Were you at the Bristol Derby in May 1990?

[Rich]

On 29/04/2020 at 12:05, Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan said:

They probably did what they usually do, notice an opposition team is playing brilliantly then tell the Groundsman to take a week off.

 

They had a couple of injuries to main men, Penrice amongst them. Miraculously for them and rather surprisingly seeing as there was no cold weather, a water main suddenly burst in the corner of the pitch. Game was rendered unplayable and rearranged for a later date, when injured were back and playing and, ours weren't.

Go forward a few years and they're supposed to be playing Stockport in a 12am KO and us the next Tuesday. Out of nowhere, the game was called off due to a waterlogged pitch in the corner of the ground. Their groundsman was the very same groundsman from Twerton days. Stockport were already at the ground and witnesses saw the groundsman watering that section of the pitch. They'd had a rest before playing us and poor old Stockport who were flying high at the time and their fans who'd travelled down, had to go home. An official warning was given to BRFC about the incident.

[Rich]

43 minutes ago, Robin Wood said:

I n the nineties we played them 18 times winning 9 drawing 3 and losing 6 so we were the better side through the 90s

But, you've forgotten gas logic. That means they've beaten us six times and drawn three times in ten years, ie: nine games in ten years without defeat in those nine games. Proves without doubt they are better than the dirty sheds.

[Miah Dennehy]

2 hours ago, Ska Junkie said:

Sounds.like you've nailed it Ron.

To be fair, we were a lot more even then but, if the fixture had been played on it's original date, we would.have battered them and they know it.

No one would have (or did) batter that Rovers side. We were the best team over the course of a season. And you know it

[Ska Junkie]

14 minutes ago, Miah Dennehy said:

No one would have (or did) batter that Rovers side. We were the best team over the course of a season. And you know it

The league table suggests so Miah. A long time ago now so good for your lot to have a laugh at our expense. It makes a change to be fair.

We'll never know how the game would have turned out on the original date.

[Nogbad the Bad]

 

v Bristol Rovers

10 year period between Dec.' 86 - Dec. '96.

Lost 10, won 6, drew 5.

16 Dec 1986	Bristol City v Bristol Rovers	W	3-0	Freight Rover Trophy
01 Jan 1987	Bristol City v Bristol Rovers	L	0-1	League Division Three
18 Apr 1987	Bristol Rovers v Bristol City	D	0-0	League Division Three
12 Sep 1987	Bristol City v Bristol Rovers	D	3-3	League Division Three
12 Apr 1988	Bristol Rovers v Bristol City	L	1-0	League Division Three
23 Nov 1988	Bristol Rovers v Bristol City	L	1-0	Sherpa Vans Trophy
02 Jan 1989	Bristol City v Bristol Rovers	L	0-1	League Division Three
25 Mar 1989	Bristol Rovers v Bristol City	D	1-1	League Division Three
23 Sep 1989	Bristol City v Bristol Rovers	D	0-0	League Division Three
02 May 1990	Bristol Rovers v Bristol City	L	3-0	League Division Three
26 Jan 1991	Bristol Rovers v Bristol City	L	3-2	League Division Two
05 Mar 1991	Bristol City v Bristol Rovers	W	1-0	League Division Two
04 Sep 1991	Bristol City v Bristol Rovers	W	1-0	League Division Two
25 Sep 1991	Bristol Rovers v Bristol City	W	1-3	League Cup
08 Oct 1991	Bristol City v Bristol Rovers	L	2-4	League Cup
21 Dec 1991	Bristol Rovers v Bristol City	L	3-2	League Division Two
13 Dec 1992	Bristol Rovers v Bristol City	L	4-0	League Division 1
06 Apr 1993	Bristol City v Bristol Rovers	W	2-1	League Division 1
16 Jan 1996	Bristol City v Bristol Rovers	L	0-2	League Division 2
16 Mar 1996	Bristol Rovers v Bristol City	W	2-4	League Division 2
15 Dec 1996	Bristol City v Bristol Rovers	D	1-1	League Division 2

[Miah Dennehy]

5 minutes ago, Ska Junkie said:

The league table suggests so Miah. A long time ago now so good for your lot to have a laugh at our expense. It makes a change to be fair.

We'll never know how the game would have turned out on the original date.

Very true. I do realise this is a piss taking thread and generally react to it as such, but I do think some City fans conveniently forget the fact that Rovers were a very good side at the time as were City. Looking back I think that when Bob Taylor got injured, City's nerve went. Rovers however, who unbe*******lievably, sold their two best players in the November, had a resolve about them that made them never give up.

Holloway and White went on to play top flight football, but in an era when Nicky Tanner and Rob Newman did the same, I still don't know why Vaughan Jones never did, by some distance the best captain I have ever seen at Rovers.

[2015]

1 hour ago, Robin Wood said:

I n the nineties we played them 18 times winning 9 drawing 3 and losing 6 so we were the better side through the 90s

And finished above them in 91, 93, 94, 95, 97, 98 and 99.

[Ska Junkie]

5 minutes ago, Miah Dennehy said:

Very true. I do realise this is a piss taking thread and generally react to it as such, but I do think some City fans conveniently forget the fact that Rovers were a very good side at the time as were City. Looking back I think that when Bob Taylor got injured, City's nerve went. Rovers however, who unbe*******lievably, sold their two best players in the November, had a resolve about them that made them never give up.

Holloway and White went on to play top flight football, but in an era when Nicky Tanner and Rob Newman did the same, I still don't know why Vaughan Jones never did, by some distance the best captain I have ever seen at Rovers.

I can't and wouldn't disagree Miah. 

[weepywall]

1 hour ago, Miah Dennehy said:

Very true. I do realise this is a piss taking thread and generally react to it as such, but I do think some City fans conveniently forget the fact that Rovers were a very good side at the time as were City. Looking back I think that when Bob Taylor got injured, City's nerve went. Rovers however, who unbe*******lievably, sold their two best players in the November, had a resolve about them that made them never give up.

Holloway and White went on to play top flight football, but in an era when Nicky Tanner and Rob Newman did the same, I still don't know why Vaughan Jones never did, by some distance the best captain I have ever seen at Rovers.

Fair comment...Rovers did have a decent side back then.

[Robin Wood]

22 minutes ago, Bullbag said:

Top man, cheers for looking up the stats on it.

Knew it was fairly close.

Unfortunately I lived through a bad time when they had the upper hand living in Patchway that was a tough time

[Miah Dennehy]

3 hours ago, Rich said:

They had a couple of injuries to main men, Penrice amongst them. Miraculously for them and rather surprisingly seeing as there was no cold weather, a water main suddenly burst in the corner of the pitch. Game was rendered unplayable and rearranged for a later date, when injured were back and playing and, ours weren't.

Go forward a few years and they're supposed to be playing Stockport in a 12am KO and us the next Tuesday. Out of nowhere, the game was called off due to a waterlogged pitch in the corner of the ground. Their groundsman was the very same groundsman from Twerton days. Stockport were already at the ground and witnesses saw the groundsman watering that section of the pitch. They'd had a rest before playing us and poor old Stockport who were flying high at the time and their fans who'd travelled down, had to go home. An official warning was given to BRFC about the incident.

It's a nice theory, but the original fixture was due to be played in February, I can't remember if Penrice was injured then or not, but as he was playing for Watford at the time, I'm not sure how relevant it is any way.

Rovers (and City) both had good sides in 1990, but Rovers just had that little bit more about them come the end.

[Robin Wood]

46 minutes ago, Bullbag said:

Yeh late 80s the gasholes had a good record against us.

Ended by the one and only Louie Donowa in 91.

All hail louie donowa that was a night to remember 

[Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan]

4 hours ago, Rich said:

They had a couple of injuries to main men, Penrice amongst them. Miraculously for them and rather surprisingly seeing as there was no cold weather, a water main suddenly burst in the corner of the pitch. Game was rendered unplayable and rearranged for a later date, when injured were back and playing and, ours weren't.

Go forward a few years and they're supposed to be playing Stockport in a 12am KO and us the next Tuesday. Out of nowhere, the game was called off due to a waterlogged pitch in the corner of the ground. Their groundsman was the very same groundsman from Twerton days. Stockport were already at the ground and witnesses saw the groundsman watering that section of the pitch. They'd had a rest before playing us and poor old Stockport who were flying high at the time and their fans who'd travelled down, had to go home. An official warning was given to BRFC about the incident.

Incredibly, or maybe not...their fans are actually proud of it.

[bakes]

It was a case of City losing the league not the methane sorter's winning it.

The only season I watched every game home and away.

Super Bob getting injured with 7 games remaining and only winning 2 of those games.

They have an unfortunate history of calling games off for their advantage......

[Bristol Oil Services]

3 minutes ago, bakes said:

It was a case of City losing the league not the methane sorter's winning it.

The only season I watched every game home and away.

Super Bob getting injured with 7 games remaining and only winning 2 of those games.

They have an unfortunate history of calling games off for their advantage......

They "called off" the 2014/15 season, mate. Unbelievable. Then rocked up again in August 15, like butter wouldn't melt in one of their warm tents....

[bakes]

16 minutes ago, Moments of Pleasure said:

They "called off" the 2014/15 season, mate. Unbelievable. Then rocked up again in August 15, like butter wouldn't melt in one of their warm tents....

Not like they acquired the tented village underhandedly was it

[Lanterne Rouge]

33 minutes ago, bakes said:

Not like they acquired the tented village underhandedly was it

I always think Bath City had a narrow escape. If they`d been there a bit longer they`d have worked out a way to steal that too I expect.

[Rich]

3 hours ago, Miah Dennehy said:

It's a nice theory, but the original fixture was due to be played in February, I can't remember if Penrice was injured then or not, but as he was playing for Watford at the time, I'm not sure how relevant it is any way.

Rovers (and City) both had good sides in 1990, but Rovers just had that little bit more about them come the end.

You are correct Miah, the reason was not injury, he'd been sold, I knew there was a good reason they wanted it postponed. The day before the match Rovers had signed Carl Saunders and David Byrne, probably didn't fancy pitching them in straight away into a Derby match. 

So despite the kick off being  scheduled for 3pm, the match was postponed at 8.15 am due to a waterlogged pitch. Dead handy there being a referee available at the ground, to inspect the pitch and declare it unplayable at such an early hour, nearly seven hours before kick off. Usually inspections are carried out at midday, especially when it's local and people don't need to travel. I think the circumstances are rather fishy, somewhat like the fish on the waterlogged pitch.

Taken from a Rovers site:-

"Meanwhile the long awaited league match against local rivals Bristol City, scheduled for Saturday 3rd February, was postponed as torrential rain had left the Twerton Park pitch waterlogged.

The game was called off at 8.15am on the morning of the game, meaning that Rovers were faced with police cots of £2,500 because it hadn’t been called off before 10.00pm the previous night. Club secretary Bob Twyford indicated that the club would appeal against the police decision to bill them for the match."

If only the ref had been there the night before.

[Miah Dennehy]

11 hours ago, bakes said:

It was a case of City losing the league not the methane sorter's winning it.

The only season I watched every game home and away.

Super Bob getting injured with 7 games remaining and only winning 2 of those games.

They have an unfortunate history of calling games off for their advantage......

We definitely won it, they gave us a trophy and everything

[Miah Dennehy]

9 hours ago, Rich said:

You are correct Miah, the reason was not injury, he'd been sold, I knew there was a good reason they wanted it postponed. The day before the match Rovers had signed Carl Saunders and David Byrne, probably didn't fancy pitching them in straight away into a Derby match. 

So despite the kick off being  scheduled for 3pm, the match was postponed at 8.15 am due to a waterlogged pitch. Dead handy there being a referee available at the ground, to inspect the pitch and declare it unplayable at such an early hour, nearly seven hours before kick off. Usually inspections are carried out at midday, especially when it's local and people don't need to travel. I think the circumstances are rather fishy, somewhat like the fish on the waterlogged pitch.

Taken from a Rovers site:-

"Meanwhile the long awaited league match against local rivals Bristol City, scheduled for Saturday 3rd February, was postponed as torrential rain had left the Twerton Park pitch waterlogged.

The game was called off at 8.15am on the morning of the game, meaning that Rovers were faced with police cots of £2,500 because it hadn’t been called off before 10.00pm the previous night. Club secretary Bob Twyford indicated that the club would appeal against the police decision to bill them for the match."

If only the ref had been there the night before.

I heard that the ref had shares in the Twerton Chippy and was looking forward to an increase in profits if he could get Rovers promoted.

I also heard that 'Super Bob's' barber was Gas and threatened poor little Bobby with a Gerry Francis mullet if he ever scored against us and a petrified Bob feigned injury instead of facing a lifetime of people laughing at old photographs of him. If you slow down the video of the second goal, Rob Newmans slip is also clearly a result of an air rifle being fired from just behind the grassy knoll by Greasy Joes burger bar and Ronnie Sinclair's fear of crosses was surely down to being bitten on the neck by Jocky Alexander.

I can't prove any of this of course, but I can prove that Rovers got more points than anyone else that season, won their last 5 games , starting with a great win at Tranmere on a Monday night against another good side who got into the play offs that year, and earning themselves the chance to get promoted against a City side who had clearly lost their bottle when it really mattered.

 

[Nogbad the Bad]

49 minutes ago, Miah Dennehy said:

I heard that the ref had shares in the Twerton Chippy and was looking forward to an increase in profits if he could get Rovers promoted.

I also heard that 'Super Bob's' barber was Gas and threatened poor little Bobby with a Gerry Francis mullet if he ever scored against us and a petrified Bob feigned injury instead of facing a lifetime of people laughing at old photographs of him. If you slow down the video of the second goal, Rob Newmans slip is also clearly a result of an air rifle being fired from just behind the grassy knoll by Greasy Joes burger bar and Ronnie Sinclair's fear of crosses was surely down to being bitten on the neck by Jocky Alexander.

I can't prove any of this of course, but I can prove that Rovers got more points than anyone else that season, won their last 5 games , starting with a great win at Tranmere on a Monday night against another good side who got into the play offs that year, and earning themselves the chance to get promoted against a City side who had clearly lost their bottle when it really mattered.

 

Your attempt at humour doesn't hide your obvious contempt for our great club.

If you're going to post like this on our forum perhaps you need the occasional reminder that you support a nauseous and worthless little club, despised by 90% of Bristol and laughed at by the whole of the football world.

Have a good day.

[Lew-T]

8 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

Your attempt at humour doesn't hide your obvious contempt for our great club.

If you're going to post like this on our forum perhaps you need the occasional reminder that you support a nauseous and worthless little club, despised by 90% of Bristol and laughed at by the whole of the football world.

Have a good day.

I think he knows that. 
 

We’re talking about something that happened 30 years ago mind! This was their only time in the light. The longer this gap goes on, the more ridiculous this anniversary becomes really.
 

[Miah Dennehy]

53 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

Your attempt at humour doesn't hide your obvious contempt for our great club.

If you're going to post like this on our forum perhaps you need the occasional reminder that you support a nauseous and worthless little club, despised by 90% of Bristol and laughed at by the whole of the football world.

Have a good day.

I have never hidden my dislike for all things red.

While I acknowledge I support a pretty shite club, I take some solace in the fact that many City fans are still irked by events of 30 years ago.

Have a good day yourself

[Rich]

2 hours ago, Miah Dennehy said:

I heard that the ref had shares in the Twerton Chippy and was looking forward to an increase in profits if he could get Rovers promoted.

I also heard that 'Super Bob's' barber was Gas and threatened poor little Bobby with a Gerry Francis mullet if he ever scored against us and a petrified Bob feigned injury instead of facing a lifetime of people laughing at old photographs of him. If you slow down the video of the second goal, Rob Newmans slip is also clearly a result of an air rifle being fired from just behind the grassy knoll by Greasy Joes burger bar and Ronnie Sinclair's fear of crosses was surely down to being bitten on the neck by Jocky Alexander.

I can't prove any of this of course, but I can prove that Rovers got more points than anyone else that season, won their last 5 games , starting with a great win at Tranmere on a Monday night against another good side who got into the play offs that year, and earning themselves the chance to get promoted against a City side who had clearly lost their bottle when it really mattered.

 

Mildly amusing if you like, though none of those things would have caused the postponement of the game, which worked to the advantage of the home team that day. They did it once to their benefit and got away scot free, they did it again against Stockport to their benefit but, were warned by the FA about future offences.

The fact they were warned by the FA proves to me that there was an element within the club that will do whatever it takes to get what they want. I sometimes wish that my club had a harder edge to obtain success, I think we're too nice, like at that derby.

[Norn Iron]

Miah and In The Net,

 

What was the official reason for the the stand burning down at Eastville? Was it a myth that the stand housed the Trophy Cabinet as well?

I was playing cricket that Sunday at Nevil Road (unfortunately not for GCC). I will always remember the plume of grey smoke in the near vacinity but having no idea where it came from. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

[Tin Soldier]

5 minutes ago, Norn Iron said:

Miah and In The Net,

 

What was the official reason for the the stand burning down at Eastville? Was it a myth or did that stand house the Trophy Cabinet as well?

I was playing cricket that Sunday at Nevil Road (unfortunately not for GCC). I will always remember the plume of grey smoke in the bear vacinity but having no idea where it came from. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

I was told it was a trophy box, not a cabinet! 
”One man and his petrol can” I used to love singing that song about Twerton Park

[Bristol Oil Services]

3 hours ago, Miah Dennehy said:

 

I can't prove any of this of course, but I can prove that Rovers got more points than anyone else that season, won their last 5 games , starting with a great win at Tranmere on a Monday night against another good side who got into the play offs that year, and earning themselves the chance to get promoted against a City side who had clearly lost their bottle when it really mattered.

 

Probably true, we bottled it, in 89/90. In the Third Rate Division. You were the best Third Rate team that season, no question. We did have a player killed in a car crash that season, though, worth adding to the mix. You sold a forward, we had one breath his last on the way back from a game that season.

But there's only one team in Bristol that has had any true or meaningful "bottle" over the decades and that's not the one that has been hiding in/settled in the comfortable surroundings of first the Southern League, then Division 3 bleedin' South for the majority of its existence. You lot have never really cut those apron strings. 

"It really mattered" that we held our nerve in 1976, and in 1906. So we will have to live with that, you "went to Tranmere on a Monday night" and came back all pleased with yourselves; we went to Sunderland and West Brom and came back with results.

And that's Bristol football in a nutshell, isn't it?

 

[Hello Dave]

11 hours ago, Miah Dennehy said:

I heard that the ref had shares in the Twerton Chippy and was looking forward to an increase in profits if he could get Rovers promoted.

I also heard that 'Super Bob's' barber was Gas and threatened poor little Bobby with a Gerry Francis mullet if he ever scored against us and a petrified Bob feigned injury instead of facing a lifetime of people laughing at old photographs of him. If you slow down the video of the second goal, Rob Newmans slip is also clearly a result of an air rifle being fired from just behind the grassy knoll by Greasy Joes burger bar and Ronnie Sinclair's fear of crosses was surely down to being bitten on the neck by Jocky Alexander.

I can't prove any of this of course, but I can prove that Rovers got more points than anyone else that season, won their last 5 games , starting with a great win at Tranmere on a Monday night against another good side who got into the play offs that year, and earning themselves the chance to get promoted against a City side who had clearly lost their bottle when it really mattered.

 

I think that last bit is spot on. We had chances to have the league sewn up before this game. The ones trying to make excuses for that game make us look a bit tin pot. No excuses, one team turned up that night, and it wasn’t us!

[Rich]

2 hours ago, Hello Dave said:

I think that last bit is spot on. We had chances to have the league sewn up before this game. The ones trying to make excuses for that game make us look a bit tin pot. No excuses, one team turned up that night, and it wasn’t us!

I'd just like to point out that I'm not making excuses for that game. I'm highlighting the ruthless streak they had within their club when it came to giving them the best chance of upsetting our charge and bending the rules to achieve it. As I stated, I wish we were a little less nice within our club, I'm certain we'd have had a bit more success. It was unfortunate to lose Bob Taylor for the run in. Still, we're a club that won't or hasn't invested enough to cover for instances like that.

[Portland Bill]

11 hours ago, Norn Iron said:

Miah and In The Net,

 

What was the official reason for the the stand burning down at Eastville? Was it a myth that the stand housed the Trophy Cabinet as well?

I was playing cricket that Sunday at Nevil Road (unfortunately not for GCC). I will always remember the plume of grey smoke in the near vacinity but having no idea where it came from. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

All I heard at the time was, “is it true that all the cups got burnt and destroyed in the fire” ?

”No, the fire didn’t reach the canteen” !