hintonsboots

A good vet would have that pig back on its feet.

3-4-3/3-4-2-1 again with Hourihane replacing Bird. Hopefully we don’t feel his absence too much but I don’t feel Hourihane offers the same mobility.

We need to win so @Rampant can stay on thread for the next fixture.

I wonder which Rovers we will get?
won 14 Drawn 7 lost 14 -1 GD
With a full week training and a couple of players now returning match fitter I think we can control this one and score a few COYR 

We need to win so @Rampant can stay on thread for the next fixture.

We should approach Niall Horan and Keiran Lee for some joint sponsorship a sort of double entry.

We don’t have any other senior figures do we? 😂

P.G Wodehouse pre match presser, interviewed by Vicky Pollard.
Ah, the stage is set for a splendid showdown at the Memorial Ground in Bristol, a city renowned for its towering IKEA emporium, though on Saturday, the concerns of the Rams faithful will be of a different wardrobe altogether.

As Rovers perch mid-table, a pall of despondency descends upon the countenance of their manager, Matt Taylor, reminiscent of a gentleman fumbling about with a lighted candle in search of a gas leak – a perilous endeavor indeed. Our bobble-hatted maestro, Warne, ever the optimist, is poised to liken Rovers to the greats of Brazil, whilst harbouring hopes of fielding an unchanged lineup and avoiding being gassed out in the face of the Gas.
All eyes will be trained on CBT, eager for a display that truly befits his talent, and young Adams, akin to a bulldog denied a morsel of cake, prowling with determined energy .
The prospect of a sold-out away end promises to infuse the atmosphere with a vigour not typically found in these parts, where even a snail’s clearing of its throat can reverberate for miles – though I must confess, I never said nothing about nothing. Jeeves, ever the sage, forecasts a triumphant three points, yet his wistful gaze drifts towards Blackpool, Exeter, Lincoln and Burton with the endless longing of a man hoping that they don't give us no evils.

Looking forward to the trip. It was at this match last year that I found myself sitting next to B4 for the first time, although I was too shy to tell him I knew who he was! Ultimately it was because of him that I started posting after years of reading, as I wanted to pay my respects. So here's to B4, thanks for getting me involved, and if you can, three points would go down nicely. 

P.G Wodehouse pre match presser, interviewed by Vicky Pollard.
Ah, the stage is set for a splendid showdown at the Memorial Ground in Bristol, a city renowned for its towering IKEA emporium, though on Saturday, the concerns of the Rams faithful will be of a different wardrobe altogether.

As Rovers perch mid-table, a pall of despondency descends upon the countenance of their manager, Matt Taylor, reminiscent of a gentleman fumbling about with a lighted candle in search of a gas leak – a perilous endeavor indeed. Our bobble-hatted maestro, Warne, ever the optimist, is poised to liken Rovers to the greats of Brazil, whilst harbouring hopes of fielding an unchanged lineup and avoiding being gassed out in the face of the Gas.
All eyes will be trained on CBT, eager for a display that truly befits his talent, and young Adams, akin to a bulldog denied a morsel of cake, prowling with determined energy .
The prospect of a sold-out away end promises to infuse the atmosphere with a vigour not typically found in these parts, where even a snail’s clearing of its throat can reverberate for miles – though I must confess, I never said nothing about nothing. Jeeves, ever the sage, forecasts a triumphant three points, yet his wistful gaze drifts towards Blackpool, Exeter, Lincoln and Burton with the endless longing of a man hoping that they don't give us no evils.

P.G Wodehouse pre match presser, interviewed by Vicky Pollard.
Ah, the stage is set for a splendid showdown at the Memorial Ground in Bristol, a city renowned for its towering IKEA emporium, though on Saturday, the concerns of the Rams faithful will be of a different wardrobe altogether.

As Rovers perch mid-table, a pall of despondency descends upon the countenance of their manager, Matt Taylor, reminiscent of a gentleman fumbling about with a lighted candle in search of a gas leak – a perilous endeavor indeed. Our bobble-hatted maestro, Warne, ever the optimist, is poised to liken Rovers to the greats of Brazil, whilst harbouring hopes of fielding an unchanged lineup and avoiding being gassed out in the face of the Gas.
All eyes will be trained on CBT, eager for a display that truly befits his talent, and young Adams, akin to a bulldog denied a morsel of cake, prowling with determined energy .
The prospect of a sold-out away end promises to infuse the atmosphere with a vigour not typically found in these parts, where even a snail’s clearing of its throat can reverberate for miles – though I must confess, I never said nothing about nothing. Jeeves, ever the sage, forecasts a triumphant three points, yet his wistful gaze drifts towards Blackpool, Exeter, Lincoln and Burton with the endless longing of a man hoping that they don't give us no evils.

We need to win so @Rampant can stay on thread for the next fixture.

Bristol Rovers vs Derby County
Saturday 9th March KO 3pm
Memorial Stadium (BS7 0BF)
 
Opponents Form: Decent recently with three wins in their last four matches including their last two. They currently sit 11th in the table albeit with no realistic playoff aspirations or relegation concerns. Whilst their home record in L1 this season is a reasonable W7-D5-L5 it should be noted that they have lost four of their most recent six matches on their own patch with wins over Carlisle (2-1) and Oxford (3-1) dampened by defeats to Blackpool (1-2), Exeter (0-1), Fleetwood (0-2) and Burton (1-2).
Opponents Bio: Rovers are managed by Matt Taylor who is in his third managerial role. After an impressive four years at Exeter he was the man chosen by Rotherham to take over the reins after the departure of our own Paul Warne to Pride Park. Taylor's spell there lasted 13 months before he parted company with the Yorkshire club in November 2023 as the Millers were struggling in 22nd place. Within three weeks, however, he found himself in the Bristol Rovers hotseat replacing the ever-delightful Joseph Barton. 
The club have played their home matches at the 11,000 capacity (3,000 seated) Memorial Stadium since 1996 after leaving their previous home in Eastville. They are officially known as the 'Pirates', reflecting Bristol's maritime history. Or because they just arrrr. Or maybe because their form is historically patchy. They are of course also known as the 'Gas', a nickname which was given them by opposition fans originally but was cheerfully adopted by the Rovers' followers who refer to themselves as 'Gasheads'. The name came about apparently due to their former stadium being sited next to a gasworks which produced a distinct aroma which would waft over the ground. Anybody who sits near a few of our more dedicated drinkers at Pride Park will no doubt relate to that.
Opponents Player Watch: Only one place to start here as the Rams go up against our former beau, Christopher Hugh Martin. The Wardrobe has scored 15 goals this season and is joint fifth in the top scorers chart for the division. Second top scorer after CM9 is Anthony Evans with half a dozen goals. Other notable players are ex-Rams youngster Luke Thomas, experienced former Swansea, Celtic and Preston man Scott Sinclair and Chelsea loanee Harvey Vale who I think we were linked with during the summer. I'm not sure if he's their number one or not but they also have a goalkeeper called Jed Ward who you can only sympathise with.
Rams Record vs Opponents: There have been three FA Cup ties between the two clubs but we'll focus on the 27 league matches there have been between Bristol Rovers and Derby County. The first meeting was on 29th August 1953 at Bristol so hats off to any Ram or Rover who remembers that match over 70 years ago. During the early years of the fixture it was Bristol Rovers who held sway with the Pirates winning the first three encounters, four of the first five and six of the first nine overall. Since then though it is the Rams who have had much the better of it. The overall league record for Derby against Saturday's opponents is as follows:
P27: W12-D7-L8
Away at Bristol Rovers our record  is: P13: W3-D4-L6   Whilst that isn't impressive it should be pointed out that we lost on our first five visits and since then we've gone W3-D3-L1 on their turf and are unbeaten in our last four visits.
Since our relegation to L1 for the 2022/23 season the Rams have recorded home wins against Rovers in both fixtures at Pride Park (4-2 and 2-1) whilst last season we conceded a debateable late penalty in a 1-1 draw at their place.
Other Saturday Fixtures Of Note: We will either be second or third going into the match depending on the outcome of Barnsley vs Bolton on Tuesday night. Peterborough are at home to Northampton on the same evening. On Saturday our priority is of course to earn three points in the south-west but we will be hoping for favourable results in at least one of the following games:
Blackpool vs Portsmouth
Exeter vs Bolton
Barnsley vs Lincoln
Burton vs Peterborough
Expected Team: My guess is that Derby will be unchanged from the 3-0 win against a desperately struggling Port Vale. With fit full-back options rarer than a salad in the City Ground boardroom I suspect it'll be a back three plus the two wing-backs who played well yesterday. 
 
Safe journey to those who make the trip and COYR.

You may have been following the discussion on the season ticket thread. 
Now that Daniel's seat is secured for his sister, can we fundraise instead for a flag for B4 as a permanent memorial and reminder of his presence at the stadium.
Maybe @David could help with the fundraising and we could ask Simon Penney to help with the flag, or someone else if anyone knows anybody? 
What do people think? 

P.G Wodehouse match report.
Ah, what a delightful spectacle unfolded at Pride Park! A veritable symphony of footballing finesse, where the dashing Derby County lads displayed a masterclass in the art of the beautiful game. With a flick of his coiffed locks, Sibbo graced the pitch with his goal-scoring prowess, each strike a testament to his sartorial elegance. And who could overlook the Padel maestro Gayle, whose header soared through the air like a swan taking flight, leaving the poor Port Vale defence in disarray.  

But it was not just in attack where the Rams shone; oh no, their defensive acumen was equally sublime. Cashin, a veritable bastion of impregnability, rebuffed his opponents' advances with the ease of a vegetarian plucking a stray caterpillar from his salad.
And let us not forget the spirited Sonny, whose exuberant arm-waving would have put even the most robust of policemen on point duty to shame.
Under the astute guidance of Warne, the tactical maestro with a bobble hat perched jauntily atop his brow, Derby County danced their way to victory, leaving their opponents in awe. And amidst the jubilation, let us extend a hearty commendation to Ebou Adams, whose display on the field was reminiscent of the legendary Mick McManus himself. Truly, it was a day to remember, where the spirit of camaraderie and sporting excellence reigned supreme.

And cheap before we get to the Prem👀

P.G Wodehouse match report.
Ah, what a delightful spectacle unfolded at Pride Park! A veritable symphony of footballing finesse, where the dashing Derby County lads displayed a masterclass in the art of the beautiful game. With a flick of his coiffed locks, Sibbo graced the pitch with his goal-scoring prowess, each strike a testament to his sartorial elegance. And who could overlook the Padel maestro Gayle, whose header soared through the air like a swan taking flight, leaving the poor Port Vale defence in disarray.  

But it was not just in attack where the Rams shone; oh no, their defensive acumen was equally sublime. Cashin, a veritable bastion of impregnability, rebuffed his opponents' advances with the ease of a vegetarian plucking a stray caterpillar from his salad.
And let us not forget the spirited Sonny, whose exuberant arm-waving would have put even the most robust of policemen on point duty to shame.
Under the astute guidance of Warne, the tactical maestro with a bobble hat perched jauntily atop his brow, Derby County danced their way to victory, leaving their opponents in awe. And amidst the jubilation, let us extend a hearty commendation to Ebou Adams, whose display on the field was reminiscent of the legendary Mick McManus himself. Truly, it was a day to remember, where the spirit of camaraderie and sporting excellence reigned supreme.

We're 12 points ahead of Oxford in 7th, same games played. Although mathematically possible of course, there's no realistic way they finish above us with only 10 games to play. Making up over a point a game on any side near the top of the table is a tough ask, especially when you don't play them again this season.
Hopefully that gives us the confidence to throw everything at going for 2nd place. We don't really need to look over our shoulder, and it makes little difference whether we finish 3rd or 6th. Let's go for it.

Promoting his new album ?