What a coup this was! Great work GasCast folks - I really enjoyed this (great to listen to and a nice distraction from everything else going on in the world).
Listening to this really took me back. I remember vaguely following Norwich a bit at the time as my mate supported them.. I went to watch
Rovers vs Norwich at Huish Park (Rovers were between stadiums..) and Cureton turned out for Norwich (and we won 3-0 .. scenes).
Getting Cureton on loan the season after seemed like a great signing and he was amazing in that time(4 goals in 6 games). I just remember thinking he was another level. So I couldn't believe it when we signed him permanently.
Listening to this pod brought back so many memories.. although I admit I didn't recall him getting injured in that final game vs Brentford (tho I remember the pitch invasion and Ollie talking to the crowd) which saw us clinch play-offs.
I was at the 3-1 home leg vs Northampton - and I reckon I must have listened to the horrific away leg on the radio. All I really remember is that there was a suggestion that they had watered the pitch so badly we couldn't play our "passing game" very well...
But that disappointment was nothing compared to 1999/2000 season. Total collapse in the last 10 games... then lose our best players in the summer.
It was interesting to hear JC's thoughts on that - as he was actually with us for the opening home game of the 2000/2001 season and scored a goal. But then he buggered off to Reading for peanuts.. which then generated all those rumours about the "real" reasons why he left.
Fascinating to listen to his thoughts on the Rovers/City derbies (remember those - when we used to play City at least twice a season?) and also how close he was to coming back to Rovers...
It did make me chuckle tho - as I am sure you guys had him lined up an interview for after the Rovers/Dagenham game.. and, for some reason, neither party wanted to follow up on it after the final whistle