Macca wants a game; "It's been frustrating for me and no player really likes to be coming on for just 10 of 15 minutes at the end of games. The team is doing well and I'm keeping my feelings to myself." Well, your not actually Maccas, but I'm sure Tilly gets the point.
As for the Blues boss, he played the Lord knowing he was not 100% fit; "If you have a slight knock it isn't always the most sensible thing to play as there are people that are fitter that could perhaps do a better job. But when you are on a good run you are frightened to be out of the side so I can understand that."
Says more about Tilly than Barnard I think, anyway more pre-match quotes available on www.southendunited.co.uk, as for TLG the third of five tough games in two weeks, (why, football league?), with our deadly duo out, we'll pick the side.
Same as Scunthorpe with Walker in for Barnard. Easy. Prefer the Frenchman though.
Rovers doing well at the Memorial but we showed great heart in Lincolnshire and I'm going for a 2-1 win, where we get those two goals is anyone's guess but the back four and midfield will probably have to weigh in somewhere, Revell still having a bit to do to win over more than a few Shrimpers. The winner on Saturday would help.
Remember the F.A. Cup First Round draw is live on ITV1 on Sunday October 26 at 13.00. Ball 42!
OPPOSITION
Playing with a new found confidence Paul Trollope's men will be a tough test for the Blues, after the last one, especially at the Memorial Stadium. Three points on Saturday will take them to the edge of the play-off zone, while defeat could see the Blues out.
10 | Walsall | 12 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 17 | 18 | +3 | ||||
11 | Stockport County | 12 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 16 | 13 | 18 | +3 | ||||
12 | Bristol Rovers | 13 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 25 | 21 | 17 | +4 | ||||
13 | Hartlepool United | 12 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 24 | 21 | 17 | +3 | ||||
14 | Northampton Town | 12 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 19 | 17 | 16 | +2 |
Ryan Green could return for Bristol Rovers after being out with a hamstring injury with coach Paul Trollope reporting no fresh injury problems. Defenders Danny Coles (knee) and Steve Elliott (calf) remain sidelined.
Manager Trollope is urging his Bristol Rovers players to prove they have put their Memorial Stadium jitters firmly behind them as they bid for their third home win in a row against the Blues. Only a fortnight ago, the Pirates had a dismal record of just one win from their last 14 outings at the Memorial Stadium.
But back-to-back home triumphs against Leyton Orient and Oldham have dispelled the gloom and Trollope believes his side will face the Shrimpers tomorrow with their confidence renewed by a six-game unbeaten run.
"You could see that sometimes at home confidence was lacking and there was a bit of anxiety, but hopefully we are through that stage now," said Bristol Rovers boss Trollope.
"Confidence is now showing in people's individual performances and collectively things are improving. We were disappointed with so many draws last season and as it wore on, the atmosphere around the whole ground wasn't what it should be. We started this season by losing at home to Carlisle and also had a disappointing result against Walsall, so to turn it around has been good. Our home form will determine our season because we feel we have players and a method to get results away from home, which has already been proved. The issue is making sure our home form is right because if we can continue how we have been playing in the last few games, we can really make it a difficult place to come."
After their impressive 2-0 victory over the Latics in midweek, Trollope hopes Bristol Rovers can maintain their form against another top six side this weekend.
"We disappointed ourselves earlier in the season against teams we were expected to beat, and that is sometimes the way." he admitted.
"But our level was raised against Oldham because they really attacked us and I think that helped us. Hopefully Southend will do the same. They didn't start the season brilliantly but have had some good results since and are up there in the final play-off spot. They've had some good wins recently, so this is another test for us. There was a good tempo to the game on Tuesday. We produced some good attacking play, defended well when we had to, got a little slice of luck when we needed it and it was a good win. We want more of the same. We don't want to sit back and think we can just turn up to reproduce it. We want to do it again and again. With the form we are in and the belief that has come back into us as a group, we are confident of winning."
Bristol Rovers are expected to field the same side that started against Oldham, although defender Ryan Green could be added to the bench after recovering from a recurrence of his hamstring injury.
"He has had a tough run of injuries and even though he is back training with the rest of the lads, it's important we continue his rehabilitation so there."
Rickie Lambert's spectacular 11th goal of the season helped see off high-flying visitors Oldham. The striker let fly from 35 yards with his right foot to open the scoring with a superb effort after 15 minutes. Clarkey and Captain Adam beware but the midfield will have to be on their guard as well.
Chris Lines doubled the advantage with a far-post volley after Stuart Campbell's corner was flicked on.
Probable Bristol Rovers Starting X1: Phillips, Pipe, Hinton, Anthony, Lescott, Lines, Campbell, Disley, Hughes, Lambert, Duffy.
Meanwhile midfielder Chris Lines believes Bristol Rovers' new-found defensive resilience can be the bedrock of a push for the play-offs.
After shipping 15 goals in five games last month, the Pirates have conceded only twice in their last five outings - with one of those an unlucky own goal. And Lines, who scored the final goal in Tuesday's impressive 2-0 win over Oldham, believes that bodes well ahead of a visit from Southend at the weekend
"Since we changed our formation, we've defended as well as we have for probably two seasons and if we can carry on keeping it tight at the back, we'll be right in the mix," said Lines.
"When we play the top teams, we seem to come up trumps - and that happened again on Tuesday. We've proved that we can mix it with the best and the fact Oldham are likely to end up in the top six this season bodes well for us. It was a massive win for us and Paul Trollope made that clear in the dressing room afterwards. Oldham are up where they are for a reason and I think we saw why, because they were good going forward. But the fact we got two goals and kept a clean sheet against one of the most attacking sides in the league was fantastic for us."
Lines grabbed his second goal of the season against the Latics after Rickie Lambert had nodded down a Stuart Campbell corner - and hopes he has ended any doubts director of football Lennie Lawrence had about his ability to finish.
"Lennie was a bit sceptical about putting me in that position from corners because he wasn't sure whether I could peel off and volley the ball in," explained Lines. "I told him I could do it - and I proved a point! It was a tap-in, but you still have to put them away."
He believes Lambert's spectacular 35-yarder against Oldham reflects the growing confidence in a side who have now gone six games without defeat.
"It was an unbelievable strike and the fact he even tried shooting from that distance just shows the sort of confidence he has at the moment. Even in training, he's on fire." said Lines.
"That can only be good news for us because he's got 11 already, so hopefully he can keep it going - and we have people in other positions who can score as well. There's a good emphasis on attacking play now with Rickie and Darryl Duffy in the side, and Jo Kuffour is looking sharp when he comes on - so we are going to get goals. Southend will have seen that result and it will worry them." (Well, after a draw at Scunthorpe Chris mate we might be up for it!)
"I've said before we need to make other teams fear coming to the Memorial Stadium," added the Bristol Rovers midfielder.
Played 99: Won 42 Drawn 22 Lost 35.
With nearly a century of games some cracking results at home but not too good away. What is nice for those who've had to run for that last train from Bristol Parkway we are playing Rovers on a Saturday for the first time for four years, since MarkyG, (mark of 7 for Swanny last week in the News of the Screw), equalised in a 1-1 draw on March 6 04. He scored a sensational winner in the LDV South Final Leg 1 on Feb. 15 05 that put us on the way to Cardiff for the second succesive year, Dudfield grabbed the first.
No big wins away from Roots Hall with the last Saturday victory was Tes Bramble's goal in a 1-0 victory on Nov. 9 02.
The Pirates, sounds nicer than the Gas, were seconds from a double last season when Leon Clarke scored in the last minute at the Memorial on Oct. 12 07 but this was followed by the horrible 0-1 defeat on New Year's Day this year, our darkest hour as we sunk to 11th. Only two defeats after that until Tranmere in April but we were already then in the play-offs!
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Also: 1992/93 Wed 16 Sep Bristol Rvs. 3 - 0 Southend Utd. AIP
REF
The man in the middle is Karl Evans from Manchester. He is in his second season and has refereed neither team before.
FIXTURES
Friday, 24 October 2008
Saturday, 25 October 2008 (all 15.00)
BET
Bristol Rovers (6/4) Draw (12/5) Southend (15/8)
Bet of the Day: I'll keep trying! Stockport are 13/8 at Hereford; great away record for County, The Bulls have had their home win on Tuesday.
Borient 5/4! For relegation. Try a double with the Farmers. Those odds are with Corals who have the Blues at 9/2 for promotion, best on offer.
For a full update on all the footy odds go to www.oddschecker.com/football/english/league-one.
WEATHER
Good news, quite warm at 13c's; Bad news, possible light rain in time for kick-off. Shouldn't be as bad as Yeovil, possibly. (Any terraced seats left?)
GROUND
The club moved to the stadium 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.
However that is all about to change as the Club are embarking on a total re-development of the stadium, which will see a new ground hopefully ready in 2011. (Read www.thelittlegazette.com/news/loadsngl.asp?cid=EDY4&id=413224 for latest info.)
Away supporters are housed in an open terrace on one side of the Uplands 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. Recommend are the huge Cornish pasties (£2) that are sold at the ground, huge and tasty, plus they even do vegetarian ones which makes a change. They can still do a good rendition of their club anthem 'Goodnight Irene', when the occasion stirs.
Why the gasheads? The term comes from where the old Eastville stadium in Bristol was sited. Next to a (sometimes smelly) gas works! In fact it was rumoured that if Rovers were losing at half time, the gas would be turned up, to put off the opposition!
TRANSPORT
For all the information on getting to the game with times, prices and maps, go to Last Call for Bristol: www.thelittlegazette.com/news/loadsngl.asp?cid=EDW4&id=413404
PUB & PIES
It's got to be the Highfield Vaults at the top of St. Michael's Hill, good student grub on offer, but for a full choice closer to the ground go to Last Orders in Bristol: www.thelittlegazette.com/news/loadsngl.asp?cid=EDW8&id=413411
HISTORY
The club was formed following a meeting at the Eastville Restaurant in Bristol in September 1883. They initially went by the name Black Arabs F.C., the name coming from the Arabs rugby team and the predominantly black kits in which they played. This name only lasted for the 1883-84 season, and in a bid to draw more fans from the local area the club was renamed Eastville Rovers in 1884.
The club played only friendly games until the 1887-88 season, when they took part in the Gloucestershire Cup for the first time. They first joined a league in 1892, when they became a founder member of the Bristol and District League, which three years later was renamed the Western League. In 1897 Eastville Rovers joined the Birmingham and District League, and for two seasons played in both this league and the Western League. At the beginning of the 1897-98 season, the team turned professional and changed their name to Bristol Eastville Rovers, and on 17 February 1899 the name was officially changed to Bristol Rovers.
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 other 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.