How Bristol Rovers turned their season around
In September, Rovers were languishing near the bottom of the table, with two wins and five losses from their first eight matches, leaving them hovering above the relegation zone in 22nd place.
The team had claimed only six wins in total since Barton was appointed in February 2021 and had yet to record an away win during his tenure.
After a dismal season that saw Rovers relegated last year to League Two after five seasons in the division above, Barton overhauled the team in the summer with 21 players shown the door and 17 brought in.
With so much upheaval in the squad, Barton called for fans to be patient as results did not go their way, with a rash of injuries during the first few months not helping the cause.
Rovers sat 16th as the year drew to a close but were transformed in 2022, winning 15 and losing three of their last 24 matches, with 12 clean sheets.
But as players began to find their form, Rovers' results dramatically picked up.
Striker Aaron Collins did not find the back of the net until 24 November but ended the season with 17 goals to finish as the top scorer.
Anthony Evans, another new arrival last summer, has similarly been a key playmaker, with 10 league goals and 13 assists in his best campaign to date.
Teenager Elliot Anderson, who signed in January on loan from Newcastle, has stood out, starting all but one fixture since and scoring eight goals.
Anderson's winner against Colchester United in mid-March saw the team lifted into the play-off places for the first time in the season.
A few short weeks later and they have gone one better, jumping above Northampton Town to secure a return straight back to League One.
Re: How Bristol Rovers turned their season around
2Can we acknowledge that Scunthorpe fielded a bunch of academy players yesterday? Absolutely disgraceful that they should throw the game in that way. I'd be really angry if I was connected to Northampton in any way.
Re: How Bristol Rovers turned their season around
3Great bit of copy & paste.Torquay Exile wrote: May 7th, 2022, 6:34 pm How Bristol Rovers turned their season around
In September, Rovers were languishing near the bottom of the table, with two wins and five losses from their first eight matches, leaving them hovering above the relegation zone in 22nd place.
The team had claimed only six wins in total since Barton was appointed in February 2021 and had yet to record an away win during his tenure.
After a dismal season that saw Rovers relegated last year to League Two after five seasons in the division above, Barton overhauled the team in the summer with 21 players shown the door and 17 brought in.
With so much upheaval in the squad, Barton called for fans to be patient as results did not go their way, with a rash of injuries during the first few months not helping the cause.
Rovers sat 16th as the year drew to a close but were transformed in 2022, winning 15 and losing three of their last 24 matches, with 12 clean sheets.
But as players began to find their form, Rovers' results dramatically picked up.
Striker Aaron Collins did not find the back of the net until 24 November but ended the season with 17 goals to finish as the top scorer.
Anthony Evans, another new arrival last summer, has similarly been a key playmaker, with 10 league goals and 13 assists in his best campaign to date.
Teenager Elliot Anderson, who signed in January on loan from Newcastle, has stood out, starting all but one fixture since and scoring eight goals.
Anderson's winner against Colchester United in mid-March saw the team lifted into the play-off places for the first time in the season.
A few short weeks later and they have gone one better, jumping above Northampton Town to secure a return straight back to League One.
Re: How Bristol Rovers turned their season around
4As you say, disgraceful. Quite rightly, some on here were saying it would be wrong for us to play two or three academy lads at Port Vale. The integrity of the promotion battle might have been compromised. Rovers got a free pass yesterday. Didn't realise until later that the referee allowed them twenty minutes to clear the pitch of spectators. That's surely far too long. I now sincerely hope Northampton get promoted through the playoffs.Chepstow'sFine wrote: May 8th, 2022, 8:37 am Can we acknowledge that Scunthorpe fielded a bunch of academy players yesterday? Absolutely disgraceful that they should throw the game in that way. I'd be really angry if I was connected to Northampton in any way.
Re: How Bristol Rovers turned their season around
5They played a load of their kids last week as well, nothing was mentioned about that, then.
Their team has been utter crap for the majority of the season, they’re relegated and looking to see what, if any, of their younger players will be playing next season.
Their team has been utter crap for the majority of the season, they’re relegated and looking to see what, if any, of their younger players will be playing next season.
Re: How Bristol Rovers turned their season around
6You have entirely missed the key point. Last weekend they played Hartlepool. Mid table and no bearing on any promotion issues. Nobody batted an eyelid precisely because of whom they were playing. It's simply the reverse of our two fixtures. There would have been eyebrows raised had we put out an experimental side at Vale Park, but not yesterday.Exile 1976 wrote: May 8th, 2022, 5:45 pm They played a load of their kids last week as well, nothing was mentioned about that, then.
Their team has been utter crap for the majority of the season, they’re relegated and looking to see what, if any, of their younger players will be playing next season.
Re: How Bristol Rovers turned their season around
7Yeh that's it. Play kids in a dead rubber but not in a meaningful game. It's for that reason I've no sympathy for them anymore. They can rot in non-league for all I care. The Gogs and one other deserve their place over them in the professional game after that totally unprofessional display.
Re: How Bristol Rovers turned their season around
8excessbee wrote: May 8th, 2022, 6:06 pmYou have entirely missed the key point. Last weekend they played Hartlepool. Mid table and no bearing on any promotion issues. Nobody batted an eyelid precisely because of whom they were playing. It's simply the reverse of our two fixtures. There would have been eyebrows raised had we put out an experimental side at Vale Park, but not yesterday.Exile 1976 wrote: May 8th, 2022, 5:45 pm They played a load of their kids last week as well, nothing was mentioned about that, then.
Their team has been utter crap for the majority of the season, they’re relegated and looking to see what, if any, of their younger players will be playing next season.
No excess, I haven’t missed the point, I know what the bloody point was but I don’t agree. They’re shit whatever team they put out and they’ve decided to play some players to get them experience for next season. Their choice. Nothing to say their ‘best’ XI wouldn’t have got dicked 7-0. They had conceded 4 and 5 goals in two of their last 8 games (of which they lost 7 of them) before the kids were put in against Hartlepool.
Re: How Bristol Rovers turned their season around
9I imagine the EFL will be checking the referee’s report plus details of any bets on the game.
For Sc-unthorpe to play a whole team of academy players (they had fielded a handful of academy players in previous games, but not a whole team) brings the game into disrepute I feel. Throw in also that Sc-unthorpe would gain financially if Rovers were promoted (they sold them a player earlier in the season and there was a clause in the deal that brought more money if BRFC gained promotion) then this result is looking a bit iffy.
That said, Rovers have been in excellent form and The Irons clearly in poor form recently. The EFL should still look closely at the game though.
For Sc-unthorpe to play a whole team of academy players (they had fielded a handful of academy players in previous games, but not a whole team) brings the game into disrepute I feel. Throw in also that Sc-unthorpe would gain financially if Rovers were promoted (they sold them a player earlier in the season and there was a clause in the deal that brought more money if BRFC gained promotion) then this result is looking a bit iffy.
That said, Rovers have been in excellent form and The Irons clearly in poor form recently. The EFL should still look closely at the game though.
Re: How Bristol Rovers turned their season around
10Could be grounds for banning that sort of clause in transfers within a division.
Re: How Bristol Rovers turned their season around
11I have no problem with any team playing what ever players they like.
All the so called kids must of had contracts and been on the books as registered players, therefore entitled to play.
If a player is registered properly then he is entitled to play.
Who is to say they are worse or better than some else.
Is there a league ruling stating that you have to play your best possible side? If so who in the FA can decide that the side fielded wasn’t the strongest. All the team would have to say is we had lots of injuries.
No one would of moaned had they won.
All the so called kids must of had contracts and been on the books as registered players, therefore entitled to play.
If a player is registered properly then he is entitled to play.
Who is to say they are worse or better than some else.
Is there a league ruling stating that you have to play your best possible side? If so who in the FA can decide that the side fielded wasn’t the strongest. All the team would have to say is we had lots of injuries.
No one would of moaned had they won.
Re: How Bristol Rovers turned their season around
12So when sides cited covid had decimated squads and had games called off they could have in all reality fielded sidesFu Ming wrote: May 9th, 2022, 9:38 am I have no problem with any team playing what ever players they like.
All the so called kids must of had contracts and been on the books as registered players, therefore entitled to play.
If a player is registered properly then he is entitled to play.
Who is to say they are worse or better than some else.
Is there a league ruling stating that you have to play your best possible side? If so who in the FA can decide that the side fielded wasn’t the strongest. All the team would have to say is we had lots of injuries.
No one would of moaned had they won.
Re: How Bristol Rovers turned their season around
13Rochdale's keeper on Saturday was an experienced emergency loan brought in from Sheff Utd for the last two games because of injuries. Ironically given Rovers went up on goals scored, the other game was against them and he let in four!
Re: How Bristol Rovers turned their season around
14I respect your opinion but I disagree. Football is a sporting competition. You should always play your strongest side. Is it against the laws of the game what they did? Probably not. Is it unsporting? Massively so. I understand that Scunny couldn't give a flying fig about who goes up having already been relegated but by playing all the kids in a competitive match you've effectively thrown the game. I'll say it again, if Scunthorpe never come back from this I will be glad.Fu Ming wrote: May 9th, 2022, 9:38 am I have no problem with any team playing what ever players they like.
All the so called kids must of had contracts and been on the books as registered players, therefore entitled to play.
If a player is registered properly then he is entitled to play.
Who is to say they are worse or better than some else.
Is there a league ruling stating that you have to play your best possible side? If so who in the FA can decide that the side fielded wasn’t the strongest. All the team would have to say is we had lots of injuries.
No one would of moaned had they won.
Re: How Bristol Rovers turned their season around
15This article was quite instructive on that point. Specifically:Chepstow'sFine wrote: May 9th, 2022, 11:30 am Is it against the laws of the game what they did? Probably not.
Scunthorpe have a strong case on this basis. The Football League wrote the rules, Scunthorpe adhered to them. If Northampton have a quibble, it should be with the Football League for not having more stringent rules.EFL guidance states that from the fourth Thursday in March, any team sheet for a league game should include at least 10 outfield players who featured on the team sheet for the previous league game. Scunthorpe adhered to such instruction.
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