Cheltenham Town v Bristol Rovers matchday thread

You can’t read anything into friendlies. Like the last time we conceded four to a team from the league below and went on to water the league

This is possibly a thread in it’s own right because this is going to be a long answer, but to answer your questions.......

What would make me happy is Rovers being a well run club and not tin pot, since DC has left we’ve flailed around a lot under Wael racking up stupid debt on players like Bennett (signed by DC admittedly) and played some crap football under Coughlan and Garner. I’d like to see us playing progressive winning football but I just don’t see how that is going to happen under Garner who seems to me a tin pot appointment given his lack of experience. I felt he was appointed too soon considering the position Coughlan left us in and unfortunately he’s not been able to prove me wrong (so far). He also comes across a bit arrogant at times and seems unable to take responsibility for bad results. Maybe I was spoilt by having DC at the club so long, a far more likeable character who also won games. By contrast we seem to be going in the right direction off the pitch and I admit I thought Wael would disappear once the debts got too high so him paying them off and starting the training ground has got me eating humble pie and that’s good but on the pitch we seem to be going in the wrong direction through the choice of coaching staff.

As for best memories: beating Dagenham at home under DC, it really felt like there was some weight to the chants aimed at City that day but we did not capitalise on the momentum. Getting promoted at Wembley under Trollope. Drawing 1-1 with City at Ashton Gate in the mid 90’s (I missed the 2-0 win) and beating Northampton 6-0 away a couple of seasons back was a good day out. There hasn’t been much else as we have been a basket case for long periods since I started following Rovers.

Oh and beating Ipswich away last season. I couldn’t stand Coughlan as a person or his football, but that day I was just about to hold my hands up and admit I got it wrong about his style of football because historically we hardly ever got league results like that, beating a big club away from home, when he jacked it in. That’s the crux of my dissatisfaction right now in many ways. I felt we surrendered the progress Coughlan had made to gamble on a guy who was good at developing youngsters but had no pedigree as a manager. We went into decline almost immediately and squandered one of the best positions to reach the championship and league parity with City that we’ve had since we lost the league derby 20 years ago. Twenty years without a league derby is an utter disgrace, imo.

I think you mean start to a season. F*ck pre-season.

Yes, but apart from that what's not to love about Rovers? you are to be congratulated for sticking with it despite your obvious disenchantment with all things Rovers! 

Friendlies are incredibly important in showing how you'll perform in a season:

Remember 13/14? We beat everyone and only lost to derby. In the end we got relegated.

Remember 15/16? Losing to arsenal U21? Barely beating Mangotsfield 2-0? Lost 2-1 to Cheltenham too. We got promoted that season.

Yeah friendly results mean nothing, lighten up people.

Agree with those who say pre-season results don't matter. To be honest I would worry greatly if we won all the pre-season games. We would go into the first match thinking we are wonderful for having beaten FGR, Cheltenham etc - then no doubt come unstuck. Conclusion for me is: play well and avoid injuries. Don't care too much if we lose this one. when it get's se Its Septemberrious!

So who's the trialist at No 9??