GasMacc1
Les Bradd
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Post by GasMacc1 on Jan 3, 2024 18:45:09 GMT
It's a very young central back three, isn't it? The only alternative, whilst James Wilson recovers, would be to sign a more experienced "T Craig"-type.
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GasMacc1
Les Bradd
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Post by GasMacc1 on Dec 13, 2023 22:37:15 GMT
Tues 6 Feb for Fleetwood home game sorted and as Cambridge United still in fa cup the 5 Jan home game will need rescheding plus there is yet another international break in March so our fixture against Wycombe will need rearranging Plus still yet to rearrange the home fixture with Exeter City. Going to be playing every Tuesday or Wednesday now. Busy time for staff and players. No time for a Christmas party or even an Easter one@ Good shout, Harry - those international breaks have caused quite a lot of disruption to our season. The fixture that needs rearranging, though, would be the home match against Reading. (We play Wycombe away on New Year's Day). I don't know if the postponed games are down to our numerous U21 internationals, or those of our opponents. I believe Reading have quite a few young internationals.
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GasMacc1
Les Bradd
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Post by GasMacc1 on Dec 11, 2023 15:06:30 GMT
Was it ever "officially" announced that Eddy Jennings had arrived?
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GasMacc1
Les Bradd
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Post by GasMacc1 on Dec 3, 2023 13:05:28 GMT
I thought 82 were away to WHU?
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GasMacc1
Les Bradd
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Post by GasMacc1 on Dec 3, 2023 12:52:39 GMT
The draw itself will be held on Sunday 3 December and shown live on ITV during their build-up coverage of the tie between Eastleigh and Reading from around 12.55pm GMT.
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GasMacc1
Les Bradd
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Post by GasMacc1 on Nov 12, 2023 22:20:43 GMT
A colourful day out, visiting the Military Museum at Carlisle Castle and taking a couple of pints at the King's Head. Later, fish and chips outside the station before bracing myself for the chaos of the railway network. There were Gasheads everywhere!
It was undoubtedly a hard-fought, rearguard action to achieve the victory. It struck me that the current style - rather dull, but good for a narrow win - is reminiscent of Graham Coughlan's team. I'm thinking particularly of his last match with us, away at Ipswich, where we withstood a lot of pressure from the home side, went down to ten men, yet held on for a narrow win.
However, compare the make-up of the two sides. On paper, are we in better shape now?
Ipswich v Rovers 14 Dec 2019 (1-2) Anssi Jaakola; Tony Craig; Alfie Kilgour; Rollin Menayese; Luke Leahy; Ollie Clarke (s/o 77); Ed Upson; Liam Sercombe; Alex Rodman; Tom Nichols (goal 23'); Tyler Smith (goal 4'). Subs: Lucas Tomlinson; Victor Adeboyejo.
Carlisle v Rovers 11 Nov 2023 (0-1) Matt Cox; Jack Hunt (goal, via og 38); Trista Crama (s/o 73); James Wilson; George Friend; Ryan Woods; Lamare Bogarde; Anthony Evans; Harvey Vale; Aaron Collins; Chris Martin. Subs: John Marquis; Josh Grant; James Gibbons; Jevani Brown.
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GasMacc1
Les Bradd
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Post by GasMacc1 on Nov 7, 2023 22:13:32 GMT
Our throw ins are useless, giving the ball away and Reading nearly score! Ridiculous, what the hell is happening! Different times, but under Gerry Francis I never saw us lose the ball from a throw-in. Every one went to Devon's head and other players knew where to run to pick up the flick on. Nearly every Rovers throw-in today at Reading, from deep in our own half, soon ended up with a Reading attack (including their goal). Then, towards the end of the match, following that deliberate (?) kick for touch that gave Reading a throw-in by their own corner flag, I thought "Right. If they do it to us, we can do it to them. Here's an opportunity for Rovers!" Instead, the fullback just threw it for one of his own players who then volleyed it over the half-way line, clearing any danger. It really does need some attention!
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GasMacc1
Les Bradd
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Post by GasMacc1 on Oct 24, 2023 11:50:11 GMT
One of the best football books I have read recently was Ben Smith’s “Journeyman” (2015). It’s an account of his career between 1995 and 2012, in the lower leagues at Yeovil, Hereford and Shrewsbury, among others. There are five references to Rovers.
A large chunk of the 250-page book, however, recounts his time at Crawley Town, under Steve Evans. Ahead of our match tonight, I thought I would review Ben Smith’s recollections of him. There are some pertinent comparisons and contrasts to be made with our own leader.
Ben Smith observed that Evans had an insatiable appetite for winning, wanting players to get the ball into the box quickly, without playing what he called “five-a-side football”. He had extensive knowledge of the lower leagues.
After a defeat, it seemed common for Evans to unleash: “You’re finished at this club. You will never play in my team again”. His players soon got used to his bullying and rants. After losing an away game there would have to be “a period of mourning on the coach journey home. After a defeat at Morecambe, someone laughed. [Evans] warned the next person who laughed would have to make their own way home”.
His comments were “scattergun”: “you cannot play for me…you take too long on the ball”. But after the match: “you were s**t tonight, but we would not have won the League without you.” Ben Smith considered “I was pretty sure these outbursts were pre-planned”.
When Ben Smith first played for him, Evans had to serve a thirteen-match touchline ban. He used to have loads of £50 notes on him; “his favourite tipple - pink champagne”.
There were plenty of examples of his “vivid imagination”, threatening the players. Much of the discipline was petty: double training sessions; early starts; training on your own; washing your own kit; no food after training.
“It brought us all together with one common objective: resentment of the gaffer”.
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GasMacc1
Les Bradd
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Post by GasMacc1 on Oct 22, 2023 13:32:08 GMT
I heard some of JAB comments afterwards. I disagree with some of them, but obviously I wasn't there. I was there, and your analysis is spot-on.
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GasMacc1
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Post by GasMacc1 on Oct 21, 2023 8:47:12 GMT
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GasMacc1
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Post by GasMacc1 on Sept 19, 2023 15:39:08 GMT
"We need to highlight that the changes to this competition could be the first step to inclusion of B teams in the lower leagues. That would destroy the integrity of the Football League and, through the consequent devaluation of the League matches, lead towards the demise of clubs who normally play at the lower corners of the Football League pyramid". I'm finding it nonsense that including prem youngsters will see the demise of BRFC ..can you explain this statement please I've edited my post in the quote, to highlight my reasoning (see above). In a nutshell, if you no longer have a meaningful league competition in which to play, your matches lose their meaning, and you quickly lose fans. I'm sure you remember, as I do, Rovers playing West Ham in League matches. Don't you find it demeaning that Bristol Rovers Football Club are now deemed fit only to compete with West Ham's "apprentices"? And wouldn't you regret it if, instead of playing Wigan Athletic FC on Saturday, we had to line up against Bristol City Under 21's in League One? That's the kind of prospect that motivated the original boycott.
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GasMacc1
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Post by GasMacc1 on Sept 19, 2023 14:28:51 GMT
I posted the following on this forum on 8th December 2020:
I've become increasingly aware over the last couple of seasons that people are losing sight of the original reason for boycotting the EFL Trophy. For example, on Radio Bristol Richard Hoskin just said "it's a tournament that isn't much liked by the fans".
The original reason was that the introduction of U21's was seen as a possible first step towards allowing B and C teams of Premier League clubs to compete against the first teams of clubs in the lower leagues. They do that in Spain, in Germany and in other countries. So why would it matter?
Because those countries have never had the depth of support at the 3rd, 4th (or even 2nd and 5th tiers) that has been enjoyed in this country for over a century. The move is a threat to the very existence of clubs in the lower tiers, once the competition "in which we spend all of our Saturday afternoons" is devalued to the point that it's nothing more than a platform for the top 40 rich clubs to experiment with trialists or put an old pro out to pasture. Of all clubs, Bristol Rovers, whose all-time league position is about 10th in the 3rd tier, and yet (in good times) can summon home crowds of over 10,000 would no longer have a meaningful league competition in which to play. Once your matches lose their meaning, you quickly lose fans.
I repeat the blurb I've posted in most rounds of this trophy over the last couple of seasons:
"We need to highlight that the changes to this competition could be the first step to inclusion of B teams in the lower leagues. That would destroy the integrity of the Football League and, through the consequent devaluation of the League matches, lead towards the demise of clubs who normally play at the lower corners of the Football League pyramid".
By the way, I think the boycott is no longer effective. I would prefer to find some way of putting pressure on the EFL Football League to make a statement that B teams will never be allowed to enter league competitions. Maybe 2020 is not the time, though, whilst clubs are fighting for their survival for other reasons.
Since I wrote the above, I'm pleased to say that the Football League (Rick Parry, if I'm not mistaken) has made a statement to the effect that they do not intend B teams to be admitted to the lower leagues. So it would seem that the boycott has at least had the effect of getting that concern through to them. I remain cautious, though. I don't think it's fair for potential marginal gains to the national team to come at the cost of the demise of Rovers.
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GasMacc1
Les Bradd
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Post by GasMacc1 on Aug 17, 2023 8:13:43 GMT
Many thanks 02etc This is what worries me. Last season we had some of our best games against sides that played football. Games I went to oop North notably Accrington, we struggled against horrible teams that put themselves about, niggled, dived, and played the ref. I hope that we can start to come good against those horrible teams. My understanding is there will be no point in time wasting, cheating etc as the refs will ‘stop watch’ all breaks in play and one can expect a few 100 minute plus games. It’s all good as once teams know they have nothing to gain from gamesmanship, and play.football instead, after a while the 100 minute games will drop back to a normal level of additional time. UTG Superb start! Yes, there's a detectable difference this season. However, I disagree that there is "nothing to gain". If you are under the cosh, and your opponent has momentum, a feigned injury to force a minute or two's break in play can give you all the time you need to re-group, get your breath back, get a bit of coaching, etc. It's not just about the total minutes, it's about the continuous period of minutes. To put it another way, I ran a marathon last year...although I admit that it was on thirteen separate days of two miles each.
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GasMacc1
Les Bradd
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Post by GasMacc1 on Aug 16, 2023 21:30:38 GMT
Nope I give up. Most accurately named thread header ever. You are just going to have tell me what you think of the game, whilst I kick a soft toy frog around the lounge and hall into makeshift goals made by cushions whilst listening to the radio commentary. If the Radio commentary actually works. I think it only works if you are using your saved payment method. That's my conclusion You mentioned that the problem was in trying to pay for the i-follow pass. I had the same problem when I tried to buy a pass on Monday morning for the Charlton match. I described the symptoms to the i-follow help-desk, which were: "I get the response “CONFLICT” with a red bar. Also, a tick box appears, saying “acknowledge no free trial”. (If I tick the box and click again on “Pay”, nothing happens)".
Someone from the support team replied after about an hour, suggesting that I should select 'Existing payment method' when making the purchase instead of adding new payment details. (I had previously entered my card details every time I made a purchase, rather than saying in effect "just use the default card"). I also cleared all previous stored card details. "I-followed" that advice, and it resolved the problem.
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GasMacc1
Les Bradd
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Post by GasMacc1 on Jul 27, 2023 12:33:08 GMT
As Ward has gone on a season long line then we need that third option. Unless you play the emergency loan card if first choice is injured which is what some clubs do to save money. Got to feel sorry for Ward being loaned out whilst two same age keepers being signed on, and got to ask why?, Ward was highly rated of a year or so ago, now he is shipped out on season long loan deal, the club now obviously do not consider him good enough as third choice back up keeper?, if I was Ward I would be asking questions about my future with the club. I had missed this news, but according to Wikipedia: "On 25 July 2023, Ward signed for National League side Wealdstone on a season long loan deal". That's a higher level than Swindon Supermarine and Hungerford Town, where he was previously on loan.
Only last April, after Jed Ward's performance at Port Vale, "B***** [was] impressed by his performance despite the scoreline, tipping him to be a future first-choice goalkeeper for the club". (Wikipedia).
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GasMacc1
Les Bradd
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Post by GasMacc1 on Jul 25, 2023 20:23:10 GMT
Full-time: Rovers win by two goals to nil, according to "Wales Online".
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GasMacc1
Les Bradd
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Post by GasMacc1 on Jul 25, 2023 20:18:50 GMT
The commentator (who identified our captain as Lewis Gordon and mixed up Aaron Collins with Scott Sinclair) was taking the mickey when we brought on "Trialist".
"Let's see if he's any good", he said.
Whereupon he swung in a beautiful cross for Marquis to head down and out of the Swansea keeper's reach for 2-0 to Rovers!
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GasMacc1
Les Bradd
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Post by GasMacc1 on Jul 25, 2023 20:16:28 GMT
The video stream has cut out on 95 minutes!
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GasMacc1
Les Bradd
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Post by GasMacc1 on Jul 3, 2023 15:30:59 GMT
It’s been very quiet over Rossiter which in itself is probably bad news. I suspect if he was near fitness we would have heard. Without him we need someone to take his place. If he were fit and match fit it would be like a new signing. He is a quality player. UTG! I was going to post the same thought! I've been weighing up the to-ing and fro-ing of the squad since last season, trying to assess whether we are currently weaker, stronger or about the same. (Bearing in mind that the transfer window remains open for a while yet...but it's good to have the squad in place for the start of pre-season training...which was last week!). My view: We've lost Gibson and Quansah; Coutts and Whelan; Bogarde and Anderson; Coburn. We've gained Wilson; Josh Grant (recovered); Thomas and Brown. Those are not like-for-like replacements. It could be argued that Wilson is an improvement on one of last year's loanee defenders, as he is more experienced and can marshal the defence better. But even if Rossiter does make a comeback, it looks as though we are currently at least a couple short of being ready for the season. By the way, if Ryan Jones has progressed from the promising performances he put in a couple of seasons ago, and steps up to the first team squad, he could count as one of the midfield replacements.
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GasMacc1
Les Bradd
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Post by GasMacc1 on Oct 21, 2022 9:21:05 GMT
Oh right,thanks Macc.So SS did'nt make the other increments of games played for Chelsea and international call ups. "But did Chelsea have a sell on clause when they sold him to Swansea. If so, we would have got an extra 15% of maybe 20% of7 million" Good point. That might have amounted to an extra £200k or so. Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick...
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