Bristol Rovers F.C.
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| Bristol Rovers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Bristol Rovers Football Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname(s) | The Pirates & The Gas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Founded | 1883 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ground | Memorial Stadium Horfield Bristol |
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| Capacity | 11,916 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chairman | Geoff Dunford (until 1 April) Ron Craig (from 2 April) |
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| Manager | Paul Trollope (first-team coach) Lennie Lawrence (Director of Football) |
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| League | Football League Two | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005-06 | League Two, 12th | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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- For details of the current season, see Bristol Rovers F.C. season 2006-07
Bristol Rovers are a professional football team in Bristol, England. They currently play in Coca-Cola League 2.
The club's official nickname is The Pirates, reflecting the maritime history of Bristol. The local nickname of the club is The Gas, from the gasworks next to Eastville Stadium, their former home.
Their main rivals are Bristol City, and according to a survey conducted in December 2003, Cardiff City and Swindon Town are considered the second and third biggest rivals.[1]
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[edit] History
The club was formed following a meeting at the Eastville Restaurant in Bristol in September 1883. They initially went by the name Black Arabs F.C., the name coming from the Arabs rugby team and the predominantly black kits in which they played.[2] This name only lasted for the 1883-84 season, and in a bid to draw more fans from the local area the club was renamed Eastville Rovers in 1884.
The club played only friendly games until the 1887-88 season, when they took part in the Gloucestershire Cup for the first time. They first joined a league in 1892, when they became a founder member of the Bristol and District League, which three years later was renamed the Western League. In 1897 Eastville Rovers joined the Birmingham and District League, and for two seasons played in both this league and the Western League.[3] At the beginning of the 1897-98 season, the team turned professional and changed their name to Bristol Eastville Rovers,[3] and on 17 February 1899 the name was officially changed to Bristol Rovers.[2]
In 1899 Bristol Rovers joined the newly-formed Southern League, where they remained until 1920. For the 1920-21 season, the Southern League teams were moved into the new Football League Third Division, which became the Football League Third Division South the following season. They remained in this division for over 30 years, before winning the league, and promotion in the 1952-53 season.[2]
Promotion was only won by the team on two other occasions, in 1973-74 from the Third Division to the Second Division, and again in 1989-90 as Division Three champions. The team have been relegated four times in their history - in 1961-62, 1980-81, 1992-93 and most recently at the end of the 2000-01 season, when the team were relegated to the fourth level of league football for the first time in their history.
The only major cup competition won by Bristol Rovers is the 1972 Watney Cup, when Sheffield United were beaten in the final. The club also won the Division Three (South) Cup in 1934-35, as well as winning or sharing the Gloucestershire Cup on 32 occasions. The team have never played in European competition, the closest they came was when they missed out on reaching the international stage of the Anglo-Italian Cup in the 1992-93 season on a coin toss held over the phone with West Ham United.[4]
[edit] Colours and badge
Bristol Rovers are known for their distinctive blue and white quartered shirts, which they have worn for most of their history. The current kit consists of a light blue and white quartered shirt, white shorts and blue and white hooped socks. The away kit is navy blue with yellow trim, and the third-choice strip is yellow with black trim.
The team began playing in black shirts with a yellow sash from their foundation in 1883 as Black Arabs F.C. until 1885, by which time they were called Eastville Rovers. For the next fourteen years, until 1899, the team wore blue and white hooped shirts. These were replaced by black and white striped shirts until 1919.[4]
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When Rovers were admitted to The Football League in 1920 they wore white shirts with blue shorts. These remained the team colours until 1930, when the colours were reversed to blue shirts and white shorts for one season.[4] The blue and white quarters were first worn in 1931, when they were introduced to try and make the players look larger and more intimidating.[2] Rovers continued to wear the quarters for 31 years until they were replaced by blue pinstripes on a white background.
Over the next ten years, Rovers went on to wear blue and white stripes, all blue, and blue shirts with white shorts before returning to the blue and white quarters in 1973, which have remained the colours ever since.[4] During the 1996-97 season, Rovers wore an unpopular striped quartered design, prompting fans to refer to it as the Tesco bag shirts because of their similarity to the design used for the company's carrier bags. The change in design prompted the Trumpton Times fanzine to change its name to Wot, No Quarters?[5]
The black and gold shirts were also used as the away kit for the 2002-03 season, the mark the 120th anniversary of the club. In 2007, the club reverted to a far lighter shade of blue, in recognition of their 1930's kits.
A pirate features on both the club badge and the badge of the supporters club, reflecting the club nickname of The Pirates.
In the 2007 film Hot Fuzz, actor Nick Frost can be seen wearing a Bristol Rovers shirt in a number of scenes.
[edit] Stadium
| Dates | Ground |
|---|---|
| 1883-1884 | Purdown |
| 1884-1891 | Three Acres |
| 1891-1892 | Schoolmasters Cricket Ground |
| 1892-1894 | Durdham Downs |
| 1894-1897 | Ridgeway |
| 1897-1986 | Eastville Stadium |
| 1986-1996 | Twerton Park |
| 1996-present | The Memorial Stadium |
Home games are now played at The Memorial Stadium, Filton Avenue, Horfield, Bristol, a ground they share with Bristol Rugby Club. The team moved to The Mem, as it is known informally, at the beginning of the 1996-97 season, initially as tenants but Rovers purchased the ground two years later.[6]
When Bristol Rovers were known as Black Arabs F.C. in 1883, they played their home games at Purdown, Stapleton. The following year they moved to Three Acres, the precise location of which is not known, but is believed to have been in the Ashley Down area of Bristol, where they remained for seven years. This was followed by brief stays at the Schoolmasters Cricket Ground, Durdham Downs and Ridgeway.
For the majority of their history, Bristol Rovers played their home games at Eastville Stadium, where they remained for a period of 89 years from 1897-1986. Financial problems led to the team being forced to leave Eastville, and they found a temporary home at Twerton Park, the home of Bath City. They stayed in Bath for 10 seasons, before returning to Bristol in 1996.
Rovers have also played home games at Ashton Gate following a fire which destroyed one of stands at Eastville, and also for one match during the early days of the period spent in Bath. During World War II, some friendly matches were played at Kingswood, and in their early history some games were played at Parson Street, Bedminster[2]
On 17 January 2007 planning permission was granted for a new 18,000 capacity all-seater stadium to be built on the site of the Memorial Stadium.[7] Building work is intended to begin late in 2007.
[edit] Supporters
The team traditionally draws the majority of its support from north and east Bristol and South Gloucestershire.
The nickname given to Bristol Rovers supporters is Gasheads. The Gas was originally coined as a derogatory term by the supporters of Bristol Rovers' rivals Bristol City and was in reference to the large gas works adjacent to the old Bristol Rovers stadium, in Eastville, Bristol which wafted the sometimes overpowering odour of town gas across the crowd.
Gasheads was adopted as a name by a splinter group of Rovers supporters in the mid-1980s to early 1990s. The chant 'Proud to be a Gashead' spread to regular fans and a fanzine was produced called The Gashead.
The term 'Gasheads' is now universally accepted within the English media and football fraternity as referring to Bristol Rovers supporters. After the club's relegation to Football League Two in 2001, the club designated the squad number 12 to the Gasheads to signify them as the club's 12th Man in recognition of their loyal support.
[edit] Club song
The song which is synonymous with Rovers - sung by fans in support of (and often commiseration with!) the team is "Goodnight Irene", which was originally popularised by The Weavers and written by Leadbelly.
Opinions differ as to how this came about but it is thought to have become popular in the 1950s when a version of the song was in the British charts - the line "sometimes I have a great notion to jump in the river and drown" - seemed to be particularly apt when Rovers lost as the Bristol Frome flows alongside the old Eastville ground.
Another theory is that it was sung at a fireworks display at the Stadium the night before a Home game against Plymouth Argyle in the fifties. During the game the following day, Rovers were winning quite comfortably and the few Argyle supporters present began to leave early prompting a chorus of "Goodnight Argyle" from the Rovers supporters - the tune stuck and "Irene" became the club song.
[edit] Current squad
As of 15 February 2007
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The shirt number 12 is used by Gasheads to represent the fans as the 12th Man.[8] The shirt number 13 was auctioned off during the 2004-05 season, with the winner being named on both the official website and the matchday programme as being in the squad.
[edit] Out on loan
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[edit] Management team
| Job title | Name[9] |
|---|---|
| Director of football | Lennie Lawrence |
| First team coach | Paul Trollope |
| Head of youth football | Kevin Hodges |
| Physio | Phil Kite |
| Goalkeeping coach | Steve Book |
| Kit manager | Roger Harding |
| Sports therapist | Guy Lindley |
[edit] Youth Academy
The Bristol Rovers Youth Academy is located at Filton College. The academy has had current squad members Sean Rigg, Tom Parrinello, Lewis Powell, James Palmer, Darren Mullings, Chris Lines and Mike Green all progressed through the ranks to receive a professional contract. Martin Horsell was also part of the academy before receiving a professional contract, he is now with Torquay United. Perhaps the most successful member of the academy is Scott Sinclair. Sinclair was signed (controversially) by Chelsea in 2005.
[edit] Women's Team
The club boast a successful women's team, formed in 1998 as Bristol Rovers W.F.C. and now known as Bristol Academy W.F.C.. They play in the top flight of women's football in England, the FA Women's Premier League National Division, and have won nine trophies in the eight years since their formation, as well as reaching the semi-finals of the FA Women's Cup on three occasions.
[edit] Noted players
- For a list of all Bristol Rovers players, see: List of Bristol Rovers F.C. players
- For a full list of all Bristol Rovers players to be capped at full international level, see: List of Bristol Rovers F.C. internationals
Geoff Bradford - Rovers' record goal scorer with 242 league goals from 462 appearances, and 355 goals from 626 appearances in all competitions. He scored 24 hat-tricks, scored goals in 15 consecutive seasons for the club and played in every outfield position. He was also the only player to be capped by England while at Bristol Rovers.
Nathan "Duke" Ellington - was Jason Roberts' strike partner at the club. He was later sold to Wigan Athletic and now plays for West Bromwich Albion.
Youra Eshaya - The first Iraqi to play in Europe, spent the 1954-55 season at Bristol Rovers after being spotted by Rovers scout Flight Lieutenant R. K. Weston when playing against an RAF team in Iraq.
Larry Lloyd - Centre half, played for Rovers in the late sixties. In 1969 moved to Liverpool where he won the league and UEFA cup. Later he was part of Brian Clough's famous Nottingham Forest team, winning the European Cup twice. He won four England caps.
Gary Mabbutt - Started career at Rovers and then went on to play for Tottenham Hotspur & England at international level. His father Ray had previously also played for Rovers.
Nigel Martyn - Former England international started his professional career at Bristol Rovers. He was sold to Crystal Palace for £1m, becoming the first Million Pound Goalkeeper. A Cornishman signed from St Blazey A.F.C..
Esmond Million - Goalkeeper signed from Middlesbrough in 1962. In April 1963, Million was offered £300 to throw a match against Bradford (Park Avenue). Rovers drew the match 2-2 and Million was banned from football for life.
Jason Roberts - Blackburn Rovers and Grenada International Roberts spent two seasons up front for the club, scoring 38 league goals. He was later sold to West Bromwich Albion, then played for Portsmouth and Wigan Athetic before moving to his current club.
Bobby Zamora - Currently with West Ham United. Zamora played his first professional game for Rovers after he signed for the club from West Ham United's Youth Academy. He was later sold to Brighton and Hove Albion.
Alan Ball- England World Cup winner in 1966 finished his carear at Bristol Rovers in the 70s
[edit] Noted managers
| Years | Manager | Achievement |
|---|---|---|
| 1920-1921 | Ben Hall | Rovers' first Football League manager |
| 1930-1936 | Albert Prince-Cox | Introduced the blue and white quartered shirts. Won the Division Three (South) Cup in 1934-35. |
| 1950-1968 | Bert Tann | Rovers' longest serving manager (18 years). Division 3 (South) champions 1952-53. |
| 1972-1977 | Don Megson | Won the Watney Cup in 1972 |
| 1981 | Ron Gingell | Shortest spell by anyone as Rovers' manager (1 game) |
| 1981-1983 1985-1987 |
Bobby Gould | Two spells as manager in the 1980s |
| 1987-1991 2001 |
Gerry Francis | Football League Third Division champions 1989-90 |
[edit] Achievements
- Football League Third Division South Champions 1952-53
- Football League Third Division Champions 1989-90, runners up 1973-74
- Watney Cup Winners 1972
- Division Three Cup Winners 1934-35
- Division Three Champions 1989-1990
[edit] Records
- Scorelines
- Biggest League Win:[10]
- 7-0 (v Brighton & Hove Albion, Division Three (South), 29 November 1952)
- 7-0 (v Swansea City, Division Two, 2 October 1954)
- 7-0 (v Shrewsbury Town, Division Three, 21 March 1964)
- Biggest Cup Win:
- Competition proper: 6-0 (v Merthyr Tydfil, FA Cup Round 1, 14 November 1987)[10]
- Qualifying: 15-1 (v Weymouth, FA Cup Third Qualifying Round, 17 November 1900)[10]
- Biggest League Defeat: 0 - 12 (v Luton Town, Division Three South, 13 April 1936)[11]
- Biggest Cup Defeat: 1-8 (v Queens Park Rangers)[citation needed]
- Biggest League Win:[10]
- Players
- Most League Appearances: 546 - Stuart Taylor, 1966 - 1980[12]
- Most Goals for club: 242 - Geoff Bradford, 1949 - 1964[12]
- Most Goals in a season: 33 - Geoff Bradford, 1952-53[12]
- Highest Transfer Fee Paid: £375,000 - Andy Tillson from Queens Park Rangers, November 1992[12]
- Highest Transfer Fee Received: £2,100,000 - Barry Hayles to Fulham, November 1998[12]
[edit] External links
- Bristol Rovers F.C. on BBC Sport: Club News - Recent results - Upcoming fixtures - Club stats
- Official Fan's Forum
- Fans photos on Flickr
- Supporters Club Website
- "Black Arab" on-line fanzine
- "Gasheads.com" fans website and forum
- The Bristol Rovers Temple
[edit] References
- ^ Club rivalries uncovered (PDF) Football Fans Census. Retrieved 16 February 2007
- ^ a b c d e Byrne, Stephen & Jay, Mike (2003): Bristol Rovers Football Club - The Definitive History 1883-2003. ISBN 0-7524-2717-2
- ^ a b Into the league bristolrovers.co.uk. Retrieved 11 February 2007
- ^ a b c d Rovers FAQ bristolrovers.co.uk. Retrieved 12 February 2007
- ^ About us Black Arab fanzine. Retrieved 13 February 2007
- ^ Back to Bristol bristolrovers.co.uk. Retrieved 7 February 2007
- ^ Memorial Stadium given go-ahead from BBC News. Retrieved 18 January 2007.
- ^ Player profile: Gasheads bristolrovers.co.uk. Retrieved 15 February 2007
- ^ Management team from bristolrovers.co.uk. Retrieved 28 November 2006.
- ^ a b c Dates & Honours bristolrovers.co.uk. Retrieved 9 February 2007
- ^ Bristol Rovers sportingchronicle.com. Retrieved 9 February 2007
- ^ a b c d e Rollin, Glenda & Rollin, Jack (2006):Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2006-2007. ISBN 0-7553-1526-X
| Bristol Rovers Football Club |
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| The Club | Women's team | History | Managers |
| Former players | International appearances |
| Eastville Stadium | Twerton Park | Memorial Stadium |
| Seasons: 1883-84 | 2006-07 |
| Football League Two, 2006-2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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