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Post by 2nd May 1990 on May 21, 2019 22:14:14 GMT
These last few years have been one of the most memorable spells of our club’s entire history and has been built up on the spirit, camaraderie, effort and skill of a really good group of people.
Clarke, Stewart and Yates were a fantastic management team of people who really got and cared about Bristol Rovers. We have had a succession of players who have really cherished the shirt and fought for the cause. Over time, bit by bit, that squad has been diminished, firstly with Mansell and McChrystal leaving, then the game changers; Taylor, Bodin, Ellis. The dependable no-nonsense pair of Lee Brown and Tom Lockyer have also gone, along with the entire management team and now the indefatigable Sincs and the classy Lines. The losses of the last three named have really signalled the very end of that magical era and it has taken me a while to come to terms with it and make sense of it all. Sorry if this is a bit incoherent but I felt I just needed to get it written down.
Up until Bodin left, it really felt like we were living in a dream and there have been some good moments since as well, particularly with Ellis last season fighting such a brave lone battle up front. The dream included the hope brought by the Al-Qadi family of a sustainable future, when they arrived three years ago.
We have well and truly woken up from this dream now. We now have a pragmatic, no-nonsense manager who has no time for sentiment. He may well go on to do a great job but it will be done in a very different way.
Thank you sincerely to all those who made this journey so special, full of great memories. To Monkhouse and Brown, who were unplayable down the left in the conference season, Mansell and McChrystal, who were rocks for us just when we needed them, to Lines for being majestic in the league 2 season, Bodin for his portfolio of worldie goals, Ellis for being a lovable rogue who turned into a hero for us, Brown and Locks for not jumping ship at our lowest ebb, when they could easily have stayed in the league, Sincs for being an absolute credit to the human race. Thanks also to many others.
I can’t be the only one who have now adopted Walsall as my second team? Truly sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.
Thank God for Ollie Clarke! I would love if if he could stay fit and really kick on and fulfil his potential next season.
Now, it’s a new era, a clean slate. Coughlan does deserve respect for what he achieved last season and now because of who he has released, he has the chance to truly model his squad in his way. Good luck Graham. Our dream has died now, seemingly on and off the pitch. He has a very tough job on and I would bite your hand off for anything above 21st place next season if offered it right now.
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2019 22:21:48 GMT
Im with the op on this,a great era at the club is over.
Just think a terrific player like jermaine easter struggled to get a start in the team!!
Now we would probably roll out a red carpet for him and start him in every match.
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2019 22:25:22 GMT
Excellent post 2nd May 1990 - sums up very much how I am feeling. I can't imagine the camaraderie of that squad being replicated any time soon. No idea where the next heroes are coming from, early days for JCH at the moment, let's hope it's the start of a new era. |
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Post by aghast on May 21, 2019 22:39:08 GMT
That manager and squad are at least on a par with the Megson and Francis eras.
They didn't reach the heady heights of the Championship, but, unlike the previous gems, they managed two promotions. They hauled themselves out of non-league football, and then did it again!
Astonishing. We should always be grateful for what DC and the lads did to save us from a terrible fate.
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Post by Okebournegas on May 21, 2019 22:57:02 GMT
These last few years have been one of the most memorable spells of our club’s entire history and has been built up on the spirit, camaraderie, effort and skill of a really good group of people. Clarke, Stewart and Yates were a fantastic management team of people who really got and cared about Bristol Rovers. We have had a succession of players who have really cherished the shirt and fought for the cause. Over time, bit by bit, that squad has been diminished, firstly with Mansell and McChrystal leaving, then the game changers; Taylor, Bodin, Ellis. The dependable no-nonsense pair of Lee Brown and Tom Lockyer have also gone, along with the entire management team and now the indefatigable Sincs and the classy Lines. The losses of the last three named have really signalled the very end of that magical era and it has taken me a while to come to terms with it and make sense of it all. Sorry if this is a bit incoherent but I felt I just needed to get it written down. Up until Bodin left, it really felt like we were living in a dream and there have been some good moments since as well, particularly with Ellis last season fighting such a brave lone battle up front. The dream included the hope brought by the Al-Qadi family of a sustainable future, when they arrived three years ago. We have well and truly woken up from this dream now. We now have a pragmatic, no-nonsense manager who has no time for sentiment. He may well go on to do a great job but it will be done in a very different way. Thank you sincerely to all those who made this journey so special, full of great memories. To Monkhouse and Brown, who were unplayable down the left in the conference season, Mansell and McChrystal, who were rocks for us just when we needed them, to Lines for being majestic in the league 2 season, Bodin for his portfolio of worldie goals, Ellis for being a lovable rogue who turned into a hero for us, Brown and Locks for not jumping ship at our lowest ebb, when they could easily have stayed in the league, Sincs for being an absolute credit to the human race. Thanks also to many others. I can’t be the only one who have now adopted Walsall as my second team? Truly sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Thank God for Ollie Clarke! I would love if if he could stay fit and really kick on and fulfil his potential next season. Now, it’s a new era, a clean slate. Coughlan does deserve respect for what he achieved last season and now because of who he has released, he has the chance to truly model his squad in his way. Good luck Graham. Our dream has died now, seemingly on and off the pitch. He has a very tough job on and I would bite your hand off for anything above 21st place next season if offered it right now. A truly brilliant post , actually made me feel quite emotional. What a few years we’ve had. UTG !!!!!!! |
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Post by bluegas on May 22, 2019 7:30:23 GMT
"Look to the future now, it's only just begun". Slade. Although I agree. Having supported through the Megson & Francis years, I expect it to happen again, though in my case maybe not in my life.
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Post by Jomo on May 22, 2019 7:42:34 GMT
Quite possibly the best post I've read on this forum in many years. Thank you, you've managed to put down everything I've felt in a much better way than I could have done!
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2019 8:04:10 GMT
Thanks for ruining my day.
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Post by Antonio Fargas on May 22, 2019 8:08:16 GMT
While I agree broadly with the OP, if the DC era really is as good as it gets, well, we're f**ked.
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2019 8:11:26 GMT
While I agree broadly with the OP, if the DC era really is as good as it gets, well, we're f**ked. On limited budget and infrastructure you do fear that it was as good as its going to get. |
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Post by simonj on May 22, 2019 8:12:45 GMT
A manager that truly cared, replaced by one that fought to keep us up and managed this. I was gutted DC was shown the door, but GC does deserve a crack, although I'm not convinced either. He was no nonsense but had to be, and delivered what was required. He may have a plan, may be more relaxed now, who knows. We might be pleasantly surprised. Most of those released I would have agreed with.
Do we have owners that care, it doesn't feel like it any longer, but life is strange, expectation disappoints and sometimes better news arrives when least expecting. All I want is 3 new stands at the mem.
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Post by warehamgas on May 22, 2019 8:15:26 GMT
Well done 2nd May. Exactly the way I see it. We will get replacements, we always do, but OC apart I’m not sure who will show them what a special honour they have playing in the quarters. Macca, Mansell, SS, CL and others realised that and got others to pay into it. No ones fault it’s passed, it’s football and it happens. But as you say it was a very special few years and it’s only now that it’s not there that we will appreciate what’s gone. Thanks to everyone involved and good luck to them in their futures.
Top post 2nd!
UTG!
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Post by Henbury Gas on May 22, 2019 8:22:54 GMT
I wish our new manager all the very best for the upcoming season, but i fear without the right investment in the players, we will struggle again and GC will suffer the same fate as the previous occupant of the hot seat It's all downhill now folks  |
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2019 8:46:20 GMT
These last few years have been one of the most memorable spells of our club’s entire history and has been built up on the spirit, camaraderie, effort and skill of a really good group of people. Clarke, Stewart and Yates were a fantastic management team of people who really got and cared about Bristol Rovers. We have had a succession of players who have really cherished the shirt and fought for the cause. Over time, bit by bit, that squad has been diminished, firstly with Mansell and McChrystal leaving, then the game changers; Taylor, Bodin, Ellis. The dependable no-nonsense pair of Lee Brown and Tom Lockyer have also gone, along with the entire management team and now the indefatigable Sincs and the classy Lines. The losses of the last three named have really signalled the very end of that magical era and it has taken me a while to come to terms with it and make sense of it all. Sorry if this is a bit incoherent but I felt I just needed to get it written down. Up until Bodin left, it really felt like we were living in a dream and there have been some good moments since as well, particularly with Ellis last season fighting such a brave lone battle up front. The dream included the hope brought by the Al-Qadi family of a sustainable future, when they arrived three years ago. We have well and truly woken up from this dream now. We now have a pragmatic, no-nonsense manager who has no time for sentiment. He may well go on to do a great job but it will be done in a very different way. Thank you sincerely to all those who made this journey so special, full of great memories. To Monkhouse and Brown, who were unplayable down the left in the conference season, Mansell and McChrystal, who were rocks for us just when we needed them, to Lines for being majestic in the league 2 season, Bodin for his portfolio of worldie goals, Ellis for being a lovable rogue who turned into a hero for us, Brown and Locks for not jumping ship at our lowest ebb, when they could easily have stayed in the league, Sincs for being an absolute credit to the human race. Thanks also to many others. I can’t be the only one who have now adopted Walsall as my second team? Truly sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Thank God for Ollie Clarke! I would love if if he could stay fit and really kick on and fulfil his potential next season. Now, it’s a new era, a clean slate. Coughlan does deserve respect for what he achieved last season and now because of who he has released, he has the chance to truly model his squad in his way. Good luck Graham. Our dream has died now, seemingly on and off the pitch. He has a very tough job on and I would bite your hand off for anything above 21st place next season if offered it right now. It's very easy in life to romanticise about times gone by and discarding the reason why the club had to move on from this 'dream'. The team DC put together were very likeable and had a great work ethic no doubt. Sadly yet understandably, many of them have chosen to move on and play for other clubs. Peddling this negative narrative isn't massively helpful IMO. Our dream isn't dead and we're in a better place than we were 12 months ago. |
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2019 9:12:19 GMT
What an utterly brilliant post. You've summed up exactly how I feel right now. I only wish I'd written it!
Thank you.
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Post by markczgas on May 22, 2019 10:59:11 GMT
Im with the op on this,a great era at the club is over. Just think a terrific player like jermaine easter struggled to get a start in the team!! Now we would probably roll out a red carpet for him and start him in every match. Easter was so great that after he left Rovers he went on to ............................................... |
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Post by markczgas on May 22, 2019 11:00:30 GMT
Excellent post 2nd May 1990 - sums up very much how I am feeling. I can't imagine the camaraderie of that squad being replicated any time soon. No idea where the next heroes are coming from, early days for JCH at the moment, let's hope it's the start of a new era. Isn't there excellent camaraderie in the current squad ? hence why we stayed up after looking doomed in December - don't think it was all skill and excellent management !? |
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2019 11:22:09 GMT
Does appear we hit our ceiling of 10th in L1 under DC, and with zero signs of ambition from the board it is only downhill from there.
I'd sadly say League one is our Premier league, we'll never get out of here with the way football is obscenely money orientated now, so we may as well enjoy it whilst we're here.
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Post by markczgas on May 22, 2019 11:25:03 GMT
Does appear we hit our ceiling of 10th in L1 under DC, and with zero signs of ambition from the board it is only downhill from there. I'd sadly say League one is our Premier league, we'll never get out of here with the way football is obscenely money orientated now, so we may as well enjoy it whilst we're here. Not since the Premier League was formed ?? |
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Post by mattgashead on May 22, 2019 11:31:09 GMT
Does appear we hit our ceiling of 10th in L1 under DC, and with zero signs of ambition from the board it is only downhill from there. I'd sadly say League one is our Premier league, we'll never get out of here with the way football is obscenely money orientated now, so we may as well enjoy it whilst we're here. It’s a real shame, can never have any great stories like the Wimbledon crazy gang ever again. If teams want to get out of league 1, they need an owner who is willing to throw money at the club. And even then you don’t know if you’re gonna end up as Bournemouth or Bolton. |
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