THE BLUES
Let's hope the Blues can continue their great run with yet another away win at
THE OPPOSITION
When they were 2-0 up against Orient they were dreaming of a top six place but the collapse that saw them lose 2-3 has placed them firmly in midtable. First-team coach Paul Trollope is set to make changes as Rovers now have to chase a first home league win of the season on what may be their third home defeat on the trot. That could mean recalls for David Pipe, Joe Jacobson, Andy Williams and Craig Hinton, with Ryan Green or Chris Carruthers set to drop to the bench.
The team that finished v Orient and a report on the game from independent fansite BRFCReturn.com; Phillips, Ryan Green, Anthony, Elliott, Carruthers, Igoe,
Two penalties for Richard Walker were wiped out by Leyton Orient as they came from two goals behind to beat Rovers 3-2 at the Memorial Stadium this afternoon. Things looked to be going so well for Rovers but once they let Orient in for one, they looked like a side that was about to give the whole lot away and take nothing from the game. Orient hit back at Rovers hard and Martin Ling made clever use of his three subs which could have seen his side win the game by more goals than they did.
Rovers went in front just before half time when the ref spotted a hand ball after good work from Lewis Haldane, but the visitors protested the decision and ended up with keeper Stuart Nelson being booked.
On the hour mark Orient began to hit back and it was a cross from substitute Jabo Ibehre was met by Wayne Gray and the deficit was halved. Rovers looked dodgy after that and it was no surprise when Tamika Mkandawire levelled the score when he prodded the ball home from close range. Then the game was won for Orient with just nine minutes left when Jason Demetriou smashed home a shot from distance and Rovers had no answer even though the linesman was confident that the goal should not stand, he was over ruled by the referee.
THE MATCHES
Nearly 100 games against the Rovers, the present record being 97 matches in total: Won 43 Lost 34 Drawn 20. So not a bad record then starting off with a cup tie way back in 1915, which we won 3-0 after a replay. A 6-3 win at Roots Hall in October 1964 may stir a few older fans memories, a very rare Johnny Mac hat-trick, Ray Smith with a double and Andy Smillie then completing the rout. Some classics recently especially the two leg LDV semi-final games which saw us march to Cardiff for the second season in succession after a fine 2-1 away win set up the result. The last time was at home on April Fools Day 2005 in a 2-0 win, Bentley and Gray grabbing the goals, young Andy obviously likes
THE GROUND
The club moved to the ground in 1996 and two years later bought the ground from the then owners Bristol Rugby Club. Although the Memorial Ground has seen some changes since the Football Club took up residence, it still has the feel of a rugby ground about it. On one side is the DAS Stand, which with its pavilion looks more like a cricket stand. It has a row of hospitality boxes across the top, with a few rows of seats in front. Below is an area of terrace. Just under this stand's roof is a television gantry and a small electric scoreboard. The stand runs for about half the length of the pitch and straddles the half way line. On one side of it, towards the Bass End is a small covered terrace, used as a family area, whilst the other side has a small covered area of temporary seating. Opposite is the Mead Civil Engineering (MCE) Stand, taller than the DAS Stand, but similar in length. This stand has covered seating to its rear and terracing at the front. It has open terracing to either side, one of which is given to away supporters. The team dug outs are located in front of this stand, although the dressing rooms are located behind the DAS Stand. This leads to quite a procession of players and officials at half time and full time. At one end is the Bass End, which is a covered terrace. Opposite is the unusual looking XXXX (South) Stand. This was originally erected as a temporary stand, to fill the previously empty end. It has now been opened for a few seasons, although it still looks, with its green seats and bright white roof, more suitable for an outdoor show jumping competition than a football ground. The stand only runs for just over half the width of the pitch, has several supporting pillars running across the front and has been nicknamed 'the tent' by Rovers fans. The ground is shared with Bristol Shoguns Rugby Club.
Away supporters are mostly housed in an open terrace on one side of the Mead Civil Engineering (MCE) Stand. This area is open to the elements so you might get wet if it rains. The open terrace makes it difficult for away fans to really generate some noise. Up to 1,100 away supporters can be accommodated in this area. If the weather is poor then it may be a better bet to head for one of the seats that are made available to away fans in the XXXX South Stand at one end of the ground. I have not experienced any problems on my visits, however I noted that the Rovers fans seemed to tolerate away fans rather than being over friendly.
THE PUB
The
THE CAR
THE TRAIN
THE HISTORY
The club played only friendly games until the 1887-88 season, when they took part in the Gloucestershir Cup for the first time. They first joined a league in 1892, when they became a founder member of the
In 1899 Bristol Rovers joined the newly-formed Southern League, where they remained until 1920. For the 1920-21 season, the Southern League teams were moved into the new Football League Third Division, which became the Football League Third Division South the following season. They remained in this division for over 30 years, before winning the league, and promotion in the 1952-53 season.
Promotion has been won by the team on three occasions, in 1973-74 from the Third Division to the Second Division, again in 1989-90 as Division Three champions and also in 2006-07 to the Football League One. The team have been relegated four times in their history - in 1961-62, 1980-81, 1992-93 and most recently at the end of the 2000-01 season, when the team were relegated to the fourth level of league football for the first time in their history.
The only major cup competition won by Bristol Rovers is the 1972 Watney Cup, when Sheffield United were beaten in the final. The club also won the Division Three (South) Cup in 1934-35, as well as winning or sharing the Gloucestershire Cup on 32 occasions. The team have never played in European competition, the closest they came was when they missed out on reaching the international stage of the Anglo-Italian Cup in the 1992-93 season on a coin toss held over the phone with West Ham United. They have twice reached the final of the Football League Trophy, in 1989-90 and 2006-07, but finished runners-up on both occasions.
Bristol Rovers are known for their distinctive blue and white quartered shirts, which they have worn for most of their history. The current kit consists of a Dark blue and white quartered shirt, white shorts and dark blue socks. The away kit is green with a black trim, and the third-choice strip is rumoured to be a white shirt with black trim. The goalkeepers shirt for the 2007-08 season will be gold.
The team began playing in black shirts with a yellow sash from their foundation in 1883 as Black Arabs F.C. until 1885, by which time they were called Eastville Rovers. For the next fourteen years, until 1899, the team wore blue and white hooped shirts. These were replaced by black and white striped shirts until 1919.
When Rovers were admitted to The Football League in 1920 they wore white shirts with blue shorts. These remained the team colours until 1930, when the colours were reversed to blue shirts and white shorts for one season. The blue and white quarters were first worn in 1931, when they were introduced to try and make the players look larger and more intimidating. Rovers continued to wear the quarters for 31 years until they were replaced by blue pinstripes on a white background. The club will be reverting to the traditional dark blue/white square's strip for the 2007/8 season.
Over the next ten years, Rovers went on to wear blue and white stripes, all blue, and blue shirts with white shorts before returning to the blue and white quarters in 1973, which have remained the colours ever since. During the 1996-97 season, Rovers wore an unpopular striped quartered design, prompting fans to refer to it as the Tesco bag shirts because of their similarity to the design used for the company's carrier bags. The change in design prompted the Trumpton Times fanzine to change its name to Wot, No Quarters?
The black and gold shirts were also used as the away kit for the 2002-03 season, the mark the 120th anniversary of the club. In 2007, the club reverted to a far lighter shade of blue, in recognition of their 1930's kits.
In 2005, Rovers ran an April Fools' joke on their official website, stating that the team's new away strip would be all pink. Although this was intended to be a joke, a number of fans petitioned the club to get the kit made for real, and also suggested that funds raised through the sale of the pink shirts should be donated to a breast cancer charity. Although the pink shirts were never used in a competitive fixture, (
Home games are now played at The Memorial Stadium,
When Bristol Rovers were known as Black Arabs F.C. in 1883, they played their home games at Purdown, Stapleton. The following year they moved to Three Acres, the precise location of which is not known, but is believed to have been in the Ashley Down area of
For the majority of their history, Bristol Rovers played their home games at Eastville Stadium, where they remained for a period of 89 years from 1897-1986. Financial problems led to the team being forced to leave Eastville, and they found a temporary home at
Rovers have also played home games at Ashton Gate following a fire which destroyed one of stands at Eastville, and also for one match during the early days of the period spent in
On 17 January 2007 planning permission was granted for a new 18,500 capacity all-seater stadium to be built on the site of the Memorial Stadium. Building work is intended to begin late in 2007. The stadium will also include student accommodation, a hotel, convenience store and restaurant.[15] Rovers will play their home games at
The team traditionally draws the majority of its support from north and east
The nickname given to Bristol Rovers supporters is Gasheads. The Gas was originally coined as a derogatory term by the supporters of Bristol Rovers' rivals
Gasheads was adopted as a name by a splinter group of Rovers supporters in the mid-1980s to early 1990s. The chant 'Proud to be a Gashead' spread to regular fans and a fanzine was produced called The Gashead.
The term 'Gasheads' is now universally accepted within the English media and football fraternity as referring to Bristol Rovers supporters. After the club's relegation to Football League Two in 2001, the club designated the squad number 12 to the Gasheads to signify them as the club's 12th Man in recognition of their loyal support.
The song which is synonymous with Rovers is "Goodnight, Irene", which was written by Leadbelly. It is sung by fans in support of the team.
Opinions differ as to how this came about but it is thought to have become popular in the 1950s when a version of the song was in the British charts - the line "sometimes I have a great notion to jump in the river and drown" - seemed to be particularly apt when Rovers lost as the Bristol Frome flows alongside the old Eastville ground.
Another theory is that it was sung at a fireworks display at the Stadium the night before a Home game against Plymouth Argyle in the fifties. During the game the following day, Rovers were winning quite comfortably and the few Argyle supporters present began to leave early prompting a chorus of "Goodnight Argyle" from the Rovers supporters - the tune stuck and "Irene" became the club song.
(Thanks to the usual suspects for their help with this article)