From Gulls to Gas for Paul Buckle

Last updated : 30 May 2011 By westfield shrimper

Buckle: Disappointment on Saturday
Paul Buckle: the new manager of Bristol Rovers

Bristol Rovers have confirmed the appointment of Gulls boss Paul Buckle as the Gasmen's new manager.

It was widely assumed that once Buckle's Torquay tasted defeat in Saturday's League Two play-off final, 1-0 to Stevenage, he would take over at the Memorial Stadium.

Buckle had overseen good times down in Devon but will be moving up to Bristol after the Gas were relegated from League One where he will take his first team coach Shaun North. (Blimey, he played ober 100 times for the Farmers, can't remember him to be honest!)

Buckle told www.bristolrovers.co.uk: "I leave Torquay with a heavy heart after four fantastic years, which included three Cup finals and reinstating their place back in the Football League. The club now has a sound infrastructure, both on and off the field, which will serve them well in the coming seasons. I always wanted to leave Torquay on a high, and I am blessed that I can do that. I will be installing a fresh mentality throughout the club that reflects me, by bringing in the high standards that I demanded at Torquay, which resulted in great success. The chance to become Bristol Rovers manager was far too good an opportunity to turn down. I intend to do everything in my power to take Rovers back to where they belong."

Meanwhile on www.torquayunited.com, Buckle took the opportunity to; "thank the Torquay United fans for all their support. When I took over four years ago, everybody pulled together to try and get our club back into good working order. we managed to do that and get back in the Football league and the last four years has been an incredible journey, and one that I have thoroughly enjoyed. the club will always be close to my heart"

Clever move Paul as your be returning to the Plainmoor Stadium, as well as to Roots Hall, with his new club next season!

Rovers chairman Nick Higgs added: "We are delighted to announce Paul Buckle as our new manager. Paul has done a fantastic job with Torquay, he is an exciting young manager who likes to play attractive attacking football, and we think he is the ideal person to get us out of League Two and moving up the leagues. We feel that exciting times now lay ahead, and look forward with anticipation to the start of the season with a new manager in place. There will be a number of comings and goings over the next few weeks as we commence the rebuilding process at Bristol Rovers."

While for the Gulls their chairman Simon Baker said: "It has been a tremendous four years and I'm sad to say goodbye to two great people who have become friends. I, along with everyone else at Plainmoor, wish them success in their new roles."

The site adds that the search for Buckle's replacement begins immediately and they welcome applications for a successor from today.

The Buckle Files

Personal information
Full namePaul John Buckle
Date of birth16 December 1970 (1970-12-16) (age 40)
Place of birthWelwyn Garden City, England
Height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Playing positionMidfielder
Club information
Current clubBristol Rovers (Manager)
Youth career
Brentford
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1989-1994Brentford57(1)
1993→ Wycombe Wanderers (loan)3(0)
1994-1995Torquay United59(9)
1995-1996Exeter City22(2)
1996Northampton Town0(0)
1996Wycombe Wanderers0(0)
1996-1999Colchester United106(7)
1999-2002Exeter City93(5)
2002-2003Aldershot Town29(5)
2003-2004Weymouth37(9)
2004-2007Exeter City39(4)
2004-2005→ Tiverton Town (loan)12(1)
Teams managed
2007-2011Torquay United
2011-Bristol Rovers

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 30/05/2011.

† Appearances (Goals).

(Manager info supplied by wikipedia, for the full article go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Buckle)