NORMALLY at this time of year I've got the curtains pulled, the television on, a kettle by my side, tea bags at the ready and a portable loo installed.
That's because it's what has now officially become Jim White Day.
The day when Sky Sports News gives you a running commentary of the final desperate moves in the transfer window.
White has become known as the Transfernator for his running commentary on who is going where, who might be going somewhere, whose been spotted in the local Waitrose near a Premier League ground and whose car is or isn't in the parking spot where it should be.
I remember not too long ago when Sky's Spies followed the former England goalkeeper turned sh**head everywhere for 12 hours only to discover that none of the rumours were true and David James was staying put at Portsmouth.
Still, they had a good tour of local gym, training ground, car park and physio's room in the process.
It's a good insight into what it takes to be a Sky Sports reporter.
How, for instance, people like David Craig can whitter on for a whole day about who nearly joined Newcastle until they realised how cold it was in winter, what Toon owner Mike Ashley bought him for brekky and how the nice people in the St James' Park office took him a cup of coffee to keep him going.
To be honest, though, I've never given two hoots about whether Kaka will join Manchester City or which club will take the plunge on an overweight, under-skilled striker like Benni McCarthy this time.
It's always about the Gas and, generally, I emerge from my lonely 14-hour vigil frustrated, angry and bereft.
All day I've been harbouring a secret belief "We'll pull something out of the bag", "Rickie Lambert's replacement will finally turn up this time", "I'm sure we can entice Jason Roberts back to the Mem".
And all to no avail.
Two seasons ago was the all-time low.
After being told for three weeks by our boss at the time, Paul Trollope, that they were going to bring someone in to solve our growing problems up front it ended with us loaning out Darryl Duffy, one of the only strikers remaining on our books, and replacing him with... no one.
Absolutely soul destroying and the excuse that "We thought we had someone, but he joined someone else" didn't help one iota.
This year, though, I am not the slightest bit worried.
We might lose Jo Kuffour.
Big deal.
Well, probably not so big, really.
He strikes me as a player who, when everything is going right, he does well.
When it's backs-to-the-wall he disappears.
He's got some decent skills but our new manager Paul Buckle wants people who are going to fight for the club - not someone who fades away when the going gets tough.
Other than that Buckle did all his transfer work months ago and is now busily working on getting our host of new players to gel.
It is working to a certain extent, though a couple of disappointing results over the last week show it is still a work in progress.
Still, I am relatively happy with the Rovers squad as it is and think this will only improve as the season progresses.
Meanwhile, if I am hoping for one thing today it is that our hated neighbours from south Bristol sell their best striker Nicky Maynard, and bring in the Arsenal back four that lost 8-2 at Manchester United - with the possible addition of that Brazilian goalkeeper Gomes at Spurs.
Tidy.
Absolutely gutted, distraught, too upset to talk, moody for the rest of the week.
These are all emotions I usually feel when the Gas lose.
But not today.
We went out of the Carling Cup 3-2 to Orient after a decent effort last night, and it means we won't have to travel to Blackburn for the third round.
I am not the slightest bit bothered.
Cup runs are all well and good but, with the toll they take on the squad and the injuries they accumulate, I am actually a bit relieved.
Now Saturday at Crawley is a different story...
Wednesday 31 August 2011
Thursday 25 August 2011
Concentrating on the League
DUE to a bit of a family crisis I couldn't go to our Carling Cup first-round tie against Watford.
I wasn't too bothered.
And nor, it seems, were many of my fellow gasheads as there were less than 5,000 at the Mem to watch our thrilling penalty shoot-out win over the Championship club.
By all accounts it was a great game and Rovers gave as good as they got.
But perhaps this is a bit of a reflection on the optimism surrounding Paul Buckle's new team who, at the moment, have given we gasheads a surprisingly upbeat feeling following the disastrous episode of last season.
When things have habitually gone badly for the Gas, fans have always flocked to these cup ties in the hope that they can give us a glimmer of light in an often dark and ominous season.
Even when we've had particularly poor sides we have always managed to raise ourselves for the big one-off ties, which was as bad a reflection on our past players as it was good for the club's bank balance.
We have in previous years been known as cup giantkillers, the shock of our victories being all the greater the worse we are doing in the league.
Call it arrogance, confidence, belief or whatever, but on this occasion I thought Rovers would overcome Watford. And probably on penalties.
I knew we had the spirit and the skill to give them a good test but - even if we lost - I wouldn't have been that bothered.
Because this year I can borrow that cliche popular with all managers and say: "We are concentrating on the league."
Nothing else matters.
Yes, a Cup run is a nice distraction as long as it doesn't become TOO distracting.
As long as it doesn't result in too many injuries (three of our number picked up knocks, the most serious being young Cian Bolger).
And as long as our players don't take too much out of themselves and find our league form suffers as a consequence.
Because I think this team is capable of being more than one-hit wonders.
They are capable of being 46-hit wonders.
And sealing the promotion that all Rovers fans will savour long after memories of our cup exploits have died away.
I hope I am right.
Don't get me wrong, though.
Last year's team couldn't even raise themselves for one-off cup ties.
We lost 6-1 at League new boys Oxford in the Carling Cup and 2-1 at non-league Darlington in the FA Cup.
Both results were shameful.
I would like to say we were concentrating on the league then, too.
But the truth is we couldn't concentrate on anything for longer than five minutes.
So well done, Paul Buckle. And well done, Rovers.
The victory can be savoured all the more because our struggling neighbours across the City lost to their League Two opponents Swindon 1-0 at home. Unlike some other Premier and Championship clubs, they played a pretty full-strength line-up too.
So while we can have a little chuckle at their expense, for once the old joke "Both Bristols are out of the Cup" doesn't apply.
I wasn't too bothered.
And nor, it seems, were many of my fellow gasheads as there were less than 5,000 at the Mem to watch our thrilling penalty shoot-out win over the Championship club.
By all accounts it was a great game and Rovers gave as good as they got.
But perhaps this is a bit of a reflection on the optimism surrounding Paul Buckle's new team who, at the moment, have given we gasheads a surprisingly upbeat feeling following the disastrous episode of last season.
When things have habitually gone badly for the Gas, fans have always flocked to these cup ties in the hope that they can give us a glimmer of light in an often dark and ominous season.
Even when we've had particularly poor sides we have always managed to raise ourselves for the big one-off ties, which was as bad a reflection on our past players as it was good for the club's bank balance.
We have in previous years been known as cup giantkillers, the shock of our victories being all the greater the worse we are doing in the league.
Call it arrogance, confidence, belief or whatever, but on this occasion I thought Rovers would overcome Watford. And probably on penalties.
I knew we had the spirit and the skill to give them a good test but - even if we lost - I wouldn't have been that bothered.
Because this year I can borrow that cliche popular with all managers and say: "We are concentrating on the league."
Nothing else matters.
Yes, a Cup run is a nice distraction as long as it doesn't become TOO distracting.
As long as it doesn't result in too many injuries (three of our number picked up knocks, the most serious being young Cian Bolger).
And as long as our players don't take too much out of themselves and find our league form suffers as a consequence.
Because I think this team is capable of being more than one-hit wonders.
They are capable of being 46-hit wonders.
And sealing the promotion that all Rovers fans will savour long after memories of our cup exploits have died away.
I hope I am right.
Don't get me wrong, though.
Last year's team couldn't even raise themselves for one-off cup ties.
We lost 6-1 at League new boys Oxford in the Carling Cup and 2-1 at non-league Darlington in the FA Cup.
Both results were shameful.
I would like to say we were concentrating on the league then, too.
But the truth is we couldn't concentrate on anything for longer than five minutes.
So well done, Paul Buckle. And well done, Rovers.
The victory can be savoured all the more because our struggling neighbours across the City lost to their League Two opponents Swindon 1-0 at home. Unlike some other Premier and Championship clubs, they played a pretty full-strength line-up too.
So while we can have a little chuckle at their expense, for once the old joke "Both Bristols are out of the Cup" doesn't apply.
Tuesday 16 August 2011
Gorilla warfare
I'VE had my daughter and the two grandchildren staying, and it was touch and go whether I would make our League Two clash with Northampton Town tonight.
We went on the search for Gorillas.
Not the urban type that caused mayhem outside Tesco's in Stoke's Croft.
Nor the ones that make a decent effort to take over the world in the latest Planet of the Apes movie.
No this lot are stone statues and there are 60 of them dotted in and around Bristol(although the 'around' term must be used pretty casually as one seems to have turned up inside Birmingham coach station).
They have been erected in honour of the 175th anniversary of Bristol Zoo and are all themed as part of the Wow Gorilla! concept.
One, for instance, is dressed in a Bristol Rovers kit and goes by the name of Irene. It would have been my first port of call but, selflessly, it wasn't up to me.
We started off at a decent time in the morning and tracked down two of our targets in Cribbs Causeway while shopping for some of the wife's birthday presents.
From there we proceded to Clifton and managed to collect another four or five to add to our collection.
As we went from Gorilla location to Gorilla location, while fitting in a lunch stop as well, I was keeping a close eye on the watch.
It was mid afternoon when the grandchildren piped up that they wanted to see "spidey monkey". This is a Gorilla which is painted as Spiderman.
I looked at the location.
Shuddered.
It was a stone's throw from Ashton Gate in the City stronghold of Bedminster.
What can you do?
I couldn't disappoint such young, enthusiastic souls so we travelled to the 'other side' and the boys got their picture taking with Spidey, though I refused to get out of the car (silly, I know).
We then drove on, and I took a wrong turning.
It was then that the horrific thought occured to me - if I was to get back on track the best place to turn around was the ground commonly known as Trashton by myself and fellow Gasheads.
I couldn't afford to be late back home, though, so took the plunge.
And then remembered something else.
They actually have a Gorilla wearing City red inside the stadium.
It would be another one to add to the collection.
The youngsters would be ecstatic to take the number up to 16 - one down, just another 44 to go.
So I did what all good grandparents would.
Well, good Gashead grandparents.
I kept my mouth shut.
No way could I have photographic evidence of my grandchildren with THAT gorilla.
I was shattered when I got home.
I had to cook tea, feed the baby and wrap presents.
Still, I managed to get out of the house by 6.20, into the pub by 6.30 and got my lift to the ground at 6.55.
By 7.30 I was ensconsed in my favourite place, behind Paul Buckle's dug out.
It was always going to be an interesting place to stand for this one, for the main reason that on the opposite bench was Gary Johnson, the former Bristol City manager and pantomime villain to most Gasheads (though some actually wanted him to take charge at the Mem during our appalling run last season).
As expected he got the normal witty chants of abuse including the always popular rendition of "hi ho" from Disney's Seven Dwarves. Somewhat ironic when delivered by vertically challenged people like myself.
As for the game, Rovers started extremely brightly and deserved to be ahead 1-0 at half time, though it was a shame our lively winger Joe Anyinsah had to come off with an injury before the break.
Buckle started the game with Jo Kuffour up front alongside Matt Harrold, and Scott McGleish pushed back into midfield.
As a one-off ploy I guess it was effective, though I'm not sure I want to see a 20-goal a season striker of McGleish's quality restricted in such a way too often.
The second half was different, though. Northampton fought back and levelled courtesy of a fortuitous goal off possibly the biggest backside in football, Adebayo Akinfenwa.
I remember seeing him play alongside Leon Knight for Swansea in the season they were promoted from League 2 and he was quite a handful.
He is now, too, but for an entirely different reason.
Forget stone gorillas, the sheer size of this guy these days is on a par with any large primate in captivity.
Tough on Rovers, though they had been forced back for a significant spell.
But overall the Gas had been much more threatening in front of goal, and Matt Harrold's winner was exactly what they deserved.
In fact, Kuffour hit the post and another chance somehow went begging at the far post as the Gas tried to push home their advantage.
Good to see the huddle at the end, too, with Buckle standing in the midst of the players giving them a rousing pep talk out on the field.
Rovers may lack a bit of subtlety these days, but the team spirit and professional knowhow of this team of relatively new recruits is a breath of fresh air. Sometimes, even when I came away from the Mem after a home win in previous years, I breathed a sigh of relief.
This time it was a feeling of optimism and elation.
Northampton's challenge was that of a decent team used to toughing it out in the basement division.
We can anticipate plenty such battles in the coming months but, thankfully, I think tonight proved we have a team who can cope with them.
We went on the search for Gorillas.
Not the urban type that caused mayhem outside Tesco's in Stoke's Croft.
Nor the ones that make a decent effort to take over the world in the latest Planet of the Apes movie.
No this lot are stone statues and there are 60 of them dotted in and around Bristol(although the 'around' term must be used pretty casually as one seems to have turned up inside Birmingham coach station).
They have been erected in honour of the 175th anniversary of Bristol Zoo and are all themed as part of the Wow Gorilla! concept.
One, for instance, is dressed in a Bristol Rovers kit and goes by the name of Irene. It would have been my first port of call but, selflessly, it wasn't up to me.
We started off at a decent time in the morning and tracked down two of our targets in Cribbs Causeway while shopping for some of the wife's birthday presents.
From there we proceded to Clifton and managed to collect another four or five to add to our collection.
As we went from Gorilla location to Gorilla location, while fitting in a lunch stop as well, I was keeping a close eye on the watch.
It was mid afternoon when the grandchildren piped up that they wanted to see "spidey monkey". This is a Gorilla which is painted as Spiderman.
I looked at the location.
Shuddered.
It was a stone's throw from Ashton Gate in the City stronghold of Bedminster.
What can you do?
I couldn't disappoint such young, enthusiastic souls so we travelled to the 'other side' and the boys got their picture taking with Spidey, though I refused to get out of the car (silly, I know).
We then drove on, and I took a wrong turning.
It was then that the horrific thought occured to me - if I was to get back on track the best place to turn around was the ground commonly known as Trashton by myself and fellow Gasheads.
I couldn't afford to be late back home, though, so took the plunge.
And then remembered something else.
They actually have a Gorilla wearing City red inside the stadium.
It would be another one to add to the collection.
The youngsters would be ecstatic to take the number up to 16 - one down, just another 44 to go.
So I did what all good grandparents would.
Well, good Gashead grandparents.
I kept my mouth shut.
No way could I have photographic evidence of my grandchildren with THAT gorilla.
I was shattered when I got home.
I had to cook tea, feed the baby and wrap presents.
Still, I managed to get out of the house by 6.20, into the pub by 6.30 and got my lift to the ground at 6.55.
By 7.30 I was ensconsed in my favourite place, behind Paul Buckle's dug out.
It was always going to be an interesting place to stand for this one, for the main reason that on the opposite bench was Gary Johnson, the former Bristol City manager and pantomime villain to most Gasheads (though some actually wanted him to take charge at the Mem during our appalling run last season).
As expected he got the normal witty chants of abuse including the always popular rendition of "hi ho" from Disney's Seven Dwarves. Somewhat ironic when delivered by vertically challenged people like myself.
As for the game, Rovers started extremely brightly and deserved to be ahead 1-0 at half time, though it was a shame our lively winger Joe Anyinsah had to come off with an injury before the break.
Buckle started the game with Jo Kuffour up front alongside Matt Harrold, and Scott McGleish pushed back into midfield.
As a one-off ploy I guess it was effective, though I'm not sure I want to see a 20-goal a season striker of McGleish's quality restricted in such a way too often.
The second half was different, though. Northampton fought back and levelled courtesy of a fortuitous goal off possibly the biggest backside in football, Adebayo Akinfenwa.
I remember seeing him play alongside Leon Knight for Swansea in the season they were promoted from League 2 and he was quite a handful.
He is now, too, but for an entirely different reason.
Forget stone gorillas, the sheer size of this guy these days is on a par with any large primate in captivity.
Tough on Rovers, though they had been forced back for a significant spell.
But overall the Gas had been much more threatening in front of goal, and Matt Harrold's winner was exactly what they deserved.
In fact, Kuffour hit the post and another chance somehow went begging at the far post as the Gas tried to push home their advantage.
Good to see the huddle at the end, too, with Buckle standing in the midst of the players giving them a rousing pep talk out on the field.
Rovers may lack a bit of subtlety these days, but the team spirit and professional knowhow of this team of relatively new recruits is a breath of fresh air. Sometimes, even when I came away from the Mem after a home win in previous years, I breathed a sigh of relief.
This time it was a feeling of optimism and elation.
Northampton's challenge was that of a decent team used to toughing it out in the basement division.
We can anticipate plenty such battles in the coming months but, thankfully, I think tonight proved we have a team who can cope with them.
Monday 15 August 2011
Bucking the trend
AT around 3.20pm on Saturday afternoon there was a big pop.
You could call it a gas explosion.
It was actually the sound of our glorious bubble being burst.
Ever since Paul Buckle arrived at the Mem we Gasheads have been immersed in a heady atmosphere of optimism and enthusiasm.
For heaven's sake, we've signed 15 new players, ditched the deadwood and performed admirably in our pre-season friendlies.
Our new manager has spoken so positively about everything he plans to achieve, and our opening day win at Wimbledon was achieved with a certain style and panache.
And then came Torquay.
This is Torquay, the team Buckle left at the end of last season after they had been beaten in the League 2 play-off.
The team we robbed and pillaged of manager, assistant manager, goalkeeper and striker.
Our little west country cousins who were left forlorn and without hope by this merciless raid by their big city neighbours.
In fact, with Torquay being our first opponents at the Mem in the league this season they were only their as fodder in an exhibition put on by our new, exciting, attack-minded, promotion favourites.
Then reality struck.
Big city slickers 1, Quaint side on the Devon riviera 2
And we were 2-0 down after 20 minutes in front of over 8,000 deflated Gasheads.
Even more irritating was the fact that Rene Howe, the burly striker who while on loan to us last season managed to accumulate one goal and a hatful of (to my mind) unfair critics.
How could it go so wrong? Is this the big con? Has Mr Buckle hoodwinked us like a clever card sharp getting the better of Penn and Teller on a Saturday night primetime show?
Or is it just that everything has gone SO right so far that, being Bristol Rovers, it would inevitably come to an end?
When you think you are nailed on for success, football quite often turns around and bites you in the backside.
But I have faith in our new manager.
I still believe that he is building a team to excite us and bring success to our club.
And I will confidently predict that Bristol Rovers will finish above Torquay at the end of the season.
For the moment, though, the bragging rights belong to Gulls fans and, quite frankly, they probably deserve their moment in the sun after all the torment we have put them through this season.
Incidentally, Rovers were the featured club on the Football League Show on Saturday night - just our luck on a day we are roundly beaten.
But it was nice to hear Steve Claridge talking about our huge potential and big fan base.
He didn't call us sleeping giants... we all know that phrase has been copyrighted by the other Bristol club.
Sleeping? They are practically comotosed at the moment.
I know it's a puerile, sad state of affairs when your own team loses but life brightens considerably when your biggest nemesis loses, too.
But listening to Radio 5 describing them going 1-0, 2-0 then 3-0 down at Cardiff City and sinking to the bottom of the Championship ... it spread a big grin across my face and helped me forget about our Torquay torture.
You could call it a gas explosion.
It was actually the sound of our glorious bubble being burst.
Ever since Paul Buckle arrived at the Mem we Gasheads have been immersed in a heady atmosphere of optimism and enthusiasm.
For heaven's sake, we've signed 15 new players, ditched the deadwood and performed admirably in our pre-season friendlies.
Our new manager has spoken so positively about everything he plans to achieve, and our opening day win at Wimbledon was achieved with a certain style and panache.
And then came Torquay.
This is Torquay, the team Buckle left at the end of last season after they had been beaten in the League 2 play-off.
The team we robbed and pillaged of manager, assistant manager, goalkeeper and striker.
Our little west country cousins who were left forlorn and without hope by this merciless raid by their big city neighbours.
In fact, with Torquay being our first opponents at the Mem in the league this season they were only their as fodder in an exhibition put on by our new, exciting, attack-minded, promotion favourites.
Then reality struck.
Big city slickers 1, Quaint side on the Devon riviera 2
And we were 2-0 down after 20 minutes in front of over 8,000 deflated Gasheads.
Even more irritating was the fact that Rene Howe, the burly striker who while on loan to us last season managed to accumulate one goal and a hatful of (to my mind) unfair critics.
How could it go so wrong? Is this the big con? Has Mr Buckle hoodwinked us like a clever card sharp getting the better of Penn and Teller on a Saturday night primetime show?
Or is it just that everything has gone SO right so far that, being Bristol Rovers, it would inevitably come to an end?
When you think you are nailed on for success, football quite often turns around and bites you in the backside.
But I have faith in our new manager.
I still believe that he is building a team to excite us and bring success to our club.
And I will confidently predict that Bristol Rovers will finish above Torquay at the end of the season.
For the moment, though, the bragging rights belong to Gulls fans and, quite frankly, they probably deserve their moment in the sun after all the torment we have put them through this season.
Incidentally, Rovers were the featured club on the Football League Show on Saturday night - just our luck on a day we are roundly beaten.
But it was nice to hear Steve Claridge talking about our huge potential and big fan base.
He didn't call us sleeping giants... we all know that phrase has been copyrighted by the other Bristol club.
Sleeping? They are practically comotosed at the moment.
I know it's a puerile, sad state of affairs when your own team loses but life brightens considerably when your biggest nemesis loses, too.
But listening to Radio 5 describing them going 1-0, 2-0 then 3-0 down at Cardiff City and sinking to the bottom of the Championship ... it spread a big grin across my face and helped me forget about our Torquay torture.
Friday 12 August 2011
Thin Lines (between love and hate)
Chris Lines was like Marmite.
You either loved him or hated him.
Now the player who caused such a split in the Gashead ranks has finally jumped ship and moved to Sheffield Wednesday.
We expected it would happen sooner or later.
All summer the talk has been of where he would go, not if he would be going at all.
Then he had a trial with Crystal Palace and it seemed he was on his way, only for them to decide maybe he wasn't the answer to their myriad problems.
So he was welcomed back into the fold by our manager Paul Buckle and it seemed he would be our player for another season.
Interestingly, he was left on the bench for the opening game against AFC Wimbledon and came on in the second half.
It was something all three of our managers refused to countenance last season - if he was fit, he was in the team.
It indicated that Buckle didn't really consider him as part of his plans, particularly with the acquisition of Craig Stanley and Matt Gill, two highly experienced midfielders.
Lines, like most young players, has good days and bad days.
When he was good, he could be very good.
But on other occasions he went missing - particularly when the going got tough.
In our relegation battle he seemed to fade in and out of the action.
Perhaps, the situation was all too comfortable for him at his hometown club.
Rarely, though, did I see him grab a game by the scruff of the neck.
He scored the odd spectacular free kick, and drifted into the box now and again.
But, certainly in the blue and white quarters, he became a bit of a luxury last season when we needed 11 players scrapping for the cause.
It will be interesting to see how he fares at a club in another part of the country where he hasn't been brought up and nurtured - a small fish in a big pool.
Meanwhile, this Saturday will be a big day for our manager Paul Buckle. He comes up against his former club Torquay at the Mem.
Unfortunately I can't be there, but I am already impressed with his professional approach.
He says it is just about getting the three points, not about any side issues. And when he says it you believe him.
Here's hoping for three more points tomorrow.
You either loved him or hated him.
Now the player who caused such a split in the Gashead ranks has finally jumped ship and moved to Sheffield Wednesday.
We expected it would happen sooner or later.
All summer the talk has been of where he would go, not if he would be going at all.
Then he had a trial with Crystal Palace and it seemed he was on his way, only for them to decide maybe he wasn't the answer to their myriad problems.
So he was welcomed back into the fold by our manager Paul Buckle and it seemed he would be our player for another season.
Interestingly, he was left on the bench for the opening game against AFC Wimbledon and came on in the second half.
It was something all three of our managers refused to countenance last season - if he was fit, he was in the team.
It indicated that Buckle didn't really consider him as part of his plans, particularly with the acquisition of Craig Stanley and Matt Gill, two highly experienced midfielders.
Lines, like most young players, has good days and bad days.
When he was good, he could be very good.
But on other occasions he went missing - particularly when the going got tough.
In our relegation battle he seemed to fade in and out of the action.
Perhaps, the situation was all too comfortable for him at his hometown club.
Rarely, though, did I see him grab a game by the scruff of the neck.
He scored the odd spectacular free kick, and drifted into the box now and again.
But, certainly in the blue and white quarters, he became a bit of a luxury last season when we needed 11 players scrapping for the cause.
It will be interesting to see how he fares at a club in another part of the country where he hasn't been brought up and nurtured - a small fish in a big pool.
Meanwhile, this Saturday will be a big day for our manager Paul Buckle. He comes up against his former club Torquay at the Mem.
Unfortunately I can't be there, but I am already impressed with his professional approach.
He says it is just about getting the three points, not about any side issues. And when he says it you believe him.
Here's hoping for three more points tomorrow.
Wednesday 10 August 2011
Left - and right - wing revolution
Can't believe what I saw in London.
It was just shocking.
A throwback to the 80s perhaps.
Or even to the late 70s at the time of the miners' strike, when police had to be drafted in from across the country to help out other forces.
Riots?
What riots?
I'm talking about watching a Bristol Rovers side play with wingers.
To be fair, we smashed Wimbledon.
The score may have finished AFC Wimbledon 2, Bristol Rovers 3 but we had 11 shots on target and a total of something like 18 overall. That is about the number we managed for the entirety of last season.
And the reason we are creating chances?
Because we are now playing with genuine width.
We have players like Joe Anyinsah and Mustapha Carayol - not household names at the moment, I grant you - but livewires who are prepared to take on their man, attempt a nifty trick or two and create panic in the opposition defence.
It was certainly panic on the fields of Kingsmeadow as we raced into a 2-0 lead, only to give it up through a brave Wimbledon fightback, finally stealing the points with a penalty from new vice-captain Adam Virgo five minutes from time.
A great start to the season and reason to be cheerful.
But back to the widemen.
I recall a time when Rovers ALWAYS sent their teams out with people capable of attacking on the flanks. Going back to the first time I saw them in the late 60s when Harold Jarman was patrolling the wing.
Harold was a great fans' favourite and even stepped in to manage the club for a time. I recall he also played cricket for Gloucestershire and his claim to fame was that he was a brilliant fielder. I once saw him throw down the stumps from the boundary, instigating an unthinkable run-out of a bemused opposition batsman.
The cry used to go up when Rovers were in full flow. "Ha-a-rold" "Ha-a-rold".
In fact it is making a comeback with our new centre forward Matt Harrold, as far removed from Mr Jarman as it is possible to imagine but a useful weapon with his 6ft 5ins frame up front.
Another lively winger who was always a Tote End favourite was Kenny Stephens who, on his day, could trouble even the best defences.
And after that we had a number of other options - some effective, others much less so - like Stewart Barrowclough, Miah Dennehy and Phil Purnell.
And when we were putting together a particularly young side of home-grown talent at the start of the 1980s I well remember the combination of Keith Curle and the legend that is Micky Barrett attacking from both sides of the field with their pace and speed.
Barrett played for five years for Rovers, scoring 18 goals in 129 appearances before sadly dying at the age of 24 with cancer when it seemed he had a really bright future ahead of him.
Curle went on to play in various positions for different teams, including centre back and full back, and was once classed as the fastest footballer in the country after winning an ITV sprint competition.
It's great to see Rovers playing with width again, something that Gasheads have been demanding for some time.
Next, a bigger test for our livewire wingers - home to Championship Watford in the Carling Cup tonight.
Our beloved neighbours Bristol City were supposed to play their game at home to Swindon last night but it was called off because of the current tension up and down the country.
Not surprised really. I hear Ipswich ran riot at Ashton Gate on Saturday.
It was just shocking.
A throwback to the 80s perhaps.
Or even to the late 70s at the time of the miners' strike, when police had to be drafted in from across the country to help out other forces.
Riots?
What riots?
I'm talking about watching a Bristol Rovers side play with wingers.
To be fair, we smashed Wimbledon.
The score may have finished AFC Wimbledon 2, Bristol Rovers 3 but we had 11 shots on target and a total of something like 18 overall. That is about the number we managed for the entirety of last season.
And the reason we are creating chances?
Because we are now playing with genuine width.
We have players like Joe Anyinsah and Mustapha Carayol - not household names at the moment, I grant you - but livewires who are prepared to take on their man, attempt a nifty trick or two and create panic in the opposition defence.
It was certainly panic on the fields of Kingsmeadow as we raced into a 2-0 lead, only to give it up through a brave Wimbledon fightback, finally stealing the points with a penalty from new vice-captain Adam Virgo five minutes from time.
A great start to the season and reason to be cheerful.
But back to the widemen.
I recall a time when Rovers ALWAYS sent their teams out with people capable of attacking on the flanks. Going back to the first time I saw them in the late 60s when Harold Jarman was patrolling the wing.
Harold was a great fans' favourite and even stepped in to manage the club for a time. I recall he also played cricket for Gloucestershire and his claim to fame was that he was a brilliant fielder. I once saw him throw down the stumps from the boundary, instigating an unthinkable run-out of a bemused opposition batsman.
The cry used to go up when Rovers were in full flow. "Ha-a-rold" "Ha-a-rold".
In fact it is making a comeback with our new centre forward Matt Harrold, as far removed from Mr Jarman as it is possible to imagine but a useful weapon with his 6ft 5ins frame up front.
Another lively winger who was always a Tote End favourite was Kenny Stephens who, on his day, could trouble even the best defences.
And after that we had a number of other options - some effective, others much less so - like Stewart Barrowclough, Miah Dennehy and Phil Purnell.
And when we were putting together a particularly young side of home-grown talent at the start of the 1980s I well remember the combination of Keith Curle and the legend that is Micky Barrett attacking from both sides of the field with their pace and speed.
Barrett played for five years for Rovers, scoring 18 goals in 129 appearances before sadly dying at the age of 24 with cancer when it seemed he had a really bright future ahead of him.
Curle went on to play in various positions for different teams, including centre back and full back, and was once classed as the fastest footballer in the country after winning an ITV sprint competition.
It's great to see Rovers playing with width again, something that Gasheads have been demanding for some time.
Next, a bigger test for our livewire wingers - home to Championship Watford in the Carling Cup tonight.
Our beloved neighbours Bristol City were supposed to play their game at home to Swindon last night but it was called off because of the current tension up and down the country.
Not surprised really. I hear Ipswich ran riot at Ashton Gate on Saturday.
Wednesday 3 August 2011
Buckle up!
At about the same time that the mighty Bristol Rovers will be embarking on their all-conquering League 2 campaign I will probably be staring at Jordan's boobs... or maybe Rihanna's rear end.
All good, no doubt some people are thinking, but not when you are the kind of football freak who would politely ask a naked Beyonce to move aside in order to have a quick one-to-one with our new manager Paul Buckle.
Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that in order to keep a roof over my family's head I have had to switch allegiances from sports journalism to working on the news pages of one of our national red-top newspapers.
Those who read my last blog entry will already know that I am one of the innocent victims of the News of the World massacre, in which 280 people were given the bullet because of some rather shady goings-on at that paper ten years ago, mainly actioned by those who have long since departed.
Fortunately, some very kindly journos on another London tabloid took pity on me and invited me in to help them out and now I am just hoping I can persuade the powers-that-be it is of vital importance that Sky's coverage of AFC Wimbledon v Bristol Rovers is showing in the newsroom this Saturday.
For this is the start of one of the most successful seasons in Bristol Rovers history. A season when we will equal the Invincibles of Arsene Wenger, go 46 league games unbeaten and reach the semi-finals of the two most prestigious cup competitions in the country while winning the Johnstone's Paint Trophy by default because the others are too scared to play us.
And on what do I base this unbridled optimism?
Well, the enthusiasm of fellow Gasheads for starters.
They are not only overflowing with optimism on the official website's fans forum, but the many followers I have amassed on twitter are super-confident, too.
Infact, due to a clever little idea called GasFollowBack, where each gashead who "followed" another on twitter immediately got "followed" back,I am probably in contact with the majority of our fan base now.
Confusing, I know, if you aren't on Twitter and aren't privy to these 20-word spoutings of modern-day philosophy.
Back to the Gas, though, and added to this Tsunami of positivity, I have seen two highly impressive pre-season friendly performances against Championship opposition - a 2-0 victory over Burnley and a 2-1 defeat to Reading, though we were winning 1-0 at half time when we took all our star players off to give them a rest and put our reserves on in their place.
The mood at the Mem is buzzing.
I even took little Livvy, aged one year and one month, along on her pink trike to the "family funday", which attracted an attendance that would have beaten most of those for home matches last season.
She cycled in front of the DAS stand and got a bird's eye view of the Hallowe'd turf, though getting her mode of transport into the dressing rooms or into the top tier of the Uplands Stands so that I could meet the players was a bit too much to ask.
Still, they are all together buzzing, I've learned. They are highly tuned to the new manager's wavelength and are ready to batter everyone insight.
We have virtually a new backroom staff, a new team and just a few stragglers from the hell that was season 2010-2011.
The party has started... and we haven't even kicked a ball in anger.
Where can it go wrong?
All good, no doubt some people are thinking, but not when you are the kind of football freak who would politely ask a naked Beyonce to move aside in order to have a quick one-to-one with our new manager Paul Buckle.
Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that in order to keep a roof over my family's head I have had to switch allegiances from sports journalism to working on the news pages of one of our national red-top newspapers.
Those who read my last blog entry will already know that I am one of the innocent victims of the News of the World massacre, in which 280 people were given the bullet because of some rather shady goings-on at that paper ten years ago, mainly actioned by those who have long since departed.
Fortunately, some very kindly journos on another London tabloid took pity on me and invited me in to help them out and now I am just hoping I can persuade the powers-that-be it is of vital importance that Sky's coverage of AFC Wimbledon v Bristol Rovers is showing in the newsroom this Saturday.
For this is the start of one of the most successful seasons in Bristol Rovers history. A season when we will equal the Invincibles of Arsene Wenger, go 46 league games unbeaten and reach the semi-finals of the two most prestigious cup competitions in the country while winning the Johnstone's Paint Trophy by default because the others are too scared to play us.
And on what do I base this unbridled optimism?
Well, the enthusiasm of fellow Gasheads for starters.
They are not only overflowing with optimism on the official website's fans forum, but the many followers I have amassed on twitter are super-confident, too.
Infact, due to a clever little idea called GasFollowBack, where each gashead who "followed" another on twitter immediately got "followed" back,I am probably in contact with the majority of our fan base now.
Confusing, I know, if you aren't on Twitter and aren't privy to these 20-word spoutings of modern-day philosophy.
Back to the Gas, though, and added to this Tsunami of positivity, I have seen two highly impressive pre-season friendly performances against Championship opposition - a 2-0 victory over Burnley and a 2-1 defeat to Reading, though we were winning 1-0 at half time when we took all our star players off to give them a rest and put our reserves on in their place.
The mood at the Mem is buzzing.
I even took little Livvy, aged one year and one month, along on her pink trike to the "family funday", which attracted an attendance that would have beaten most of those for home matches last season.
She cycled in front of the DAS stand and got a bird's eye view of the Hallowe'd turf, though getting her mode of transport into the dressing rooms or into the top tier of the Uplands Stands so that I could meet the players was a bit too much to ask.
Still, they are all together buzzing, I've learned. They are highly tuned to the new manager's wavelength and are ready to batter everyone insight.
We have virtually a new backroom staff, a new team and just a few stragglers from the hell that was season 2010-2011.
The party has started... and we haven't even kicked a ball in anger.
Where can it go wrong?
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