where Lee Brown scored the 92nd winner to get us promoted. However, I am going to say the 3-2 win against Gateshead in the conference. Was an end to end game with both teams playing great football. Stuart Sinclair scoring the winner under the lights at the Mem was something special.

Which was your least favourite match involving Bristol Rovers?

Most fans would say the game against Mansfield where we dropped out of the league. That was before I was going regularly so I’m going to say the 4-0 drubbing we got at home against Doncaster last season. We were so poor it was unbelievable. That was the beginning of the end for Darrell.

Do you have a Former Players Association at Bristol Rovers?

We do and they are very active!

What’s the best thing about Bristol?

It’s hard to pick just one. The history, the pubs, the architecture, the events, the friendliness, the balloons, the accent, take your pick!

If you were in our position, who would you replace the Cowley’s with?

Looking at it realistically I’d say, John Coleman or Gareth Ainsworth. Not amazingly ambitious appointments, but both know the league inside out and I think given some money could do a good job.

Will Bristol City ever make it to the Premier League?

Unfortunately, they will. They’ve been edging closer each season now that the owner has realised that throwing money at the team won’t get them promoted and is trusting youth instead.

Do you ever play “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” over your tannoy at the ground?

I don’t think I’ve ever heard it on the tannoy.

Your crowds are down by some 13% this season, what do you see as the principal reason?

The poor football on offer. There are ongoing grumblings about the new stadium, but principally it’s the dull football on offer that is keeping people away in my opinion.

After the Al-Qadis’ took over the club there was the talk of you either moving or redeveloping the Memorial Stadium. Has there been any progress? What is your preference?

This is a can of worms! There have been a few false dawns and the latest is that we’re looking at a site near Temple Meads and this would come with a takeover from a UK based consortium. I’m not holding my breath though.

My preference would be somewhere central or redeveloping the Mem. I was against the stadium plans out at the UWE as I don’t want to travel to a soulless trading estate like at Milton Keynes or Oxford United.

Page Two: The answers provided by Andy!

And now for the answers provided by Andy:

How long have you supported Bristol Rovers?

My brother first took me when I was 10, that was 46 years ago!

Where did you finish last season?

We finished in 15th place, 4 points above the drop zone.

We struggled all season but turned things around just after Christmas when Graham Coughlan took temporary charge.

It wasn’t pretty but we managed to grind out enough result to pull ourselves away from trouble.

What do you think of your Manager?

Saved us from certain relegation last season and was given a 3-year deal in the summer.

Graham is a rookie manager and does seem to be making mistakes, very defensive approach and our midfield is poor. This is mainly due to summer recruitment of which midfield wise was non-existent!

Graham doesn’t seem to have the nous to change games to suit the situation if plan A doesn’t work there is no plan B let alone C I’m afraid.

But he certainly seems to have everyone playing for the shirt, you can’t fault the lack of effort.

Who Are The League One Managers? No.5: Graham Coughlan (Bristol Rovers)

What are your hopes and expectations for the 2019/20 season?

A comfortable mid-table would suit me fine, no squeaky bum time like last year come the end of April.

One(s) to watch?

Only 1 really, Johnson Clarke Harris – the man is a beast scores all sorts of goals mainly out of nothing.

Although he’s still not fully fit after a summer operation. Unfortunately, because of Rovers lack of funds and reportedly losing £3 million a season, he will be sold in January. (please no!)

Which teams you think will finish in the top six?

Ipswich Town & Sunderland for automatic promotion, then Portsmouth, Peterborough United, Doncaster Rovers & Lincoln City.

Which teams do you think will finish in the bottom three?
Bolton Wanderers, Southend United & AFC Wimbledon.

What are your thoughts on Lincoln City?

You have done brilliantly to get yourselves into league one after languishing in the conference (much like we did), I think a lot depends on who is your next manager is and whether he can keep the momentum going?

What do you think the score will be?

Hoping for a rare Rovers goal or 2 as we are yet to score away from home this season.
Heart says 2 – 1 Gas win, but dreading another 2 – 0 defeat as all three of our away games have been this season.

Random fact about your Club?

We are “The Gas” and mighty proud of it! A term used by the dark side (Bristol City) as an insult in the 60’s I believe? Because of our stadium at Eastville being close to the gasworks.

Our nickname is actually the Pirates but we prefer to be known as The Gas.

If you could steal one Lincoln City player for your own team, who would it be and why?

To be perfectly honest I don’t know much about your players? But can we steal the whole of your midfield as ours is – no comment!

What are your proudest and most embarrassing moments as a Bristol Rovers Supporter?

Probably May 1990 when we beat City 3-0 to pip them to the title and book our place in what is now the championship.

Every time we lose to those inbreds!

Who would you say is your most underrated player?

That’s tricky? Currently, we have Josh Hare at right wingback he looks a really good prospect, more in an attacking sense than defending though as our midfield play so narrow our wingbacks are very important to us.

Do you have a Supporters Trust and what role do they play at the Club?

Yes, we do, no comment.

Which was your favourite match involving Bristol Rovers?

It has to be Lee Brown scoring in the 93rd minute in front of the home terrace to get us promoted on the last game of the season, (sorry Accrington!).

Which was your least favourite match involving Bristol Rovers?

Every time we lose, although I should be used to it by now!

Do you have a Former Players Association at Bristol Rovers?

Yes, we do. They do some great work within the community.

What’s the best thing about Bristol?

Travelling there on a Saturday on the train and then having a good few beers before the game, as I live in Cardiff and have done for the last 20 years.

If you were in our position, who would you replace the Cowley’s with?

Ian Holloway.

Will Bristol City ever make it to the Premier League?

Unfortunately, I think they will at some point, they have already chucked tens of millions away trying to get there but not yet (hehe).

I hate to admit it, but they are miles ahead of us in terms of everything really, Boo!

Do you ever play “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” over your tannoy at the ground?

Sweet Caroline is blasted out every single home game, very tedious!

Your crowds are down by some 13% this season, what do you see as the principal reason?

Broken promises and lack of investment by our owners, they have been in charge for 3 years now and we are no nearer to getting a new ground as they promised when the takeover was announced.

Also, I hate to admit it but the football on offer has been very poor over the last couple of years.

After the Al-Qadis’ took over the club there was the talk of you either moving or redeveloping the Memorial Stadium. Has there been any progress? What is your preference?

No progress whatsoever, we are back to square one after the collapse of the UWE new stadium.

6 weeks ago, our owner announced a possible new site at the old fruit market in Bristol and stated that we would be in the new stadium within 2 years, total pie in the sky again! Nearly 7 weeks later no further update, the lack of information we receive from our owners/board is quite staggering and massively frustrating.

We have to get a new ground as the Memorial Stadium is just not fit for purpose, it has to be the worst ground in League One, embarrassing. If we do not move forward soon, with the losses that we have been incurring every year I fear we could be another Bury I’m afraid.

Still mustn’t grumble UTG (Up The Gas!)

Page One: The answers provided by Tom!

Exit mobile version