harrybuckle
Always look on the bright side
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 5,567 
|
Post by harrybuckle on May 3, 2024 8:22:06 GMT
3 May 2014 Ten years ago today we were relegated out of the Football League. What a sad day that was.
On this day 3 May 2014 Bristol Rovers' 94-year stay in the Football League came to an end after they lost against Mansfield.
Rovers needed a draw at home to the Stags but found themselves behind after Colin Daniel volleyed in off the post in the 36th minute.
The home side knew they needed a goal, but saw three efforts hit the crossbar.And their relegation to the Conference Premier on goal difference was confirmed after Northampton and Wycombe won their final-day games.
The match concluded to chorus of boos and a section of fans entered the pitch to express their anger at Rovers' drop to non-league football.
The Pirates' fate was in their own hands after their 2-1 win last Saturday against fellow strugglers Wycombe, who occupied the final relegation spot at the start of the afternoon.
Rovers started brightly enough, but the 10,000 home fans were stunned into silence in the 36th minute when Daniel placed a low volley past Steve Mildenhall, which bounced in off the woodwork.
Eleventh-placed Mansfield, who were promoted from non-league last year, defended resolutely throughout to stop Rovers finding that important goal.
Sad day for generations of gasheads.
|
|
eppinggas
Administrator
Ian Alexander
Don't care
Joined: June 2014
Posts: 8,601
|
Post by eppinggas on May 3, 2024 9:24:28 GMT
I'm still celebrating May 2nd. May 3rd has been removed from the calendar. Never happened. Fake news.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 3, 2024 9:29:22 GMT
I am stunned it's ten years ago.
|
|
baselswh
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 6,870
Member is Online
|
Post by baselswh on May 3, 2024 10:02:30 GMT
A strange day that was.
|
|
oldie
Joined: September 2021
Posts: 7,530
|
Post by oldie on May 3, 2024 10:06:16 GMT
I am stunned it's ten years ago. I am stunned I am still here |
|
|
|
Post by Bamber Gashead on May 3, 2024 12:22:05 GMT
I'm still celebrating May 2nd. May 3rd has been removed from the calendar. Never happened. Fake news. May the 4th be with you tomorrow... |
|
warehamgas
Predictions League
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,590
|
Post by warehamgas on May 5, 2024 21:05:37 GMT
Another important (for all the wrong reasons) day in May!! A dark chapter in our rich history.
I feel a bit uncomfortable saying it but I really enjoyed the following season, matches in Eastleigh, Dorchester, Nuneaton. And the pure relief at Wembley was a good end.
UTG!
|
|
|
|
Post by littlestokegas on May 6, 2024 7:03:36 GMT
Yes, the year after we got real lucky, and Chris Lines joined us and in my own humble opinion the fact that our manager was forced to make certain team selections helped.
I was there at the Memorial for the Mansfield game, total shock and disbelief. There are a lot of people moaning at the moment that we only finished 15th in League one, so we
should all be really more grounded I suppose.
|
|
kingswood Polak
Without music life would be a mistake
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 10,361
|
Post by kingswood Polak on May 20, 2024 2:24:37 GMT
I remember it well but I better remember crying, at Wembley when we beat Grisby. Ten years, wow.
I find it so hard to even look at photos now.
It’s a big part of my life now gone. I’m actually ok with that though
|
|
TaiwanGas
Paul Bannon
Tom Ramasuts Left Foot.
Joined: June 2014
Posts: 1,537
|
Post by TaiwanGas on May 20, 2024 4:05:25 GMT
The 3rd of May. The photos of Nick Higgs trying to get his Range Rover out of the Car Park being confronted by extremely angry and violent middle aged fans is still etched in my mind, the terrified look on his face. What a sad and horrible day that was.
|
|
baselswh
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 6,870
Member is Online
|
Post by baselswh on May 20, 2024 6:20:12 GMT
Memories of that day as it comes to mind.
Tutting about the pre match feeling and the oil drum music merrily playing in the car park.I knew we were not safe!Too many seemed to believe Mr Higgs ,was it "relegation is not an option".Hmm.
The panic in Gashead voice as the FT whistle approached. Tick tock...
The FT whistle.
Silence.Then expressions of sadness and anger erupted as our reality began to sink in.
Tears,I saw tears.
Fighting on the 'field of play',fighting with the Police.
The board must go!
Etc.
I saw someone being interviewed on Radio Bristol ,they were full of it, 'just bad luck','next season 'etc.
Then I had my say and did'nt hold back.
I spoke to Steve Mildenhall on the Thatchers/Bass Terrace.He was down,feeling embarrassed, even humiliated.I told him our relegation was not his fault and he had played well for Rovers!
I spoke to Geoff Dunford, assertively ( remaining polite ) suggesting he should give someone else a chance,he told me he was trying to sell or get out.
I saw Nick Higgs drive away.
John Ward in his expensive suit , quiet and looked sheepish.
The picture in my mind that endures is a Gashead,sat on the East Terrace sometime after FT.Head in hands,elbows on knees.One of the Mem staff was blowing all the match day litter down the terrace with one of those big 'hair dryer machines'.He did'nt ask the Gashead to move,seemingly 'sensitive' enough to see this sad and beaten figure, was trying to digest what had just happened and maybe going through all his years following the Rovers.The rubbish was blown around him,either side and that was it,cheerio and auf wieder sehen EFL.
It was a new football experience for me and I'm sure thousands of Gasheads.I knew it at the time and I hope we don't go there again.
|
|
bluetornados
Predictions League
Joined: June 2014
Posts: 15,745
|
Post by bluetornados on May 20, 2024 8:20:39 GMT
Saturday 3rd May 2014 - League Two
Bristol Rovers 0 Mansfield Town 1
Stats: Possession: 58% - 42% - Shots: 18-4 - On Target: 3-3 - Corners: 8-4 - Referee: Oliver Langford - Attendance: 10,594
ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/800/mcs/media/images/74627000/jpg/_74627910_relegation4.jpg
Report By Caroline Chapman, BBC Sport at the Memorial Stadium.
Bristol Rovers' 94-year stay in the Football League came to an end after they lost against Mansfield. The Pirates needed a draw at home to the Stags but found themselves behind after Colin Daniel volleyed in off the post in the 36th minute. The home side knew they needed a goal, but saw three efforts hit the crossbar. And their relegation to the Conference Premier on goal difference was confirmed after Northampton and Wycombe won their final-day games. The match concluded to chorus of boos and a section of fans entered the pitch to express their anger at Rovers' drop to non-league football. The Pirates' fate was in their own hands after their 2-1 win last Saturday against fellow strugglers Wycombe, who occupied the final relegation spot at the start of the afternoon. Rovers started brightly enough, but the 10,000 home fans were stunned into silence in the 36th minute when Daniel placed a low volley past Steve Mildenhall, which bounced in off the woodwork. Eleventh-placed Mansfield, who were promoted from non-league last year, defended resolutely throughout to stop Rovers finding that important goal. Goalkeeper Lewis Price pulled off two acrobatic saves to deny David Clarkson in the second half, while top scorer John-Joe O'Toole headed agonisingly wide of the post. And as the tension mounted around the ground with 15 minutes to go, captain Mark McCrystal also lashed a volley just over the crossbar. With five minutes of added time, Mansfield kept hold of possession as the Pirates ran out of ideas. Initially there was silence around the Memorial Stadium as the whistle blew, before some disgruntled Rovers supporters jeered the players and manager Darrell Clarke off the field. A section of fans then broke out of the stands - some running towards the away supporters and some aiming their anger towards the boardroom - before mounted police ushered them back.
|
|
|
|
Post by Colyton Gas. on May 20, 2024 11:12:50 GMT
Emotional memory compounded with visits to Alfreton and Braintree.Was also thinking whilst watching MOTD the Brighton game how we were hoping the builders of their new stadium were then doing ours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
|
|
|
|
Post by a more piratey game on May 20, 2024 12:08:14 GMT
Another important (for all the wrong reasons) day in May!! A dark chapter in our rich history. I feel a bit uncomfortable saying it but I really enjoyed the following season, matches in Eastleigh, Dorchester, Nuneaton. And the pure relief at Wembley was a good end. UTG! arriving like big shots - and being made massively welcome by clubs and pubs the fun of grass roots football - being part of it, not an audience for it some of our players looking silky terrible pitches terrible refs some right clogging football at times |
|
Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 20, 2024 13:00:50 GMT
We had landlords coming on here welcoming Gasheads to their pubs on away days: I don't remember seeing that on here since nom-league. Smaller lubs also putting their own home fans in their away end to make more room for teavelling gas!
|
|
|
|
Post by rideintothesun on May 20, 2024 14:34:25 GMT
Imagine Barcelona or Bayern Munich playing in the third tier of the Spanish and German leagues, respectively. This was the English lower-league equivalent...I exaggerate only slightly. We were/are too big for L3 so Lord only knows how we ended up in the Conference...
John Ward showing his endless class (apart from when managing BCFC1982) and O'Toole being unfairly scapegoated despite scoring 14 goals and being named in the D3 team of the season. In reality, this team should have finished lower mid-table, and would have done if it had not been for an Alan Gow injury and the frankly unhinged decision to send Elliot Richards out on loan to Exeter FC.
Strangely, relegation was the best thing that could have happened to the club in 2014, although it certainly didn't feel like that at the time...
|
|
Cheshiregas
Global Moderator
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2,979
|
Post by Cheshiregas on May 20, 2024 16:54:24 GMT
One of my memories of the Conference season was going to Woking. My daughter lived up the road at the time. We got into a pub at 12 and the pub was quiet and he had 2 staff on.
The landlord was from Downend with no interest in football. When I mentioned the game he said they didn't bother to check who was visiting so I told him he would need more staff as 2,500 Gasheads were coming!
At 2 o'clock the place was rammed and the landlord brought us free drinks with his compliments!!
It was the day about 2/300 Gas were locked out even though there was a covered area with only a few people in, but they wouldn't move the fans as they changed ends at half time!!
We had the length of one side of the ground, but that was the best part. The football was awful!
Glad it got a lot better though that season!!
I must admit though that the day we went down will live long in the memory as one of disbelief and shock that even the later promotions couldn't erase although eased the pain!
|
|
Delsy
Joined: October 2019
Posts: 349
|
Post by Delsy on May 20, 2024 17:49:20 GMT
I was gallivanting around Canada that day, should of bloody stayed there I reckon !
|
|
warehamgas
Predictions League
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,590
|
Post by warehamgas on May 21, 2024 10:40:39 GMT
One of my memories of the Conference season was going to Woking. My daughter lived up the road at the time. We got into a pub at 12 and the pub was quiet and he had 2 staff on. The landlord was from Downend with no interest in football. When I mentioned the game he said they didn't bother to check who was visiting so I told him he would need more staff as 2,500 Gasheads were coming! At 2 o'clock the place was rammed and the landlord brought us free drinks with his compliments!! It was the day about 2/300 Gas were locked out even though there was a covered area with only a few people in, but they wouldn't move the fans as they changed ends at half time!! We had the length of one side of the ground, but that was the best part. The football was awful! Glad it got a lot better though that season!! I must admit though that the day we went down will live long in the memory as one of disbelief and shock that even the later promotions couldn't erase although eased the pain! Yes, I was sat in their posh stand, better than some league stands. Iirc I was issued with a raffle ticket to get into the ground to walk along the long terrace before sitting in the stand. Bizarre. Glad I got there early and watched the chaos as the side filled up. It had been the same at Eastleigh earlier on. I got there early to park in the ground and was chatting to a few stewards and they said about where to go. I asked them if they were ready for all our fans and they said we only get a hundred or so away. I just laughed and said there’ll be about 1000+ of our lot in about an hours time, be ready. I think they were ready as it seemed much smoother than at Woking. UTG! |
|
