CHAIRMAN Nick Higgs was left to feel a hollow tinge of regret after watching Bristol Rovers smash seven goals past Alfreton Town only to then narrowly miss out on winning the Vanarama Conference title at the Memorial Stadium this afternoon.
Rovers now face a two-legged play-off semi-final against Forest Green Rovers in their continuing bid to return to the Football League at the first time of asking after Barnet claimed a 2-0 win at home to Gateshead to win the league by a single point.
“To watch such a fantastic spectacle and to have such a hollow tinge inside sums up how everyone is feeling right now,” Higgs said.
We’ve lost out because of the results we had in the first three or four games of the season otherwise we’d be out celebrating about being champions tonight.
“It took us a few weeks to adapt when we came into the Conference after relegation and I did have a few sleepless nights early in the season.
“I still fancied us to be right up there or thereabouts because the spirit in this squad of players is second to none. It is certainly the best it has been amongst the playing staff since I have been involved with the club.
“It would have been too easy to walk away after the relegation, but that’s not in my character so I was determined to stay and fight it out. We’ve all knuckled down and we have done everything we possibly can to try and back Darrell and we will continue to do that.
Nothing would please me more or give me more satisfaction than if we could make it back to the Football League at the first attempt. We’ll have to do it through the play-offs now but the great team of people we have here both on and off the pitch will be doing their utmost to achieve it.
“If we could just get that bit of luck we need to get us over the line it could be the boost we need to really move this club forward again.”
When asked to list his highlights of the season, Higgs replied: “The fans.”
“We had over 11,000 at The Mem today and we’ve set a record attendance for this league. It just shows what a fantastic fan base we have and how much potential there is here at this club.
“I think after the disappointment of last season they could easily have decided to walk away. They have still turned up in their thousands and I have been amazed at the turnout at every away game I have been to this season.
“If we can get through the semi-final against Forest Green, which I have every confidence we will, we can look forward to another fantastic day at Wembley.”
Rovers, meanwhile, have failed to beat Forest Green in either of the two regular season games they played before Christmas. Andy Monkhouse was on target in a 1-1 draw at The New Lawn on August Bank Holiday Monday before Danny Coles scored the only goal in the game between the two sides at the Memorial Stadium in October.
“It will be a tough game,” Higgs said. “They have taken four points off us this season. We were unfortunate at their place but down here they did a good job on us.
“I still fancy us over two legs and we will do everything we can to make sure we get back to the Football League because it is massively important for this club. We have to bounce back and I know that these players have it within themselves to do that.”
Higgs also paid tribute to manager Darrell Clarke for the way he has bounced back from being the man at the helm wen Rovers were relegated after being tasked with trying to keep them up over the final eight games of last season.
“There were a lot of questions asked when we appointed Darrell after what happened last season,” Higgs said. “We were forced into that situation but I always had confidence that Darrell was the right man to take us on following the relegation. He has shown that he understands how to bring the right players in and has built a team that has been very competitive at this level.
“I knew we would have to adapt and also to add a few players as we went along but I had every confidence that Darrell was the right man to turn it around.”
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