Accrington Web - 2013 Prediction League; Game 13 (Bristol Rovers

Accrington Stanley

Bristol Rovers

2013/14 Prediction League – Game 13; v Bristol Rovers (home)

You all know that I don’t like statistics ;), so instead I’ll give you a short, but interesting table …….Since the “James Must Go” Faction now want him ritually to disembowel himself any time in the next week :wave:, they might like to reflect on this - points won in the last 4 League games;

Northampton (23rd) have 5; Stanley (24th) have 3 :D; Wombles (11th), Plymouth (19th) and the Pirates (20th) all have 2; Bury (22nd ), Torquay (21st) and Chesterfield (1st) each have 1 ………………….. Problem? What problem? :p:p:p

Formed in 1883, The Gas played for one season as Black Arabs FC (after the Arabs Rugby team and their predominantly black kit); as a marketing ploy they changed names to Eastville Rovers, turning professional in 1897/8 and becoming Bristol Eastville Rovers, changing that again to Bristol Rovers in 1899, the year in which they joined the Southern League. In 1920/21 season the Southern League became, effectively, Division 3, and Bristol Rovers ended 10th, with 43 points from 42. They were to stay in the lower reaches – Div3South, as it became the following year – for 31 years, eventually getting promotion in 1952/3; their highest-ever League finish is 6th in the second tier, which they managed twice in the 50s; to their credit, they’ve never lost their League status since they first joined ……………..:)

Their claim to fame is their winning of the Watney Cup ;) (who remembers THAT? :rolleyes:) in 1972; it only ran for 4 years, and was won by Derby, Colchester, the Pirates and Stoke, and is in the history books because the competition featured the first-ever penalty shoot-out :), between Hull and Man U (first penalty – George Best :):); first missed penalty – Denis Law :eek:). Famous ex players include Ian Holloway, who had 3 spells there (80 – 85; 87 – 91; and 96 – 99 as Player-Manager); GK Nigel Martyn (who was the first £1million GK when he joined Palace); Ronnie Dix is the Football League youngest-ever goalscorer at 15 years 180 days; leading scorer Geoff Bradford (242 goals in 462 games), the only British player to be capped whilst playing for the Rovers at Eastville; and Jamaican striker Barry Hayles, who went for £2.1million to Fulham …………Famous managers include ex Leeds, Middlesbrough and England LB Terry Cooper, Martin Dobson (Burnley and England), Malcolm Allison :rolleyes:, Bobby Gould (twice), Gerry Francis (twice) and current incumbent John Ward (twice).

Out in the close season went winger Joe Anyinsah (28), whose history includes 6 games in four years at PNE :eek::eek:, as well as Bristol City, Carlisle and Charlton, who went to Wrexham; 6’ 7” GK Scott Bevan (33) – one-time custodian :p:p at MK Dons, Shrewsbury and Torquay – went to Havant and Waterlooville; Oumare Tounkara CF, 23), ex Oldham, is now at Stevenage; in came Colchester’s MF John-Joe O’Toole (24) and ex Millwall keeper Steve Mildenhall (35), plus loan signings Andy Bond (27) – another Colchester MF (he was John Ward’s first signing during his tenure at Colchester which ended in September 12) - as well as Man City winger Alex Henshall (19) and Brum’s US-born defender Will Packwood (20)

Their cup journeys didn't last long; out of the Capon Cup 3-1 at home to Watford, and the JohnstonesPaintTrophy 2-1 at the City rivals, their league record is (home) W2 D2 L2 and (away) W0 D2 L4; they haven’t won since August :D (D3 L4 of their last 7 in the league :o), and they've hit 3 goals once, two once, one five times, and nul also five times; overall their League record is P12 W2 D4 L6 F10 A16 for 10 points and 20th place; leading scorers are John-Joe with 3, Matt Harrold with 2, and David Clarkson, also with two (although he shouldn’t be troubling us, having been sent off on Saturday after 25 minutes for fighting :o:o:o) …..also out is the influential Mark McCrystal, who is due to be rested for at least a month to try and recover from tendonitis. They may have to cover him by playing ex Dundee Utd def Garry Kenneth, but since he "wants away" that might not be a thrillingly good idea :o ..... Or perhaps it is! :D:D:D

We met them in 2006/7, drawing 1-1 at home, and losing 4-0 away :(; they went up that year, but back down (“what goes up must come down”) in 2010/11; in 2011/12 we won 2-1 at home (Micah Evans and Kev Long :D) but got a real stuffing (5-1) away :mad:; last season we won 1-0 at home (Padraig A :)), and saved our League status with a 1-0 win at the Memorial Ground in our penultimate game of the season (Lee Molyneux after 2 mins :D) – meaning that we could all relax and enjoy the final game (which turned out to be a far-from-enjoyable 3-0 drubbing by Oxford – see last Saturday’s PL thread :cool:) …………………….

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is 7.45pm on Tuesday 22nd October. This one could be a 6-pointer, methinks :confused::confused:………… Mind you, we might need to score to achieve the win, so a few shots in the general direction of their keeper would be nice ………. Come on, lads – I’m starting to look a reet soft beggar keep putting “The fightback starts here” and then it doesn’t :o:o:o (quite) ……..So do me a favour, eh? Pretty please? Win one for the Gipper? :D:D:D:D

Good luck to everyone ………Remember; Passion overcomes logic :D:D ………..Keep the Faith! :) ………….And thanks for playing!

:alright: