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Post by slam on Apr 15, 2016 12:35:55 GMT
The Antique Broom and Bristol Rovers
Following the death of Ronnie Corbett, I was recently watching one of those tribute shows on TV – basically re-running some of the old “Two Ronnies” sketches. Brilliant stuff - but one of the sketches made me think specifically of Bristol Rovers. The question I wondered about was:
What is it is that makes Bristol Rovers the club that it is, and that makes me follow them year on year?
The Sketch in question was a take-off of the Antiques Roadshow. In the sketch, Ronnie Corbett played an antiques expert and Ronnie Barker played a member of the public who had brought an antique broom to the show to be valued.
The broom looked brand new but Ronnie Barker explained that it dated from the late 1500’s when a long dead relative worked as a cleaner in the court of Elizabeth 1st. It had been in constant use in his family ever since. Ronnie Corbett, examines the broom intensely and then questioned why it looked so new if, as Barker said, it dated from the 16th century.
Ronnie Barker looked perplexed for a moment before replying…… “well”, he says….. “it has had 15 new handles and 23 new broom-heads, but it has still been in the family for over 400 years!!!!!!!!”. Ronnie Corbett tells him to “eff off”.
The reason why the sketch made me wonder about Bristol Rovers was that I have been following the club since I was 7 years old (in the early 1960’s). A period of over 55 years. But, over that time, very few of the elements that made up the club had remained the same. So, what was it that I was a member of? I came up with a number of different elements that comprised the overall club we call Bristol Rovers – and I wondered which of those particularly affiliated me:
Was it the Stadium?: Admittedly, Eastville was the closest stadium to where I lived when I was 7. But since then, Rovers have moved to Twerton and then to the Memorial Ground. In addition, I have lived and worked all around the world and, during that time, have watched all sorts of different sports in all sorts of different stadia (the majority of which were much nicer than ours). Yet still I come back to the Rovers – So, NO, it wasn’t just the stadium that made me follow the Gas.
Was it the Owners of the Club?: I don’t know how many different owners of the club there have been since I started following but I have never had a specific affiliation with any of them – so, NO, it wasn’t the Owners that made me follow the Gas.
Was it the Players?: Since I started following the Gas I must have seen literally hundreds of players (some great, some good and some poor). I have my favourites from over the years, of course I do, but the players have come and gone and yet I still follow the Rovers – So, again NO, it wasn’t a specific affiliation to the players that made me follow the Gas.
Was it the Manager?: Since I started following, I have counted 35 different managerial reigns – including some managers who did the job twice. Like the players, some managers have been great, some good and some poor. Again, I have my favourites from over the years, but the managers have also come and gone and yet I still follow the Rovers – So again, NO, it wasn’t the manager that made me follow the Gas.
As with the broom, none of the essential elements that make up Bristol Rovers Football Club have remained constant over the time I have followed. Until I realised that there was one element that has been ever-present:
The Fans and Supporters: who carry the full weight of history, tradition and pride on their shoulders. It is the fans and supporters that carry the same hopes and fears for the future of the club as I do. It is the “family” that share the same highs and lows as I do that makes Bristol Rovers the club that it is and keeps me coming back.
Good grief, it is you ugly load of @*@*@*@*s that keeps me coming back – I must be completely mad!!!!.
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Post by warehamgas on Apr 15, 2016 14:35:28 GMT
Good post. No idea what it is but I think it will be different perhaps for every gashead. For me, walking to Eastville in 60s from Stapleton Road with my grandad and later walking through St Paul's to the ground. Just the feeling walking past the cinema (ABC I think) and seeing the ground and the feeling when we scored and evening matches at Eastville. Perhaps it was running away from the Aston Villa fans on Temple Way in the early 70s running round a corner straight into about 20 Bristol City fans ....it wasn't my day! Difficult to put into words but as you said not a single thing like players, managers or ground but more of a feeling of belonging to a special group of people, gasheads. No matter where in the world I've been whenever I've seen a BRFC shirt and I've seen one in Ceasars Palace in LA, in the Grand Canyon it just confirms what a special group we are. Perhaps it's something to do with having survived against all the odds thrown at us over the last 50 years and still having the optimism to think "yeh, we are going to win and do this." I don't know but it's more of a feeling than anything else, I think.
UTG!
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Post by slam on Apr 15, 2016 15:00:59 GMT
It sort of makes you realise that what Wael Al Qadi said about buying the club was true. Yes, he did purchase a bit of land between Filton Road and Muller Road - but mainly what he bought was a history, tradition and US, the fans. Over all of the times that I have been following, this time seems the most cohesive time of all, when the team, the manager the owners and the fans are all pushing in the same direction. It is a great feeling (whatever the results of the next 5 games bring us).
And God - I can remember that Aston Villa game in the 70s. No idea what the score was but I do remember Andy Lochhead, Chico Hamilton and Brian Godfrey running rings around us. I remember thinking that Rovers had truly gone up in the world when Brian Godfrey subsequently joined us (can remember him scoring a screamer from the halfway line, going in off the underside of the crossbar).
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Post by bluebeard on Apr 15, 2016 16:26:14 GMT
My dad was rovers but he also watched city and never understood the hatred between fellow Bristolians. Having been taken to Eastville and AG as a kid I much preferred the atmosphere, the humour and the whole experience at rovers. I originally associated it with the stadium, the quarters and our much cooler nickname(s) but it's down to the fans. There's always been a different vibe at AG and while I've got some good mates who are red, IMHO their fan base is full of arrogant nobends and chavvy twats.
The underdog thing is probably a factor as it takes a certain type of of character to support a perpetually under achieving club in a city with more affluent and relatively more successful neighbours.
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Post by Dr Gas on Apr 15, 2016 16:45:56 GMT
Good post. No idea what it is but I think it will be different perhaps for every gashead. For me, walking to Eastville in 60s from Stapleton Road with my grandad and later walking through St Paul's to the ground. Just the feeling walking past the cinema (ABC I think) and seeing the ground and the feeling when we scored and evening matches at Eastville. Perhaps it was running away from the Aston Villa fans on Temple Way in the early 70s running round a corner straight into about 20 Bristol City fans ....it wasn't my day! Difficult to put into words but as you said not a single thing like players, managers or ground but more of a feeling of belonging to a special group of people, gasheads. No matter where in the world I've been whenever I've seen a BRFC shirt and I've seen one in Ceasars Palace in LA, in the Grand Canyon it just confirms what a special group we are. Perhaps it's something to do with having survived against all the odds thrown at us over the last 50 years and still having the optimism to think "yeh, we are going to win and do this." I don't know but it's more of a feeling than anything else, I think. UTG! The picture house was His Majesty's, which changed its name to The Concorde in the late 60s. |
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Post by markczgas on Apr 15, 2016 17:45:32 GMT
Good post. No idea what it is but I think it will be different perhaps for every gashead. For me, walking to Eastville in 60s from Stapleton Road with my grandad and later walking through St Paul's to the ground. Just the feeling walking past the cinema (ABC I think) and seeing the ground and the feeling when we scored and evening matches at Eastville. Perhaps it was running away from the Aston Villa fans on Temple Way in the early 70s running round a corner straight into about 20 Bristol City fans ....it wasn't my day! Difficult to put into words but as you said not a single thing like players, managers or ground but more of a feeling of belonging to a special group of people, gasheads. No matter where in the world I've been whenever I've seen a BRFC shirt and I've seen one in Ceasars Palace in LA, in the Grand Canyon it just confirms what a special group we are. Perhaps it's something to do with having survived against all the odds thrown at us over the last 50 years and still having the optimism to think "yeh, we are going to win and do this." I don't know but it's more of a feeling than anything else, I think. UTG! Come on Wareham tell us what happened to you ? Were you scalped and hung by your B*****s ?? |
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Post by markczgas on Apr 15, 2016 17:50:55 GMT
My dad was rovers but he also watched city and never understood the hatred between fellow Bristolians. Having been taken to Eastville and AG as a kid I much preferred the atmosphere, the humour and the whole experience at rovers. I originally associated it with the stadium, the quarters and our much cooler nickname(s) but it's down to the fans. There's always been a different vibe at AG and while I've got some good mates who are red, IMHO their fan base is full of arrogant nobends and chavvy twats. The underdog thing is probably a factor as it takes a certain type of of character to support a perpetually under achieving club in a city with more affluent and relatively more successful neighbours. I think you could be right about Underdog , also thought that blue was cooler than Red !! And I felt I had to support a club from my home city. Later I lived in Nottingham for 9 years - when they were in The Prem and watched them home and away. They became a second team, but as soon as I left Notts my feelings for Forest just disappeared. And yet I have lived in Leicester, Notts and in Poland (for over 20 years in total) but my love for the "blues" never waned that much. |
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Post by oldgas on Apr 15, 2016 18:01:37 GMT
I think it's an amalgamation of all the suggestions above. It's just, well it's just Bristol Rovers.
It's the colour Blue, the quarters, the cool nicknames, the supporters who are the heart and soul of the club and our unique anthem known and admired around the country, except for South Bristol, and who gives a sh1t about them?
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Post by pirate49 on Apr 15, 2016 18:04:16 GMT
Adversity.
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Post by althepirate on Apr 15, 2016 18:04:53 GMT
For me its the uniqueness of the Quarters and Irene and I can still small that gas and so happy we are called the Gas to carry on our past into the present and the future. May it never ever change.
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Post by oldtoteender on Apr 15, 2016 19:31:03 GMT
Great post, I too started of by being taken to Rovers one week and Shi*e the next, think i was about 9 or 10 at the time there was definitely a difference in the general atmosphere and whole feeling surrounding the two clubs, after about half a season i only wanted to go to Rovers and have done so ever since, used to go in the North enclosure until i was about 13 (WILL NEVER FORGET THE CHANTS OF HAROLD HAROLD) then it was the Tote, also remember that there seemed to be a lot of trouble between different areas of Bristol between Shi*e fans at their games Southmead v Knowle West etc.
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Post by Okebournegas on Apr 15, 2016 21:43:44 GMT
I am truly gutted that I missed out on both eastville and twerton, it was indeed the quarters , goodnight Irene and the supporters that influenced me. I know I have had my moans and groans about certain aspects but there really is no other club like the gas!!! I fooking love em'
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Post by crazyblues71 on Apr 16, 2016 5:19:50 GMT
Great post,i think like others hardship has forged us into something different/special dare i say it,we're real fans following a real club,following the red clowns south of the river was never ever going to happen for me.
Eastville was amazing and the atmosphere and smells of that place will stay with me forever,but ultimately i think its the fans that make it the club that it is.
If success comes are way which i think will given recent events/progress on the pitch what will are new fans be like in the future,hopefully not the souless prawn sandwich brigade!
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Post by burritos on Apr 16, 2016 7:08:42 GMT
Interesting thread ! Let me give you a view from a non-Bristolian. I grew up in North London and became a Leyton Orient supporter rather than an Arsenal or Spurs fan as most people in my area. I've often wondered why this was but somewhere deep down there was an emotional attachment which has persisted through all the periods when we have been crap, and we're going through one right now. It might also be the underdog mentality and the constant battling against adversity.
I moved to Bristol in 2001 and initially went to both Ashton gate and the Mem for my football fix. Watching Rovers felt real and I quickly identified with the fans. It felt like the club was part of the city (I live in East Bristol) and there was a better atmosphere than at AG even if the crowds were smaller. I think the uniqueness of the anthem and the kit contribute to that as well. Watching City was more sterile somehow, like watching football on TV and needless to say I soon stopped going there. I don't share the hatred for City that some have here but I am largely indifferent to them. I realised the extent of my attachment to Rovers when I felt so elated at hearing about Brown and Lockyer's contracts. The Rovers/Orient games have been difficult though !
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Post by Congas on Apr 16, 2016 7:15:05 GMT
I once played a season of District League football in Ashton Park for a club a bit like Rovers in many ways: a shambles and fighting for survival week in week out. The club was kept alive by an old codger in a cloth cap and brown raincoat with a hip flask in the inside pocket who dreamt of reinstating the club to former glories, that is to say getting back to their rightful place in Div 1 from Div 5 where they'd been languishing for far too long. He never spoke about his footballing past, but he had the will of a man on a personal mission and paid for the liniment and halftime oranges from his own pocket. When City were home he'd arrange an early kick-off so he could nip off and watch the second half without paying. The most gratifying thing about this arrangement was that hoards of City fans would stop and watch ME on their way to Ashton Gate.
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Post by bs9trymer on Apr 16, 2016 7:53:33 GMT
Interesting thread ! Let me give you a view from a non-Bristolian. I grew up in North London and became a Leyton Orient supporter rather than an Arsenal or Spurs fan as most people in my area. I've often wondered why this was but somewhere deep down there was an emotional attachment which has persisted through all the periods when we have been crap, and we're going through one right now. It might also be the underdog mentality and the constant battling against adversity. I moved to Bristol in 2001 and initially went to both Ashton gate and the Mem for my football fix. Watching Rovers felt real and I quickly identified with the fans. It felt like the club was part of the city (I live in East Bristol) and there was a better atmosphere than at AG even if the crowds were smaller. I think the uniqueness of the anthem and the kit contribute to that as well. Watching City was more sterile somehow, like watching football on TV and needless to say I soon stopped going there. I don't share the hatred for City that some have here but I am largely indifferent to them. I realised the extent of my attachment to Rovers when I felt so elated at hearing about Brown and Lockyer's contracts. The Rovers/Orient games have been difficult though ! Interesting post,you touch on something that I think is worth its own thread 'lack of atmosphere' at matches. I haven't been to AG since 96 and I was locked out that night,but prior to that I have been to a good few derby games and as you would expect there was a great atmosphere. I haven't been to AG when Rovers haven't been playing there but I do know that a lot of city supporters say that the atmosphere is not so good now as it was. You say that you found the atmosphere at Rovers games better,could that be because Rovers still have terraces and AG is all seater?. Result apart I didn't enjoy the awayday at Northampton last week,I don't want a pre match pint in Frankie and Bennies or Flaming Grill,I said on the way home that next season I wont be going to any new grounds on the outskirts of towns. New grounds are not as good for atmosphere in my experience,compared to the Den the New Den is a better ground with better facilities but 99% less atmosphere,sad the way its all gone but that's progress I suppose.
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Post by Topper Gas on Apr 16, 2016 8:16:05 GMT
My dad was rovers but he also watched city and never understood the hatred between fellow Bristolians. Having been taken to Eastville and AG as a kid I much preferred the atmosphere, the humour and the whole experience at rovers. I originally associated it with the stadium, the quarters and our much cooler nickname(s) but it's down to the fans. There's always been a different vibe at AG and while I've got some good mates who are red, IMHO their fan base is full of arrogant nobends and chavvy twats. The underdog thing is probably a factor as it takes a certain type of of character to support a perpetually under achieving club in a city with more affluent and relatively more successful neighbours. Your post sums up perfectly why I was always happy to follow Rovers rather than the 82er's, even when they were in Div 1 (now the Premiership) I sense unless Wael ever watches a Bristol derby sat with our fans I doubt he'll either really appreciate the vast difference between the club's fan bases. |
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Post by pilninggas on Apr 16, 2016 9:24:06 GMT
I am truly gutted that I missed out on both eastville and twerton, it was indeed the quarters , goodnight Irene and the supporters that influenced me. I know I have had my moans and groans about certain aspects but there really is no other club like the gas!!! I fooking love em' I wouldn't worry, in the future people will look back at te Memorial Stadium in a similar way and those who never went (TNG) will hear stories of Cup ties against West Brom, Sunderland, Villa and Everton. Of play off matches and league games against whoever holds the balance of power - they'll even hear of the season out of the league and a loss to Bath City. Football evolves better than almost any other type of entertainment - the recent almost surreal twists at our club prove that 100%. #utg |
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