And just like that the season is over. For a decent amount of Bristol Rovers supporters, that will come as a relief which is always a sign that the campaign didn’t quite go as planned but give it a couple of weeks and they will inevitably long for the camaraderie of a Saturday afternoon down the Mem once again.
It’s fair to suggest that Rovers’ final day trip to Wigan Athletic was a bit of a dead rubber given that a top half finish was unreachable while the Gas couldn’t finish any lower than 15th. However, there was still something to play for in the sense that Wigan were only two points higher meaning that a victory would’ve seen Matt Taylor’s men leapfrog their hosts. Unsurprisingly though, the game was a repeat of what’s been too frequent an occurrence over the past couple of months.
A 2-0 loss means that Rovers will finish in 15th position in League One, a result we will analyse in more detail later. However, it also means that the back cover may be closed and the 2023–2024 almanack discarded, with attention now immediately shifting to what will happen next.
In the near term, the retained list, which will be made public on Tuesday afternoon, will provide a clearer picture of who will be part in Taylor’s ambitions and the foundation the Gas will aim to build upon as they head into the summer. In the long run, though, it will depend on who exactly enters the building on September 1st and how many new faces there are.
Since there isn’t much to say about the Wigan loss that hasn’t been said a million times this season—especially in the last four months—the discussion has naturally centred more on the campaign as a whole and what the upcoming weeks and months hold. But anyhow, here are a few discussion points for our season-ending decision.
Bristol Rovers appear to suffer from end-of-term-itis with little to play for
Even if there isn’t a clear scientific term or terminology for the experience, we can all relate to it. There’s always a little extra tiredness when the holidays are approaching, whether you are a parent of children in school or can recall the feeling from your own school days. There’s enough evidence to suggest that Bristol Rovers may have experienced that on Saturday.
Rovers’ season was always going to be viewed with a degree of disappointment, no matter what the outcome versus Wigan had been. Granted, winning would have moved them into the 60-point range, which would have somewhat altered public opinion, but in the end, not much was
It’s worth mentioning later how many people are remaining, but from what I’ve heard from supporters, it felt more like, “phew, only 90 minutes of the season left,” rather than, “aw, only 90 minutes left.”
Everyone has their own plans that you would think would start right away, be it travelling to a tropical destination or spending precious time with family back home. Naturally, every player would have yearned for that, considering how little depended on the outcome versus the Latics.
Additionally, Saturday was a mirror of a game that we have seen a lot of lately. Rovers’ last eight games of the season ended in five 2-0 losses, however the Gas were unlucky in two of those games, namely against Peterborough United and Bolton Wanderers. But the opposition was clearly superior on the day against Port Vale, Reading, and Wigan, as evidenced by the fact that Taylor’s team mustered just four shots on target in another encounter on Saturday.
Academy Player of the Year earns a deserved debut
The young player has had a few chances to make his debut this season after sitting on the bench, but it was beginning to seem like he would have to wait until the following year. But the midfielder, who just won Academy Player of the Year, made a well-earned appearance and has clearly been capturing Taylor’s attention in first-team drills lately.
Shaw has also developed ties with some of his older teammates as part of his extensive integration into the first squad this season, most notably Jevani Brown, who went on record to congratulate Kofi on his debut following the game. I believe it is well merited. He’s been outstanding the whole season and
It seems like a long time in coming. He has spent some time on the bench. Though I believe he deserves it and has a bright career ahead of him, he should have got more minutes.”
Regarding Taylor, the manager acknowledged that it was always the intention to provide the teenager some playing time at DW Stadium. However, it is now inevitable that the subject of how much the teenager plays next season will come up. Naturally, expectations must be moderated, but you would think that there will be some good opportunities to make an impression during the preseason, and who knows what will happen after that?
