North Somerset Gas

Well it's five games left for Billy, possibly up to eight depending on where the next five games take us. This is the business end for us now, with automatic promotion still not ruled out if we can put more of our chances away. There have been one or two suggestions that Elliott should or could be playing in a striker role. He has more than shown he is physically at a level where he can cope with some of the nonsense that is played by some of the teams in League 2. Yet to see more aerial ability from Elliott, but given the talent and desire he has got I'm sure his game would only improve in this area. I don't think Barton is going to change it, will be interesting to see where Elliott ends up positionally during his career, he will have an army of fans from the blue half of Bristol. Maybe one day he will have Big Al's number 9 shirt! He will head back to the north east a better player than the one he left, great to hear that he and his family have been very happy with the way he has been treated at our club. The script isn't written for where we will be playing next season, it's hard to imagine Elliott not having a big say in our bid for promotion in the next five games at least. By the end of May he could go down as our biggest Gas legend since Rickie Lambert, if you want to watch your local boy online there are I-follow passes available through the clubs website for about a tenner. Come on Billy, make us dream. Up the Gas, Toon Army

That explains a lot, more rugby than football with those two. Top half of L2 is a decent showing in most parts for teams trying to play on the deck.

Who did you watch?

Barton's take on Elliot Anderson on Saturday and overall, plus the travelling Newcastle fans adding to our away crowd of over 600. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/every-word-joey-barton-said-6867249

Bit strange typing that up as half of it didn't apply a couple of seasons ago. Just goes to show the progress the club has made on and off the pitch. Just need that long awaited stadium news at the Fruit Market now, and the derby days back.

And you would be welcome, as long as you changed it to Rovers, not Bristol! There is another team down here, a franchise with no identity owned by an ex-Rovers fan with a grudge.

Interesting to read your comments in relation to Luton and the structure. I would say without bias that Rovers fit the three criteria above. Our style of play is a high press with a keeper/sweeper, playing out from the back, and on the floor. A squad with proven league one players. We are consistent in that system. We have two ex-academy players currently in the first team, one out injured at the minute. A new academy base with pitches identical to the home turf, big investment has been put in by our incredible owner Wael Al Qadi. With new stadium rumours floating around (again!) the club has ambition to be a settled Championship club. The momentum on and off the pitch is amazing to witness. One thing is apparent bringing in Kevin Bond as assistant manager seems to have transformed us. For those of us old enough to watch from the terraces of Eastville, its been a case of Pirates by name, Pirates by nature. In 86 we were exciled to Bath, our enemies to the south said it would be the end of the club. Far from it, on to the now, this is a place where Gasheads treasure a player who gives 100%. If Elliot were not to wear the quarters again he will be treasured and followed by plenty of us through his career. I hope (if Barton stays) the two clubs can benefit from the loan market. With his antics to one side, Barton knows how to get a squad running through brick walls for him. All of these young lads are very hungry. They are playing at a level that comes round once in a blue moon at Rovers. So without the blue specs on I'd say this is a good option for players needing a loan to build playing experience and character. And being part of an ambitious forward moving club. A pre'season friendly next year at St James would be very special. Have I sold the club as a nursery yet? ?

Great player and a long career, we signed him from then non-league Stevenage, Ian Holloway somehow persuaded our chairman to part with £250k for a striker never tested at league level. That was a pile of cash in 97 for a non-league player. Holloway and Chairman made the right call though and Fulham signed him a couple of seasons later for around £2m, was chatting to him a couple of seasons ago and he was still playing for Truro down in Cornwall in 2015 at the tender age of 43! The chairman had him collected from London by helicopter for home games and had him dropped back after the game. Bazza knew where the net was, and like Elliot loved nothing more than running straight at defenders with a close control that was always pleasing on the eye.

It's about as much fun as a trip to the dentist. The closer the day comes the more the nerves build. Been to Wembley in two play of finals, got beat 2-1 by Huddersfield Town in 95 for a chance to a return to the Championship, or Div 2 as it was known then. More recently beat Grimsby Town at Wembley to get back into the football league, and promoted again to league 1 the season after. The biggest mystery is on both occasions we sold around 45k tickets, absolutely no idea who the extra 35k fans are and where they came from!

Hopefully the government will see sense and lift the prohibition on a plant that helps millions of people in the UK every day either physically or mentally. Stranger things have happened!

Scoring the only goal in the first minute, those games don't come around too often. It's getting tight at the top now and seems we've forgotten how to lose. Fingers crossed its a top 3 finish, this ageing ticker will struggle through the play offs!

Traded in the weed for more booze? Sounds like an awful trade in to me mate. The plant is a far better way to live IMO.

He reminds me of my ex wife, never at fault, always someone or something else to blame. I'm not sure if narcissistic people are capable of change, seems like a personality disorder.

Thoughts on Barton. As a manager he has transformed our club beyond recognition on and off the pitch. Stated in the Elliot Anderson thread he has basically been given the keys to the club, and brought it to a whole new level. He seems determined to get us to the championship for the first time in the best part of 3 decades. Personality wise he is going about his business in a professional manner. He ranted for a while and lambasted previous managers and players with little mercy on his arrival. So in that respect he appears to be evolving. All of that to one side if it is proved he attacked his wife then I would want him gone in an instant. The thing is if he had kicked his Mrs in the head, why did she not have a head injury to reflect that. Not defending him in any way, whatever the outcome the man needs to get some ongoing counselling or a DMT trip. As we all know he has a habit of snapping. I think he will always cast a shadow, a real shame as he is doing an amazing job here and is clearly very good at spotting the right players and they all run through brick walls for him. Court case adjourned now until June. Our owner has gone on record as saying if guilty he is gone. I don't believe his Mrs was kicked in the head as there were no subsequent injuries to reflect that, but it seems highly likely something happenned. Overall opinion, great manager and philosopher of the game who lives and breathes the game. Off the pitch, a narcissistic bully and coward.

Super Barry Hayles for me, similar players in the fact they both like to cut in from wide and run/ran straight at defenders, both players seem to be able to make the ball stick to the boot. Difference so far is Bazza scored every other game for just over 60 games for us, that takes some beating that. Early days for Elliot, hopefully not the sort of player to spend half a career in with the physio, he seems to be handling the league 2 hairy arses very well. I wouldn't bet against him getting another 3 or 4 in the last 9 games and help us to promotion, a great p1ss up and more scenes on a closed Gloucester Rd where the buses get re-routed again! Wherever his career takes him he looks like he has a very bright future in the game. Nervous for Northampton already, UTG.

Ive got a cunning plan Greeners, when no ones watching we should hijack the lad and hide him in the cellar of the Welly. Feed him on Newcastle brown ale let him grow a beard and once NUFC start making big signings we will all live happily ever after. I'll then drop him off on route to a long weekend in Whitley Bay in 2030 following our first season in the prem.

That would be Auf Wiedersehen Pet, not a documentary, it was a comedy drama that ran for a few years. Bomber is gone now sadly to the Tote end in the sky, used to be a professional wrestler as well as an actor, great series, loved watching that as a kid.

I'd say all of it, Wael Al Qadi our Jordanian owner basically gave him the keys to the club to take us forward. Said it how it was last season, he was too late into the building to stop the slide back to league two. He was a big critic of our chief scout and Geordie Tommy Widdrington and he was soon shown the door and Barton took on the responsibility of overhauling the entire squad, scouting system, certain backroom staff. He was savage in his criticism of the way the club was being run, stunned to find tobacco patches on the pitches at the training ground, and was on a mission to transform the Monday to Friday operation. The football we watch now does not represent the league we play in, its very pleasing on the eye and Barton just has to take the plaudits. I was in the keep him away from our club brigade at the start, the fanbase was split down the middle, since December its been one hell of a run, the club is united from top to bottom. What he has done both on and off the pitch in such a short space of time is nothing short of breath taking at little ole Rovers. Not a fan of his past and another court case coming (Friday I believe), that aside he has taken on a job way beyond that of a coach and seems to relish it and for me he is the reason why the attendances are almost always close to capacity.

I had a Geordie neighbour about 20 years back living in North Bristol, he loved the lash as much as we did, so he got an invite to a game with us on a Saturday afternoon and seemed to love it and started coming along regularly. Always remember his words and why he kept coming back, he said your fans remind me of Geordies, I said why's that, he said no other f*cker understands us outside of where we come from, and neither club ever win anything! I wouldn't bet against us sneaking 3rd spot yet, this is the best football I've seen for many years

Man of the match this evening as well, just kept running at Colchester defenders for most of 84 minutes on the pitch, suspect Barton brought him off for a breather and a well deserved standing ovation. No fear in this lad whatsoever, Barton gives him the freedom to roam in our system so the opposition are left guessing whether he is going to pop up on the left or right. He is so eager to get on the ball, and very good at creating space for himself on the flanks, and not shy in letting his team mates know if they don't spot him in acres of space, which is always great to see in league two. What a joy to see a player running at defenders, brings back memories of Gazza. Into the play offs we go, and Elliot is certainly standing out, that said the whole squad are on their A game, we are on one hell of a run, 1 defeat in the last 12, playing the best football I've seen us play for many years, UTG.

It took a while to forget that nightmare game! The standard of refereeing in the lower leagues seems to subside every season. There is a new stadium in the pipeline, right on the doorstep of the 'darkside' where the shirts are mostly a horrible red colour, all part of a complex planning application including housing and business complex next to Temple Meads railway station, and the river that used to traditionally split red and blue. I think we have seen an artist impression of about 5/6 grounds now in the last 30 years, so the fact that nothing has been printed in the paper on this one may just be a good omen, and get a modern ground. Did you sit or stand that night? Spoken to may visitors from other prem clubs who loved seeing the terraces, and the fact we have three stands down one side of the pitch!

As good as a promising young player Billy is I think most Gasheads would agree that with the way the club is being run, the results and new training set up, we can still achieve Championship football in the next 3-5 seasons with or without the lad. He is still to hit the heights of decent previous players we've had such as Rickie Lambert, but he is the first to get people watching intently when he has the ball, as did Lord Lambert. He has certainly shown more than enough to want to keep him for next season, and the way things are going that will be in League 1. IMO if he is happy where he is, and he is playing like that is the case then there is no harm in him spending a season or two toughening up in the lower leagues. But that of course is a totally bias view!

Deservedly awarded MOTM today. Didn't put a foot wrong, didn't give the ball away. Created chances for himself and the front two. Joy to watch.

Very kind words, thanks so much, had a soft spot for Newcastle as long as I've followed the Gas in the late 80's, so pleased to see you digging yourself out of trouble and away from the drop. If we get 3 points later it may see us in the playoffs for the first time this season, will be keeping an eye on Elliot and hoping for a little bit of magic, to make up for missing with his head 3 yards out on Tuesday night!

Update on Billy for anyone interested. He has featured heavily since his loan spell at the Mem, he is playing most of each 90 mins in front of him. Anyone who has watched lower league football will appreciate he is in a battle down here, but he is playing his part on our attempt at promotion. On Tuesday away at Crawley he was about 3 yards out and headed the ball downwards and over the bar it went, head in hands knowing he should have buried it. Overall opinion on watching him for the past three games, impressive close control, not afraid to run at defenders knowing he is taking a few whacks here and there like the rest of them. He is standing up to the physical side to the game very well, he doesn't carry the body language of a 19 year old lad, he holds himself well against older campaigners and doesn't looked phased at all. His eye for a pass is impressive, needs to get used to the fact that the quick press we are often facing is catching him out with his passes. When he comes home at the end of the season (hopefully having been part of a promotion) he is going to be a better player for the experience IMO. Seen a fair few moments of him where he almost unlocks a game, almost scores and it feels like almost is a fair assessment as it stands. His performance rating scores average around 7/8 out of 10 per game by the local journos. That said, you sense he has so much more in his locker and his decision making moments will only improve with games which are often at a frenetic pace. Fingers crossed the best is yet to come of him while he is still in the blue and white quarters, certainly looks as though he is relishing it here. Were top of the form table so he is also experiencing a changing room with a winning mentality and he is playing well enough to keep his place. Kudos to Barton he has us playing some nice football with a high press and raw pace up-front, and Billy is holding his own, hopefully a bit of Geordie magic is on its way and he gets Gas hero status before heading back to you!