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City vs Rovers
04 SEP 2013
DERBY SPECIAL Your essential guide to tonight’s clash between City and Rovers EPB-E01-S4
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Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Bristol City
Derby is perfect pick-me-up for rival supporters Andy Stockhausen andy.stockhausen @b-nm.co.uk
EPB-E01-S4
L
OUIS Carey reckons a derby showdown is just what the fans need on both sides of Bristol’s football divide. City’s long-serving defender was delighted when he heard the draw for the first round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and is genuinely excited at the prospect of the first competitive Bristol derby in six-and-a-half years. And the 36-year-old Bristolian is convinced the intense City-Rovers rivalry will help both sets of supporters erase memories of last season. Rovers flattered to deceive in League Two and flirted with relegation until John Ward took over as manager and inspired a recovery during the second half of the season. As for City, they were mired in a protracted and bitter battle for Championship survival that ultimately ended in failure. Crowds at Ashton Gate and the Memorial Stadium dwindled and both clubs changed managers during a season of upheaval and turmoil. Against such a doom-laden backdrop, the mouth-watering prospect of a Bristol derby is sure to serve as a welcome relief. Carey said: “When I heard the draw, my first thought was ‘excellent’. “After what happened at the end of last season, I can’t think of anything that will give the fans and the people of Bristol a bigger lift. “We both had poor seasons and ours ended in relegation, which made it even worse. A derby game will help take the focus away from that and is just what we all need.” Tonight’s Ashton Gate showdown will be the first between the bitter rivals since they met in the Southern Area final of the LDV Vans Trophy in March 2007. “It feels a bit like when we played them in the LDV Vans Trophy all those years ago,” added Carey. “We had not played against Rovers for so long, it was such a big thing. “I know we had my testimonial game last season, but that was a pre-season exercise and there was nothing really on it. There is something on this game and fans of both clubs want to have the bragging rights. “That is why the build-up is so big and, in that respect, it is an important game.” Back then, the Pirates held the Robins to a goalless draw at Ashton Gate before winning the home leg 1-0, with a Rickie Lambert strike. City shrugged off that disappointment by winning automatic promotion to the Championship a couple of months later, but defeat to the neighbours still rankles with Carey.
He recalled: “I just hope that what happened last time does not happen again. It was almost as though we did not turn up for the first leg at our place. “It was very quiet and felt almost as though the fans had forgotten how to behave in a derby match. There was a surreal atmosphere inside Ashton Gate that night and we never really got going. “We did okay in the second leg, but the goal from Lambert was enough in the end and we went out. “That defeat really hurt, because it was a semi-final and there was a place in the final at the Millennium Stadium at stake. “That was our chance to do a League One promotion and LDV Vans Trophy double that year and Rovers took it away from us. “It was a massive disappointment and it made us even more determined to do well in the League and win promotion. “I think there’s only Scott Murray,
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After what happened at the end of last season, I can’t think of anything that will give the fans and the people of Bristol a bigger lift.
Louis Carey
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Liam Fontaine and myself still here from those days and what happened in 2007 will definitely be in our minds. All of that is long gone now, but there is still the feeling that you want to go out there and put things right.” City may have just come down from the Championship, but Carey, a veteran of numerous Bristol derby battles down the years, dismisses suggestions that the Robins will be favourites to dispatch League Two Rovers. Pushing issues of status to one side, he insists John Ward’s Pirates have every bit as much to lose as City. “People are saying that we have everything to lose and nothing to gain and that Rovers are in a no-lose situation. I don’t agree with that,” said Carey. “It’s a local derby and they have just as much to lose as we do. “John Ward will want them to prepare for it properly and to win it – and the fans will be the same. “I have friends who are Rovers fans and their pride and passion and will to win a local derby is every bit as great as mine. “The whole favourite and underdog thing goes out of the window once the game kicks off, and you won’t be able to tell which is the League One team and which is the League Two side.” Carey knows Rovers boss Ward well, having played under him during his time at Ashton Gate during the late 1990s. And he knows exactly what
● Louis Carey admits that defeat in the Southern Area final of the LDV Vans Trophy in 2007 hit the City camp hard to expect when Ward sends his team out to play beneath the Ashton Gate floodlights. “In all fairness, John will be dead calm and talk quietly to people before the game. He is not a big ranter and raver,” said Carey. “But don’t be fooled by appearances. He will have Rovers well prepared and organised and his players will definitely be up for it. “They will probably be a little bit more direct than us and he will work well with what he has there. “They will be up and at us, they will be in our faces and I think it is going
to be a really hard game. We’ll be trying to play our football, but we will have to earn the right first.” Carey may well have been around the block when it comes to playing in Bristol derby clashes, but for the vast majority of City’s new signings and young players it will be an altogether new experience. But Carey is adamant City’s youngsters can only gain from playing in front of a passionate crowd and the Sky TV cameras. “It can go one of two ways with youngsters,” he said. “At the start of the season, they have a real buzz and
no fear of anything. But that can all change when they get to the end of the season and the real crunch is on. When all that nervous energy they had at the start of the season has worn off and gone, that is when they realise what it is really about. “When the pressure is on at the back end of the season, it begins to tell on people. “I think it’s great for our young lads that they can experience that at the start of a season, because it will stand them in good stead. They will learn a lot about themselves playing in a game like this.”
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Wednesday, September 4, 2013
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Bristol Rovers
Derby veteran Stewart will be on hand if Rovers players should need a history lesson
● Bristol Rovers development coach Marcus Stewart knows more than most how much the derby means to players and supporters, having played for both clubs James McNamara james.mcnamara @b-nm.co.uk
and get stuck in, and, yes, you do have to do that, but, while you have to play with your heart, you must not forget to also play with your mind. “It is a game that is important for maybe 40,000 people in the city and the atmosphere will be electric, but we as staff and players are professionals doing our job and we have to
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While you have to play with your heart, you must not forget to also play with your mind
Marcus Stewart
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remove ourselves from that slightly. I think every manager would say that before one of these games because it is vitally important for the players to focus on the job that is assigned to them on the day and not to get sidetracked by the atmosphere
and everything else that goes with it.” Stewart, meanwhile, left Rovers in 1996 to embark on the remainder of what went on to be a glittering career that saw him spend spells in the top flight with Ipswich Town and Sunderland. It made the striker no stranger to derbies elsewhere around the country, so, how does an East Anglia derby or a battle in the North East compare to the Bristol rivalry? “They are the same wherever you go,” said Stewart. “The one where you live is always the most important to the people of that region. “When I played in derbies for Ipswich or Sunderland I called on my previous experiences from the ones I played in Bristol. I knew what to expect, but, if you don’t, you are never short of people around to tell you. “I was never surprised by the intensity or the ferocity with which they were played and I was always aware of what they meant to the supporters.”
Stewart, meanwhile, will either be tasked with bringing the Rovers players back down to earth or lifting them off the floor once all the talking is done and the outcome is decided. “They’ll be happy if win or they’ll be sad if they lose,” Stewart said, when asked of what emotions the players go through in the immediate days that follow. “It really is as simple as that.” When asked to pinpoint his own favourite derby moment, Stewart showed no sign of hesitation when explaining: “I think it must have been near the end of 1992, in a game we won 4-0 at Twerton Park. “Malcolm Allison was the manager that day and it was one that was live on TV. I smashed a volley in to the roof of the net and it was just a fantastic feeling. “I also played when Peter Beadle scored twice in a 2-0 win at Ashton Gate a few years later and that was another great day. They are all great games and great days – but only if you come out on the winning side!”
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IT IS unlikely that any of the players inside the Bristol Rovers camp will need to be told how important the outcome of tonight’s clash with Bristol City at Ashton Gate will be to supporters on both sides of the divide. Should Rovers boss John Ward have cause to remind any of them, however, there is probably no better man to relay the message than development coach Marcus Stewart. A born and bred Bristolian, Stewart has experienced the derby from both sides of the fence, having watched the games as an awestruck youngster before going on to live the dream of by featuring on the pitch on several occasions as the arch-rivals locked horns throughout the first half of the nineties. “I’ve played in a few,” said Stewart,
who played for Rovers 157 times between 1991 and 1996. “I know how important they are to the people in this region. “I always enjoyed playing in the games and the excitement of the build-up. I had a slight advantage when I played in my first one because I knew what it was all about. “The importance and magnitude of the fixture is something that you are fully aware of if you have grown up in the city and watched the derby games throughout your own childhood. “They are games that haven’t come around too often in recent years, and it is important for us on the coaching staff to instil in the players exactly what this fixture means to the fans and to Bristol Rovers as a club. “It is about playing with your heart, running around and working hard, yet you also have to try to be calm and make the right decisions. “You can’t allow yourself to get too excited or overwhelmed by the occasion. “Everybody wants to go out there
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Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Bristol City vs Bristol Rovers | Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, Ashton Gate, tonight, 7.45pm
Andy
Possible line up: City
Defender Nicky reveals a desire to play midfield Stockhausen
Previous meeting
Fielding
Biggest City win
N
Williams Shorey
Flint Moloney
Emmanuel-Thomas
When I first joined Leyton Orient I played in midfield and really enjoyed it. To be honest, it was only later on that I switched to left-back and took on a more defensive role
Nicky Shorey
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another side to his game as he acquitted himself well in a 1-1 draw at Priestfield, providing several telling crosses and trying his luck with a couple of shots that went off target. Cunningham’s late call-up by the Republic of Ireland means Shorey is likely to make his first start for the Robins on the left side of defence against the Pirates. But should head coach Sean O’Driscoll opt to go into the game with three central defenders and wing-backs, the former Reading man will be more than happy to help out in midfield as City set about avenging their defeat at the hands of Rovers in the Southern Area final of the Football League Trophy in 2007. “I started out playing in midfield when I was a kid and it has always been my favourite position,” said Shorey. “When I first joined Leyton Orient I played in midfield and really enjoyed it. To be honest, it was only later on that I switched to left-back and took on a more defensive role. “Because I’ve now played so many
Harewood
Clarkson
Harrold
Santos
Lockyer Norburn
O’Toole Smith
Brown McChrystal
Parkes
● Bristol City’s Nicky Shorey games at left-back, I think people have forgotten that I can operate in the middle of the park, as well. I think I’ve been typecast, and it is a bit frustrating really. “I’ve spoken to managers about it and asked if I can play in midfield, but it has usually fallen on deaf ears. They just ignore me because they see me as a left-back. “It’s a bit annoying, because I do have that extra string to my bow, and I’d love the chance to play further forward.” Although tonight’s first-round tie will present Shorey with his first taste of a Bristol derby atmosphere, he admits his previous involvement in Midlands derbies between Birmingham City and Aston Villa will stand him in good stead. Shorey said: “These games are all about the fans and this one will be no different. I’ve not seen a Bristol derby before, but I’ve heard all about them and I’m looking forward to it. “I played in a number of Birmingham derbies for Villa and they were always manic affairs – 100 miles an hour football and the tackles flying in all over the pitch! “I’m an Essex boy and don’t know too much about Bristol yet, but I know it will mean a lot to the fans. They will turn out in force and it should be a great atmosphere.” With close to 400 Football League appearances under his belt, Romford-born Shorey believes he has a role to play in developing City’s clutch of talented young players. While he is eager to break into the first team and play as many games as possible, he is also aware of his responsibilities off the pitch. He said: “That is something I spoke about with both Sean O’Driscoll (head coach) and Keith Burt (director
Mildenhall (4-4-2)
Betting BRISTOL City start tonight’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy clash as favourites, but Rovers will fancy their chances thanks to the derby/cup combination. This is the only competition in which the two have played each other competitively since 2001, and their record is evenly matched since then. As favourites, City fans might feel that Bet365’s 8/11 is a decent price for a home win in 90 minutes, given that they have already had a Capital One
Biggest Rovers win Rovers 5 City 1 December 30, 1933
Where they stand
Reid
Baldock
Rovers
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Rovers 1 City 0 February 27, 2007 Rovers 0 City 5 October 9, 1926
Wagstaff
ICKY Shorey is convinced he can make an impact for City against Rovers in tonight’s Bristol derby – possibly as a midfielder. Renowned as a fast-raiding left-back during a career that peaked in the Premier League with Reading and Aston Villa, City’s new signing has revealed a hitherto hidden desire to play further forward. While most players the wrong side of 30 could be excused for dropping back and seeking a less exacting role, Shorey is eager to test himself in the engine room. Typecast as an out-and-out left-back for much of his professional career, the 32-year-old was introduced to City fans in an unexpected guise at Gillingham on Saturday. A 60th-minute replacement for Bobby Reid, Shorey was deployed on the left side of midfield with a brief to support full-back Greg Cunningham and provide ammunition for forwards Sam Baldock and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas. And he showed
EPB-E01-S4
(4-4-2)
Pack
City preview
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Match facts
Cup victory at Ashton Gate this season, against Premier League Crystal Palace. BetVictor.com offer just shy of 4/1 for a Rovers win in 90 minutes. However, with teams often cagey in the last few minutes of normal time, Rovers fans might be more tempted to take the 2/1 available at Skybet for their team to go through to the next round (either in 90 minutes or via penalties). Odds supplied by Betrescue.com
Sky Bet League One P W D L Leyton Orient........... 5 5 0 0 Wolverhampton ....... 5 4 1 0 Peterborough ........... 5 4 0 1 Brentford .................. 5 2 3 0 Rotherham ............... 5 2 3 0 MK Dons.................. 5 2 3 0 Bradford ................... 5 2 2 1 Colchester ............... 5 2 2 1 Preston .................... 5 1 4 0 Swindon ................... 5 2 1 2 Crawley Town.......... 5 2 1 2 Walsall ..................... 5 2 1 2 Oldham .................... 5 2 0 3 Shrewsbury ............. 5 1 3 1 Stevenage ............... 5 1 1 3 Port Vale.................. 5 1 1 3 Sheff Utd ................. 5 1 1 3 Tranmere ................. 5 1 1 3 Crewe ...................... 5 1 1 3 CITY ........................ 5 0 3 2 Gillingham ............... 5 0 3 2 Carlisle .................... 5 0 2 3 Notts County............ 5 0 1 4 Coventry .................. 5 2 2 1
F 13 11 12 6 8 6 10 5 9 8 10 5 8 5 5 5 4 6 5 10 4 2 4 16
A 2 3 5 3 6 4 5 4 6 5 9 6 8 6 7 9 8 13 12 12 9 14 9 12
Pts 15 13 12 9 9 9 8 8 7 7 7 7 6 6 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 1 -2
Sky Bet League Two P W D L Chesterfield ............. 5 4 1 0 Oxford Utd ............... 5 3 2 0 Burton Albion........... 5 3 2 0 AFC Wimbledon ...... 5 3 1 1 Exeter ...................... 5 3 1 1 Fleetwood Town ...... 5 3 0 2 Southend ................. 5 3 0 2 Newport County....... 5 2 2 1 Mansfield ................. 5 2 2 1 Bury ......................... 5 2 1 2 ROVERS ................. 5 2 1 2 Wycombe ................ 5 2 1 2 Morecambe ............. 5 2 1 2 Scunthorpe .............. 5 1 3 1 Plymouth ................. 5 2 0 3 Torquay ................... 5 1 3 1 Rochdale ................. 5 1 2 2 Portsmouth .............. 5 1 2 2 Dag & Red............... 5 1 2 2 York ......................... 5 1 1 3 Cheltenham ............. 5 1 1 3 Northampton ............ 5 1 0 4 Hartlepool ................ 5 0 2 3 Accrington Stan ....... 5 0 1 4
F 10 12 9 7 6 8 6 8 6 10 5 5 5 6 5 5 6 8 5 4 5 4 0 3
A 3 6 6 5 4 6 4 6 4 7 5 5 6 5 6 6 5 10 8 7 11 7 5 11
Pts 13 11 11 10 10 9 9 8 8 7 7 7 7 6 6 6 5 5 5 4 4 3 2 1
Odds by BetVictor
Result
City 7/10, Rovers 21/5, draw 29/10
First scorer
City: Baldock 15/4, Emmanuel-Thomas 5/1, Harewood 5/1 Rovers: Clarkson, Harrold 8/1, O’Toole 15/1
of football) before I signed. I didn’t know too much about the make-up of the squad, and I was really surprised when I turned up and found so many youngsters around the place. “That is quite unusual in this day and age. But it is also a sign of the times with so many clubs cutting costs. Hopefully, I can pass some of my knowledge on to the younger players and help them both on and off the pitch. There are so many talented youngsters here that the more experienced professionals have a wider role to play.” Read Andy’s stories by following a_stockhausen at www.bristolpost.uk
● Nicky Shorey comes in for his Bristol City debut at Gillingham last Saturday
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Wednesday, September 4, 2013
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Bristol City vs Bristol Rovers | Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, Ashton Gate, tonight, 7.45pm
Kenneth: I know what a derby means to fans James
McNamara Rovers preview
B
RISTOL Rovers defender Garry Kenneth says he knows exactly how Bristol Rovers supporters will be feeling as they prepare to face arch-rivals City at Ashton Gate tonight. The two sides do battle in a competitive encounter for the first time in more than six years, in a bid to secure a place in the second round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. “I know exactly how our fans will be feeling,” said Kenneth. “I was a football supporter long before I was a player, and I’d always look forward to these derby games. “I’ve grown up as a Dundee United fan, so whenever we play Dundee I feel the same as all of our supporters will do on Wednesday night. “The Dundee derby is a very strange one. Everyone goes to the game to support their team, but everyone is mates in the pub afterwards. “The clubs are in such close proximity that your neighbour or your mate from across the street might support the other team, or, in some cases there may be Dundee and Dundee United fans in the same household. “I think there is only about 100 yards between the two grounds, and I remember having to meet in the car park at Tannadice and then walking up the street to the other stadium. “Don’t get me wrong, during the games there is an intense rivalry and a fiery atmosphere, but once the final whistle goes it’s all forgotten about. It’s then all back to the pub to enjoy ribbing your mates who have ended up on the losing side!” Kenneth has certainly played the role of United supporter on more occasions than he has a player when the two Dundee outfits have gone head-to-head in recent times. His only appearance came in a 2-1
victory in 2005, during a game in which Kenneth was booked, such was his desire to end up on the winning side. “I love a good, fiery encounter, and I enjoy it when the tackles are flying in during these sorts of games,” said Kenneth. “They are always played in a great atmosphere, and that brings an extra edge. “The game on Wednesday is probably even bigger because the two clubs have not met that often in competitive games in recent years. “People say we are going there as underdogs because we are a league lower than them, but I don’t think that counts for much on occasions like this. “We as players want to do the best for the club, as well as ourselves, and we’ll be going there fully confident that we can win the game. If you don’t have that attitude before every game, you may as well put your boots away and go home before you’ve started.” Rovers make the short trip across the city in good spirits after back-to-back wins in the fortnight since the two sides were paired against each other. “That we were drawn out against City didn’t really have any effect on our focus in terms of the games leading up to it,” said Kenneth. “We knew we needed to build a bit of momentum before the City game and, of course, picking up league points is always our first priority. “It is always good to go into massive games like this on the back of a couple of victories. We’re playing well and we’re confident before we go there. “I think the character the lads showed to win a very tough and physical game against Northampton tells you all you need to know about how together we are as a squad.” Read James’ stories by following JamesMcNamara at www.bristolpost.co.uk
● Bristol Rovers defender Garry Kenneth says he loves the extra edge and great atmosphere that you get in derbies
EPB-E01-S4
● Garry Kenneth, centre, pictured during his time at Dundee United
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Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Bristol City
Millen recalls the magic of scoring in a Bristol derby Richard Latham
K
epsport@b-nm.co.uk
EITH Millen may have spent his playing career trying to stop goals – but he knows the thrill of scoring in a Bristol derby. The man who served City for 12 years in various roles from player to manager netted against Rovers at Ashton Gate on December 22, 2000, helping his side to a 3-2 league win in front of a 16,000 crowd. For Millen, then a seasoned central defender and now assistant manager to former Rovers stalwart Ian Holloway at Crystal Palace, it was a moment to cherish. “I had gone up for a corner and stayed up when it was cleared,” he said. “I think it may have been Mickey Bell who crossed and I managed to get a touch at the far post with a foot, rather than my head, which made it even more memorable. “It was in front of the City fans and produced a great feeling. There was a fantastic atmosphere, with Ashton Gate packed and the noise incredible. We went on to win the game and everyone was on such a high afterwards. That’s what derbies do for you. “I had played in them for Watford against Luton, which were pretty feisty at times, but the ones in Bristol were more intense. “The strange thing was that for 90 per cent of the time City and Rovers fans seemed to live happily enough alongside one another. “Then a derby would came around and for a few days hatred would set in. It was as though the rest of the world closed down and all that mattered was the game.” Millen’s other derby appearance as
a City player came eight months earlier, when he tasted defeat in a particularly heated encounter at the Memorial Stadium, which boiled over even before the start. “Everything kicked off in the tunnel before a ball had been kicked,” he recalled. “The teams lined up side by side and I don’t know what started it, but suddenly all hell broke loose. “That ensured an even more physical game than usual. I remember I had to mark Jason Roberts, who
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The teams lined up side by side and I don’t what started it, but suddenly all hell broke loose
Keith Millen
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could certainly put himself about. By the end, both teams knew they had been in a game. I think Rovers won 2-0, so it was a bad day for us. You feel for the supporters as much as yourself when you lose a derby.” Millen, who still owns a house at Nailsea, retains a close affinity with Bristol football and will keep an eye out for the result at Ashton Gate in a competition which usually takes a few rounds to gather interest. “I don’t care whether it’s the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, the FA Cup or a league match, a Bristol derby will always generate the same rivalry,” he said. “It doesn’t surprise me at all that ticket sales have been so good. “Ollie and I still enjoy a bit of banter about our opposite allegiances and no doubt we will again on Thursday morning, whatever the result. I’m sure it will be another great occasion and I hope the game lives up to it.”
● Former Bristol City defender and manager Keith Millen is now assistant boss to Ian Holloway at Crystal Palace
Bristol City fan’s view . . . by Matthew Withers
EPB-E01-S4
The piece of Smart work for Rovers that ruined my Christmas LIKE all Bristol football fans I have my own derby memories. I’m of an age where, as a teenager, City were often second best in the games in terms of results. I was often too nervous or disappointed to enjoy them and those feelings have remained since. I can still remember walking into school the day after a Rovers victory and being greeted by messages in every classroom on the chalkboard, kindly written up by the Rovers fans in the class (Glenn and Paul, you know who you are). As a result, I’m never really keen on derby games. My earliest derby memory of any note was the FA Cup second-round tie in December 1983 at Eastville. City had lost their previous five matches against ‘The Gas’ and were seventh in the bottom division, while Rovers were second in Division Three.
After all their financial problems, City went into the game as big underdogs. Archie Stephens scored first for Rovers, but Tom Ritchie equalised and City’s winner came from Martin Hirst, with only a couple of minutes to go. Rovers got their revenge a year later, winning 3-1 at Ashton Gate in the FA Cup, although that followed a 3-0 win for City in the league. My next vivid memory is of the New Year’s Day clash at Ashton Gate in January 1987. More than 17,000 turned up to see the game. City dominated, but couldn’t break Rovers down. With only minutes remaining, Geoff Twentyman launched a free-kick into the City box and it was headed clear to the edge of the penalty area, where Gary Smart smashed a volley past Keith Waugh. I was devastated, Christmas ruined. I got to meet Smart a couple of years
back when he helped with a coaching session for the junior football side I run. My brother introduced me and I refused to speak, the pain was still there more than 20 years later. But Gary is a really nice guy and talented youth coach. No hard feelings, yeah right! The next season, I remember the 3-3 draw at Ashton Gate in September 1987, when two now Premier League managers, in David Moyes and Ian Holloway, scored for City and Rovers, respectively. I remember having a passionate dislike (that’s being polite) for Holloway and for Ian Alexander (Jock), the Rovers full-back. The two of them gave 100 per cent in every derby and loved to wind up the City fans. To be fair, I have nothing but respect for Holloway now, a proud Bristolian who wears his heart on his sleeve and has gone on to be an excellent manager.
The most painful derby defeat was, not surprisingly, the 3-0 Rovers victory in May 1990, that saw them clinch promotion from Division Three and days later go on to win the title. I felt sure that the title was City’s, but Rovers were excellent that night, with Holloway, Devon White and David Mehew at the top of their game. City never got into it and the atmosphere turned nasty on the terraces. I got home that night and threw my City shirt in the bin, such was the disappointment. I remember all the derby games since the 1980s. March 1991 and a 1-0 victory, thanks to a Louie Donowa strike, will live long in the memory. Holloway had a penalty saved by Andy Leaning and, with ten minutes to go, Donowa stooped to head home a shot that Brian Parkin could only parry in the Rovers goal.
● Gary Smart, pictured during his Bristol Rovers days
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Wednesday, September 4, 2013
7
Bristol Rovers
I’m not sure what reception I’ll get, says Clarkson James McNamara james.mcnamara @b-nm.co.uk
F
ORMER City striker David Clarkson says he doesn’t really know what sort of reception to expect when he returns to Ashton Gate as a Bristol Rovers player tonight. Clarkson is set to lead the Rovers attack when the sides go head-to-head in the first round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tonight – a game which sees City and Rovers face each other in a competitive match for the first team in more than six years. The Scotland international arrived at the Memorial Stadium on a free transfer last summer, after being released by former City manager Derek McInnes. He scored 11 times in 63 outings for City, following a big-money move from Scottish Premier League club Motherwell in 2009. “I’m not sure what sort of reception to expect,” said Clarkson. “There will probably be a bit of both. Some fans might support me and others will boo me, but that is all part and parcel of the game. “There will probably be a bit of both, but that’s what happens for most players when they go back to an old club. It doesn’t matter to me, really, that’s football. “The word I would use to describe how things went for me during my time at City would be ‘mixed’. I certainly didn’t play as many games as I would have liked because of injury and changes in manager. “It was a great learning experience for me in terms of moving down from Scotland and trying my luck in England for the first time. I enjoyed my
three years there immensely, and am looking forward to going back again. There are still a few familiar faces, who, I hope, will be pleased to see me, so I just hope it is a good night, on which we can get a decent result.” Clarkson will be able to call on the support of a travelling contingent of more than 2,500, and he added: “We’ll have a big following over there ourselves, and I know they will make plenty of noise and get behind us. “I’m looking forward to the game
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Some fans might support me and others will boo me, but that is all part and parcel of the game
David Clarkson
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immensely. I was watching the draw on television and the first emotion when the two names came out of the hat together was one of excitement. “I think it is a great draw for both clubs and for the supporters. These games don’t come around too often, and it is good to renew the rivalry and all the passion that seems to come with them.” Rovers’ opening assignment in this year’s competition is in stark contrast to a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Yeovil Town, in front of less than 3,000 supporters, last season. Ashton Gate is expected to be close to capacity tonight, while a sizeable national TV audience will also have the opportunity to take in the game live on Sky Sports, and Clarkson said: “You don’t expect to be playing in a game as big as this one in the first round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. You want to win every time
● David Clarkson, pictured in his Bristol City days, left, and celebrating after scoring for Rovers against York this season you go out and play, but the rivalry means both sets of supporters will want us to win this one that little bit more. “We are going there as the underdogs and we don’t really have anything to lose. If we play well and do the
things we know we can do, I’m sure we will make a very good game of it. “They are a division higher than we are and are a good side, but it is good test for us and a chance for some of our boys to show how good they are, or put themselves in the shop
window in front of the TV cameras. “Winning the game would please our supporters, but there is more to it than that. It is a chance to make progress in a cup competition and would also provide us a boost in terms of our league form.”
Bristol Rovers fan’s view . . . by Dennis Payter
Mickey Mouse Cup? Rickie’s goal against City would suggest not radio coverage, people talked excitedly about the game, but needed to get one of those football papers to see all the details. We all have our favourite memories of these games. One that particularly sticks out in my mind is New Year’s Day in 1987 at Ashton Gate, when City dominated a league game only for Gary Smart to grab a winning goal for Rovers. It was daylight robbery. Tonight could be the game that kick-starts our season, both for the club and an individual player. What Rovers fan will forget that JPT area final of 2007, when we beat City 1-0 in the second leg? It meant a day out at the Millennium Stadium. That win also got us up and running in the league and we earned a trip to the newly-opened Wembley to win promotion in the play-off final. It was Rickie Lambert who got the
goal against City. His career at Rovers, since his £200,000 transfer from Rochdale, had not been particularly inspiring until then, but he
“
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Tom Lockyer is very much the man of the moment, or should I say youngster, after another encouraging performance, capped by his first goal for the club, against Northampton
Dennis Payter
............................................................................ really kicked on from ‘that goal’, and it could be from the JPT to Brazil and the World Cup in just seven years for Rickie. So who could our heroes be to-
night? Tom Lockyer is very much the man of the moment, or should I say youngster, after another encouraging performance, capped by his first goal for the club, against Northampton on Saturday. He has proved mature beyond his 18 years so far, particularly as he has played in a number of positions, and looked at home when he filled in at centre-back recently against Scunthorpe. It will be interesting to see how he copes with a big-match atmosphere in front of the City fans. Others, like Tom Parkes and Ollie Norburn, should relish the challenge, while Alefe Santos could be our surprise package as he deputises for Ellis Harrison, who is on international duty. David Clarkson has looked sharper since the return of strikers Matt Harrold and Ryan Brunt, and will be relishing a return to Ashton Gate.
● Rickie Lambert celebrates scoring for Rovers against City in 2007
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FANS on both sides are really looking forward to this game, but I suspect they are already getting their excuses ready in the event of a nightmare defeat against the old enemy. It’s only the Mickey Mouse Cup, we will say if our pride is dented. Of course, the league is always the most important these days, but we have all enjoyed great days out at Wembley and Cardiff in this competition. City versus Rovers has always been a big game, regardless of what competition it is in, particularly as we are not in the same division. My first recollection of the derby clash was as a schoolboy waiting in our local newsagents for the Green ‘Un and Pink ‘Un to arrive on a Saturday night, after Rovers had beaten City 4-3 at Ashton Gate in the fifth round of the FA Cup in 1958. There was no television or live
8
● Match officials and the respective captains – Vaughan Jones (Rovers) and Bobby Hutchinson (City) – line up with the mascots and their parents before the last derby match at Eastville, in April,1986
● A packed crowd at Ashton Gate for the derby in the 1951-52 season, which ended in a 1-1 draw
History of the Bristol derby games . . . played 103, City wins 42, Rovers wins 28, draws 33 ● 2006-07 February 21, 2007: Football League Trophy – Bristol City 0 Bristol Rovers 0 February 27, 2007: Football League Trophy – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 0
● 2001-02 January 9, 2002: Football League Trophy – Bristol City 3 Bristol Rovers 0
● 1989-90 September 23, 1989: English Div III (old) – Bristol City 0 Bristol Rovers 0 May 2, 1990: English Div III (old) – Bristol Rovers 3 Bristol City 0
● 2000-01
● 1988-89
December 22, 2000: Football League Div II – Bristol City 3 Bristol Rovers 2 April 3, 2001: Football League Div II – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 1
January 2, 1989: English Div III (old) – Bristol City 0 Bristol Rovers 1 March 25, 1989: English Div III (old) – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 1
● 1999-00
● 1987-88
Oct 17, 1999: Football League Div II – Bristol City 0 Bristol Rovers 0 April 22, 2000: Football League Div II: Bristol Rovers 2 Bristol City 0
September 12, 1987: English Div III (old) – Bristol City 3 Bristol Rovers 3 April 12, 1988: English Div III (old) – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 0
● 1997-98
● 1986-87
August 12, 1997: League Cup – Bristol City 0 Bristol Rovers 0 August 26, 1997: League Cup – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 2 November 4, 1997: Football League Div II – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 2 March 14, 1998: Football League Div II – Bristol City 2 Bristol Rovers 0
January 1, 1987: English Div III (old) – Bristol City 0 Bristol Rovers 1 April 18, 1987: English Div III (old) – Bristol Rovers 0 Bristol City 0
● 1996-97 December 15, 1996: Football League Div II – Bristol City 1 Bristol Rovers 1 March 16, 1997: Football League Div II – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 2
● 1995-96
● 1985-86 March 29, 1986: English Div III (old) – Bristol City 2 Bristol Rovers 0 April 22, 1986: English Div III (old) – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 1
● 1984-85 November 10, 1984: English Div III (old) – Bristol City 3 Bristol Rovers 0 December 8, 1984: FA Cup – Bristol City 1 Bristol Rovers 3 April 13, 1985: English Div III (old) – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 0
Rovers 0 Bristol City 0
Rovers 0 Bristol City 3
● 1974-75
● 1952-53
December 28, 1974: English Div II (old) – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 4 April 1, 1975: English Div II (old) – Bristol City 1 Bristol Rovers 1
● 1967-68 January 27, 1968: FA Cup – Bristol City 0 Bristol Rovers 0 January 30, 1968: FA Cup – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 2
● 1964-65 October 3, 1964: English Div III (old) – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 1 February 13, 1965: English Div III (old) – Bristol City 2 Bristol Rovers 1
● 1963-64 August 24, 1963: English Div III (old) – Bristol City 3 Bristol Rovers 0 December 14, 1963: English Div III (old) – Bristol Rovers 4 Bristol City 0
● 1962-63 September 15, 1962: English Div III (old) – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 2 April 23, 1963: English Div III(old) Bristol City 4 Bristol Rovers 1
● 1959-60 October 10, 1959: English Div II (old) – Bristol City 2 Bristol Rovers 1 February 27, 1960: English Div II (old) – Bristol Rovers 2 Bristol City 1
● 1958-59
January 16, 1996: Football League Div II – Bristol City 0 Bristol Rovers 2 March 16, 1996: Football League Div II – Bristol Rovers 2 Bristol City 4
● 1983-84
November 1, 1958: English Div II (old) – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 2 March 21, 1959: English Div II (old) – Bristol City 1 Bristol Rovers 1
● 1992-93
December 10, 1983: FA Cup – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 2
● 1957-58
December 13, 1992: Football League Div I – Bristol Rovers 4 Bristol City 0 April 6, 1993: Football League Div I – Bristol City 2 Bristol Rovers 1
● 1991-92 September 4, 1991: English Div II (old) – Bristol City 1 Bristol Rovers 0 September 25, 1991: League Cup – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 3 October 8, 1991: League Cup – Bristol City 2 Bristol Rovers 4 December 21, 1991: English Div II (old) – Bristol Rovers 3 Bristol City 2 EPB-E01-S4
Bristol Rovers 3 Bristol City 2 March 5, 1991: English Div II (old) – Bristol City 1 Bristol Rovers 0
● 1990-91 January 26, 1991: English Div II (old) –
● 1981-82 December 29, 1981: English Div III (old) – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 0 April 12, 1982: English Div III (old) – Bristol City 1 Bristol Rovers 2
October 12, 1957: English Div II (old) – Bristol City 3 Bristol Rovers 2 February 15, 1958: FA Cup – Bristol City 3 Bristol Rovers 4 April 5, 1958: English Div II (old) – Bristol Rovers 3 Bristol City 3
● 1980-81
● 1956-57
August 23, 1980: English Div II (old) – Bristol City 0 Bristol Rovers 0 January 31, 1981: English Div II (old) – Bristol Rovers 0 Bristol City 0
September 22, 1956: English Div II (old) – Bristol City 5 Bristol Rovers 3 February 2, 1957: English Div II (old) – Bristol Rovers 0 Bristol City 0
● 1975-76
● 1955-56
August 30, 1975: English Div II (old) – Bristol City 1 Bristol Rovers 1 April 16, 1976: English Div II (old) – Bristol
October 22, 1955: English Div II (old) – Bristol City 1 Bristol Rovers 1 March 3, 1956: English Div II (old) – Bristol
September 20, 1952: English Div III (South) – Bristol Rovers 0 Bristol City 0 February 7, 1953: English Div III (South) – Bristol City 0 Bristol Rovers 0
● 1951-52 September 15, 1951: English Div III (South) – Bristol City 1 Bristol Rovers 1 January 19, 1952: English Div III (South) – Bristol Rovers 2 Bristol City 0
● 1950-51 September 2, 1950: English Div III (South) – Bristol City 1 Bristol Rovers 0 December 30, 1950: English Div III (South) – Bristol Rovers 2 Bristol City 1
● 1949-50 September 10, 1949: English Div III (South) – Bristol Rovers 2 Bristol City 3 January 14, 1950: English Div III (South) – Bristol City 1 Bristol Rovers 2
● 1948-49 September 18, 1948: English Div III (South) – Bristol Rovers 3 Bristol City 1 February 5, 1949: English Div III (South) – Bristol City 1 Bristol Rovers 1
● 1947-48 September 27, 1947: English Div III (South) – Bristol Rovers 0 Bristol City 2 February 14, 1948: English Div III (South) – Bristol City 5 Bristol Rovers 2
● 1946-47 September 28, 1946: English Div III (South) – Bristol Rovers 0 Bristol City 3 February 1, 1947: English Div III (South) – Bristol City 4 Bristol Rovers 0
● 1945-46 December 8, 1945: FA Cup – Bristol City 4 Bristol Rovers 2 December 15, 1945: FA Cup – Bristol Rovers 0 Bristol City 2
● 1938-39 October 22, 1938: English Div III (South) – Bristol City 2 Bristol Rovers 1 February 25, 1939: English Div III (South) – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 1
● 1937-38 December 28, 1937: English Div III(South) – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 0 April 30, 1938: English Div III(South) – Bristol City 0 Bristol Rovers 0
● 1936-37 September 5, 1936: English Div III (South) – Bristol Rovers 3 Bristol City 1 January 2, 1937: English Div III (South) – Bristol City 4 Bristol Rovers 1 ● 1935-36 September 7, 1935: English Div III (South) – Bristol City 0 Bristol Rovers 2 January 4, 1936: English Div III (South) – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 1 ● 1934-35 September 15, 1934: English Div III (South) – Bristol Rovers 2 Bristol City 2 February 6, 1935: English Div III (South) – Bristol City 1 Bristol Rovers 1 ● 1933-34 August 26, 1933: English Div III (South) – Bristol City 0 Bristol Rovers 3 December 30, 1933: English Div III (South) – Bristol Rovers 5 Bristol City 1 ● 1932-33 October 15, 1932: English Div III (South) – Bristol City 3 Bristol Rovers 1 March 29, 1933: English Div III (South) – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 1 ● 1926-27 October 9, 1926: English Div III (South) – Bristol Rovers 0 Bristol City 5 February 26, 1927: English Div III(South) – Bristol City 3 Bristol Rovers 1 ● 1925-26 November 7, 1925: English Div III (South) – Bristol City 0 Bristol Rovers 0 March 20, 1926: English Div III (South) – Bristol Rovers 0 Bristol City 1 ● 1924-25 October 25, 1924: English Div III (South) – Bristol Rovers 0 Bristol City 0 January 10, 1925: FA Cup – Bristol Rovers 0 Bristol City 1 February 28, 1925: English Div III (South) – Bristol City 2 Bristol Rovers 0 ● 1922-23 September 23, 1922: English Div III (South) – Bristol City 0 Bristol Rovers 1 September 30, 1922: English Div III (South) – Bristol Rovers 1 Bristol City 2