Northampton declare Saturday 'JJOT Day' (seriously)

Wow that must be quite a boost to The Toole's ego

I thought he'd already pissed all their fans off.

the thought of going to mansfield of all places and playing mr billy big bollocks when he clearly didnt give a monkeys last time he played against em just about sums him up arrrrrs sole

Agreed, but what has JJOT done to deserve such adulation anyway as he only returned from his Southend loan spell a couple of months ago, it's all a bit bizarre.

He's just been sent off. Priceless....

What a tool!

This really is funny, did the fans send themselves off as well

www.theguardian.com/football/2015/feb/14/john-joe-otoole-sent-off-northampton

Muppet of a player, the fans must have felt right twats!

When Rovers were at Mansfield in October last season, I observed JJOT's game closely, but never posted my write-up. The report is structured into ten segments, each of nine minutes. Better late than never. 

Mansfield Town 1 Bristol Rovers 1
12th October 2013

Focus on John-Joe O’Toole
At a dark, drizzly Field Mill, Rovers gained a point. Santos (whose equaliser for Rovers in the 82nd minute was heavily deflected by Murtagh), Clarke and Keary replaced colleagues absent through injury or national service. Despite – or maybe because of - these changes, Rovers conjured an inter-passing game that deserved greater reward.

In League Two, central midfielders have a hard time; they’re often either by-passed or rapidly pressed, and don’t often take the spotlight that strikers or wingers attract.
In these ten segments, each of nine minutes, you can see the raw facts of John-Joe O’Toole’s contribution to the game at Mansfield. My conclusion is that his game could be characterised as “box-to-box” (have you ever noticed how he’s often “in-shot” both when we score and when we concede?) and he was a captain without armband. He didn’t often give the ball away. His high percentage of successfully completed passes included a lot of safe ones, but a minority were “progressive”. In my opinion, that’s the right way to do it. His marking, when defending set-pieces, could have been better, but he got through a huge amount of work.

First Half.
Rovers attacking the Quarry Lane stand, away from the visiting Rovers fans.
Kick Off to 9’.
John-Joe completed five passes successfully. One went astray. One header. Twice slipped on the wet surface, but retained possession. Marked, as necessary, Mansfield’s Howell (13), Murtagh (8) and Stevenson (10). Twice stifled opposition moves.
Other highlight: Ryan Brunt shot wide, from distance.
10’ to 18’.
Two passes, both successful. Lost a heading duel, but won a tackle. Directly held up two Mansfield attacks and, marking Mansfield’s centre-half Dempster (4) at a corner, was not averse to some Greco-Roman wrestling. Mis-hit an overhead clearance, but Ollie Clarke tidied up.
Other highlights: David Clarkson: one shot wide, one back-heel cleared by a defender.
19’ to 27’.
Lost possession on receipt of a hospital pass from Ollie Norburn. The officials were starting to lose the plot, but even referee Scott Duncan could not miss the shirt-pull on O’Toole. John-Joe passed the free-kick short to Tom Parkes, whose long deep cross was collected (unchallenged) by Mansfield goalkeeper Marriott.
Lowlight: Tom Lockyer went out to the left-back position to confront the Mansfield striker Andrew, Lee Brown having already struggled with the injury that caused him to be replaced, but could not prevent the dipping cross to the edge of the six-yard area. Stevenson managed to get ahead of John-Joe O’Toole and in front of Steve Mildenhall to head firmly into goal.
In an early response, John-Joe chased a long ball out to the right wing, but to no avail.
Pat Keary replaced Lee Brown.
28’ to 36’.
Closed down two Mansfield attacks, but let Dempster get away at a corner. The Mansfield centre half moved from the back post to the penalty spot, before heading wide from six yards out. John-Joe won a tackle and made two progressive passes to win Rovers a corner, for which he positioned himself at the near post, but the resultant flurry ended without advantage. This segment concluded with a third successful pass, an intercepted pass, a header and one loss of possession.
Highlight: David Clarkson shot from 18 yards, which the keeper held.
37’ to Half-Time.
Closed in on an opponent, slipped, but still won the tackle! Pushed up to the six yard box, in the hope of receiving a long throw. After the otherwise impressive Keary was outpaced and unable to prevent a cross, John-Joe was back on the goal line to support Steve Mildenhall, who took the ball cleanly. Won a tackle, but then conceded a dubious free kick. It went wide.
John-Joe took responsibility for challenging the referee after he had overlooked yet another foul. He got on the end of a corner, but his glancing header was too fine.
Other highlight: Brilliant inter-passing between Michael Smith and David Clarkson, into the Mansfield box, was eventually smothered by Marriott.

Second Half.
Rovers attacking the North stand, housing the visiting Rovers fans.
Half-time to 54’.
Four passes, all successful. Three headers, one from a Mansfield throw. O’Toole suppressed two Mansfield passing moves. He moved forward to join the attack after a Keary clearance was received by Clarkson, but had to sprint back from one box to the other as the passing broke down. Won one tackle, lost another.
Other highlight: None noted, but it was gripping stuff!
55’ to 63’.
Three passes, all successful. The referee again refused appeals for a foul, twenty yards from the Mansfield goal. Good covering to hinder another two Mansfield attacks. David Clarkson had to leap over a reckless challenge, but the referee waved play on. John-Joe had another quiet word.
Eliot Richards replaced Oliver Norburn.
Other highlight: Ollie Clarke shot narrowly wide from 20 yards.
64’ to 72’.
Continued good covering; not turned, in any of four attempts. Better marking from a Mansfield corner, but Steve Mildenhall had to punch clear. Under pressure, John-Joe slipped and had to flick the ball back to Steve Mildenhall. Three successful passes. One set up a goal chance, but Eliot Richards and Andy Bond, in turn, failed to get a shot away, and Ryan Brunt’s effort was blocked. Bond’s substitution was greeted by some ironic cheers from a few travelling Gasheads. John Ward’s wagging finger of rebuke to those fans was justified, in my opinion; Bond had played a solid part in a hard-working if unspectacular performance to that point.
73’ to 81’.
Two passes, both successful (although one was really a long clearance that found Ryan Brunt, upfield). Broke into the Mansfield box, but Alefe Santos’ cross was to the near post, allowing the ‘keeper to collect safely.
Highlight: Excellent high speed passing by Rovers juddered to a halt. By this time, we knew we could expect nothing from the referee.
82’ to final whistle.
Header. Shot blocked on the edge of the box. Pass. Tackle. Clearance, and general closing down.
Highlight: Alefe Santos goal. Sky TV highlights described it “as a touch fortunate”, but the opposite was true of Rovers’ reward from the game as a whole.