The Buckle's burst

BRISTOL ROVERS are so used to things going wrong that I believe we actually coined a phrase to come out with whenever we sank to a new low.
Or rather, we used the name of a former club employee to sum up our feelings.
"Gordon Bennett!" was the cry when another pass slipped astray, another goal hit our net, another three points were snatched from our flimsy grasp.
Yes, we did actually employ a certain Mr Bennett behind the scenes as youth development officer and then chief executive back in the dim and murky past.
But even the unfortunately named Gordon finally admitted defeat and moved on to pastures new when things got TOO tough to handle.
It just sums up how low things can get here.
And, according to some supporters, it is getting REALLY desperate now.
A quarter of the season nearly gone, only four wins to our name and five defeats, and a goal difference that is slipping back so fiercely that it is beginning to mirror the start of the slippery slope from last season.
And Mr Buckle, our saviour, the man who was going to bring back free-flowing football to the Mem, kick out the deadwood and launch us back to the lofty heights of League One, is now well and truly in the firing line.
He isn't helping himself.
For if there is one thing a Rovers fan can't abide it is excuses.
From our new manager the list has been growing: The grass is at fault, the injury list is at fault, not being able to pick the same side is at fault (even though, when he has had the chance he has decided against it - take Matt Harrold's exclusion).
And now... the cardinal sin... the fans are at fault.
For getting on the backs of the team and jeering when they are bashed 3-1 at home by the world-beating brand name that is Cheltenham Town.
Now don't get me wrong, I have absolutely no desire to push Mr Buckle towards the door.
The worst possible thing in our current situation is to become one of those clubs that adopts a revolving door policy for managers when things don't seem to be going according to plan.
What I would like him to do is shut up, now, and let his team do some talking on the pitch.
I'm a Buckle fan because he came in with a breath of fresh air and blew away some of the humungous cobwebs clinging to this club.
And I readily accept his reasoning that some of last season's squad were lazy and just making up the numbers to pick up their pay cheque.
In fact, on the few occasions I have managed to see my beloved Gas this season our players have looked to have far more potential than their predecessors - particularly where work ethic is concerned.
Come to think of it I've seen us beat Northampton and Shrewsbury at home, and win away at Wimbledon.
So perhaps the problem is that I haven't been able to see my team enough!
Come to think of it, Mr Buckle, you can try this out for size after the Rotherham game if it doesn't go our way. "We didn't win because Buckrippers wasn't here." Sorted.
Joking aside, Buckle now has to prove that he has got what it takes to not only build a side to win matches, but to play entertaining football in the process.
It's a big task because in the fans' eyes he is fast going the same way as his predecessor Dave Penney (two managers back, after the brief caretaker spell in charge by Stuart Campbell).
I thought Penney should have had more time to perform his act of major surgery, but the fans turned on him.
Rovers supporters are certainly a restless bunch these days.
But it's not for the reasons Mr Buckle thinks: That we are not used to losing (Give us a break, I've been used to losing for 40 odd years!), that we have no patience (hang on, we waited a long time to get out of this sodding division the last time and STILL turned up), and that we have too much expectation (You obviously don't know us at all, when the height of some of our expectations was mid-table in League One until recently).
Perhaps you should take a bit more time to understand us, Mr Buckle, our history and what we are about.
Because, as far as I can see, so far you have got everything you have asked for from our chairman Mr Higgs.
It's time you gave us something in return... a team of which we can be proud.