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Imagine if it had been them that mistakenly sent refunds to all their season ticket holders. That £200 could have sent them into administration.

I don’t know who this Dennis Rodman chap is or when he took over from Benjamin? What I do know is that if Dopey Darrell was still in charge he would’ve taken FULL responsibility for Covid-19, he would’ve talked about letting down “me fans” and “me club”...and then pinned the blame for everything on China.

Rovers 0-1 Mansfield Attendance: 10,594 (704) 3 May 2014 Bristol Rovers will join Torquay in the conference next season after losing at home to Mansfield. Colin Daniel’s stunning volley in the first half secured all three points for the visitors and relegated Rovers out of the football league. Darrell Clarke named a strong attacking line-up as Chris Beardsley, Matt Harrold and David Clarkson were all in the starting 11. However, Lee Brown was forced out of the game following a back injury. Rovers started the brighter of the two sides with Chris Beardsley and David Clarkson having chances in the opening five minutes however, neither of them could test Lewis Price in the Mansfield goal. News quickly filtered through as Wycombe took the lead in the opening five minutes away at relegated Torquay through Sam Wood. However, Northampton went down early to a goal as Williams netted for Oxford. As results stood at this point Rovers would be safe and it would be Northampton joining already relegated Torquay next season. Rovers continued to apply pressure as Kaid Mohamed earned the home side a corner. Mohamed took the corner to the near post, which was met by David Clarkson, the Scot flicked the ball to the far post but Mark McChrystal couldn’t direct the ball goalward. Things then took a turn for the worse in the game between Northampton and Oxford as Oxford were reduced to ten men having seen Williams sent off. It took Northampton ten minutes but eventually made the game 1-1 as a mistake by Wright let in John Marquis who beat Clarke from the edge of the area. Meanwhile at the Memorial Stadium Anthony Howell drove a shot in from the Stags left, the ball took a wicked deflection off of Tom Lockyer but Mildenhall was equal to it in the Rovers goal. More news came in from Sixfields as Northampton had taken the lead at home to ten-man Oxford as Toney headed home with the Oxford keeper out of position Moments later at the Memorial Stadium the visitors took the lead. Howell delivered a pinpoint ball in from the left hand side and Colin Daniel volleyed emphatically with his left foot with the ball striking the right hand post on it’s way into the goal. The goal meant that Rovers dropped into the bottom two for the first time of the day. As half times came through across the country it was evident that Rovers needed a result. Northampton were leading 2-1 at home to ten-man Oxford and Wycombe were leading 0-2 away at already relegated Torquay. Both teams took to the field for the second half knowing that their fate was in their own hands and a point would still be enough. Northampton extended their lead at home to Oxford early in the second half and Torquay were reduced to ten men against Wycombe as the importance falls solely on the game at the Memorial Stadium. With 56 minutes on the clock Rovers produced their first piece of real quality as Kaid Mohamed fed David Clarkson who drove directly into the Mansfield penalty area. Last weekends goal hero pulled slightly to the right before unleashing a cannon of a shot with his right foot which, was saved acrobatically by Lewis Price. Entering the final 30 minutes Rovers still stood in the bottom two and would be joining Torquay in the conference next season. Kaid Mohamed appeared to be through on goal when Martin Riley brought the Rovers wide man down, however, referee Oliver Langford only brandished a yellow card for the Stags centre back. More bad news for Rovers filtered through as Wycombe all but wrapped up the game away at Torquay by scoring a third. Rovers almost pulled level through the head of Mark McChrystal but the crossbar denied the Rovers skipper. McChrystal met Mohamed’s delivery from a corner powerfully but his header clipped the bar and went out for a goal kick. Darell Clarke made attacking changes bringing on Alefe Santos and Fabian Broghammer to add some more width to the game. The substitutions almost paid off as Broghammer arrowed a shot at the Mansfield goal only for it to be straight at Lewis Price. Rover’s additional wide men stretched the game and Matt Harrold was brought down on the edge of the Stags area. David Clarkson stood over the free kick and struck the ball cleanly but he couldn’t hit the target. As the minutes ticked away the home side threw caution to the wind and piled forward. Substitute Alefe Santos delivered a very precise ball onto the head of John-Joe O’Toole but the Rovers top goal scorer couldn’t find the back of the net. The pace of Fabian Broghammer was causing Mansfield issues down the left hand side and earned the home side a succession of corners. Broghammer swung a ball into the box with his left foot, the ball banged around the visitors box before Rovers skipper Mark McChrystal lashed a volley off the bar. Rovers threw everything at the Stags defence in the final minutes but to no avail as the full time whistle rang to a stunned silence around the Memorial Stadium.

I've expected this all along tbh. I still dont believe the behind closed doors scenario will happen. Germany will lead the way on this ,or not. Anyway back in your box now. We'll have none of your nonsense here.

I might not explain this very well, so bear with me. According to Whitty last week, only 3-10% of people have had covid. If we see death rates falling, that must be a result of less new cases. Eventually we will get to a point where new cases / deaths are at an acceptable (!!!) level to release the lockdown in whatever way they decide. At that point it’s perfectly possible that only 15% (that might be too high) of people have had covid. How much longer of lockdown does it take to get new cases / deaths down to a palatable figure? At what point does the recent 7 day rolling average decrease start to flatten also? Does it even get to an acceptable level, let alone 0 deaths per day? Lockdown is now about 5 weeks. Covid might take 2 weeks to get to you. Covid might stay with you for 2 weeks. So why are we getting 4k new cases per day (of those tested)? Because lockdown isn’t lockdown! It’s half-arsed. 880 tests so far / 66m people = 1.3% of the population tested....and that’s assuming you only test a person once, which we know is untrue. 100k tests per day will take 18 months plus to complete. When I hear Whitty use the term “Peak” and “first phase”, I’m really surprised nobody has asked him what kind of profile of new cases and deaths the next and subsequent phases will have? Without vaccine or drug treatments, I can’t see how say 70% of the population are gonna get back to “normal” in any timeline. If we’ve been slow to rein it in initially, how can they slowly allow it to infect to get enough people to have it to create a smaller death rate? I can’t work that out. I think too many people think this is a single phase and that we are coming out the other size. It might be one phase....lasting a year....I don’t think anyone is prepared for that.

Don’t knock that - Paul Weller wrote That’s Entertainment when he was shitfaced in a caravan - he couldn’t remember writing it, found it the next morning and so one of the best songs ever was born!

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/exclusive-bristol-rovers-launch-investigation-4091367.amp?__twitter_impression=true

I don’t think that will happen, at least I hope not. They were talking about pubs with beer Gardens opening as they would be safe in the open air. I wouldn’t have thought anywhere selling food and drink which you didn’t take away would be allowed to operate without offering toilet facilities, and there you have the problem. Also with regard to workplaces and schools opening once they have rearranged fixtures and fittings to accommodate students, workers and customers. Great, until you realise most people travel to work on crowded trains and buses etc. There are a lot of problems to be sorted until football gets back. Health has to be more of a priority than a game, which essentially that’s all it is, and I’m saying that as a football fan of course. A ‘non-believer’ won’t understand football returning at all. Going back to your point, I will be pretty pissed off if the people that are shielding away now when people are literally risking their lives to shop for them, look after them and treat them are the first to jet off into the sun after the lockdown ends.

Agreed, this isn’t a lockdown for the thousands ( millions?) of us who have been forced to work all the way through. The factory I work at isn’t making essential items, even though they have given us a card saying we are, if we are stopped by the Police ? Basically I self isolate for 16 hours a day, then go to work for 8 hours and play virus Russian roulette with 50 other people.

That'll learn me! I had a senior moment thinking it was the 15th because of the 15ers tag, which of course was the year , I apologise. I'll buy you a pint at the next Bristol derby

Not really Rodmans' fault that it's got into the public domain but it's always them isn't it? Well done gas, always there to cheer us up.

It's impossible to be fair in a scenario where you simulate the games left to be played, a PPG basis doesnt take into account the standard of opposition left to play, form of both teams at the point of lockdown etc. In my opinion the best way forward would be to null and void the season and start again from fresh whenever safe to do so.

9 years ago on Facebook I posted this: To my Bristol Rovers supporting friends, bad luck and all that following your almost confirmed relegation to League 2 this afternoon. To the bloke who made the effort to watch the City v Hull playoff final up The Beaufort Hunt pub a few years ago, wearing his Rovers shirt and cheering when Windass scored the winner for Hull, "IN YOUR FACE" Happy times!

Villa relegated. I'm all for this.

Three more days until the anniversary... ....and time to thank Sir Colin once again.

After some pretty poor daily press briefings I can’t wait for Johnson to do today’s and see how he delivers today’s message. My expectations are pretty low!!! Yep. Null and void is not an option imho. You cannot expunge 76% of a season. I am slowly coming round to: - points per game plus - no playoffs (team in best relegation place gets a reprieve) City lose out....tough luck. Prem: Liverpool win title Sheff Utd leapfrog Wolves Arsenal leapfrog Spurs Norwich and Villa relegated. Watford get a reprieve which would’ve been a relegation on one goal otherwise! Championship: Leeds and West Brom promoted, no playoff Relegated: Luton and Barnsley, Charlton reprieved Lg1: Coventry and Rotherham promoted, no playoff Relegated: Bolton and Southend, Tranmere reprieve (23 team league) Lg2: Crewe, Swindon and Plymouth promoted, no playoff No relegation to National League, but Barrow promoted to make 24 clubs and a 72 team EFL again. In each division nobody loses out on goal difference in a promotion or relegation scenario, there is daylight in each case. Clubs stop wasting money working out his to get to the end of this season, they focus on starting in whatever format for 20/21 season, whenever that is. 30/6 contract issues go away. Thoughts? Germany started to see infection rates increases since relaxation of lockdown. Lessons for our government, which they won’t like using!!!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/cricket/52486374?fbclid=IwAR27eUlYMG3-ltlSCp1Ebuh_FMBJrET6-WKswC8ltNlwHUCX0bETD6RM62w

In fairness having now heard it whoever it was speaks very well and gives a good assessment of the situation and showing why they’re Rovers pfa rep

I would argue that a beer garden poses more viral threat to society than a behind closed doors football game. The same goes for plenty of non-essential public activities. So if we're serious about shutting down non-essential public businesses whereby social distancing cannot be enforced, it should be done across the board, not just the preferred business type. I think you make a very sensible points by the way, but I'm still inclined to think resumption can work.

Maybe you should give it a listen.

https://youtu.be/S81IiX1KqYg

I don't think many football fans will be laughing hearing that.

An announcement was made today by the government that professional sport trainings can be held from Monday, 04/05. As our FA said 21 days later games can be played behind closed doors so maybe the league will restart at 27/05 here. TBF Hungary is one of safest country in Europe, 3rd I think as studies showed yet restrictions are lifted carefully and slowly (f.e. stores can open in full time from Monday but only in the countryside, Budapest will remain in strict lockdown. And no gatherings over 500 people till 15th of August). The capital is handled very differently from the countryside in every decision they make.

And league 2, Swindon would end up winning the league in March (not quite November)

League 1 gets interesting, if they relegate 3 and promote the top 3, Wycombe who aren't in the play offs atm would finish 3rd and get promoted

My excuse will be its 'just a few' years before I was born

not in PPG. If you want to go with a pool panel / DL method, then my argument is you should do it for all 46 games, not just the remaining 9....which is futile imho

No, Forest won it in 77/78 in their first season back in the 1st division.

no need, all played 37

The Dutch have already announced who will take the European spots for next season. The good news is, Willem II are in the Europa League.

Looking above would it also be a record high for Sheffield Utd for a team the season after promotion anyone know? That took me like 5 mins so give me a few

Prem table if it finishes on PPG, unlucky Bournemouth New premier league points total record for Liverpool as well

Ligue 1 going ppg to calculate the finish to the season, so there is your precedent for what happens if the season cannot be finished by playing games

I think our government plan is to let this run for the next year or so, let people die in one big phase like someone above said. Rather than say Spain’s idea of a total lockdown for weeks on end to try and get rid of it, then keep all borders closed. Theres no way we will see it magically disappear here with our current “lockdown”

Gutted...

Shame that....

With out going over old ground, as every day passes it seems less likely this season will actually finish

Perfectly explained and I fully agree. Heard discussion on tv earlier saying people should begin to be thinking ‘next year, not yet month’ for any kind of pre-virus living. But I guess that’s too much of a blow for some to understand and comply with, so we shine a little light at the end of the tunnel now and again. But I’m sure before we know it the weeks will turn into months, unless something drastically changes how can it not?

And there it is

Interesting listen if you can get hold of it. Basically says there is little chance of the season starting before Jan, the FA etc can’t justify 100k tests when it’s needed for people who are actually important like the NHS, and the plan is to do 3 up from each division, No one goes down then the next season have more relegations.

What would annoy me is if football gets cancelled but then in June we have people shoulder to shoulder in shops, pubs and cafes again. That's my two wrongs make a right argument.

Same here.I work in a factory making parts for planes that aren't going anywhere,try to practice social distancing in a factory of 300! Got my letter to say i,m an essential worker in case I get stopped by the police

I saw a video on Twitter - someone filmed police officers getting fish & chips from a chippy (why was that open?!) and Cadbury’s creme eggs and ice creams from another shop. The person who filmed it then asked them if they considered their purchases to be ‘essential supplies’ and it all got awkward. Now I think this is a very stressful time for all people in the frontline, including the police, and I certainly wouldn’t begrudge them some chips and an ice cream - they bloody well deserve it. But they can’t threaten to follow members of the public into supermarkets to ‘check their trollies only contain essential items’ (as per the video of the speech by the chief constable of Northants Police) and then do the opposite themselves... too heavy handed in some ways then turning a blind eye in others - it doesn’t help in these very difficult times ...

I’m a self employed sole trader. The roads have been much busier the past 5 days or so. I’m not sure it was a good idea for the police to relax rules. I drove along Gloucester rd Saturday morning, I was surprised how many people were out and about. It’s not a proper lockdown is it?

i can remember the bid for hayles he was in the best form of his career,it could have been a very good signing he helped fulham gain two promotions

I know a lifelong Newcastle Fan that I meet up with a couple of times a year and we always obviously talk some football. Whilst we may have our moans (me: LJ, him: Ashley) we're both overall fine with how the clubs are being run; partly because he's looking at Sunderland and I'm looking at Rovers and we're both thinking how lucky we are compared to them. He wouldn't describe it as being "toxic".

Never forget.................. "The Premier League of Rich Clubs"

One rare positive of all this pandemic would be rovers going bust,