Bristol Rovers Saturday 19 July

With all this lightning about why hasn't the game been postponed? If an early decision had been made could it have been rescheduled for tomorrow afternoon when the weather forecast is better?

Easy tiger, pitch is fine, im sure they are aware of conditions, and im sure most have got other things to do tomorrow.

Conditions and pitch were fine.

We won 1-0 by the way.

And I'm not keen on the new kit (especially invisible numbers again). Looks a bit cheap. But if we've sacrificed a decent kit to get an extra player or so I guess I'll cope. Doubt I'll buy it, though.

so which of hacksaw's links is it?

from the other thread...

yuffie wrote:i believe under the previous regime the aim was to have a bespoke kit this season but understandably cost implications put an end to that plan

maybe it's my imagination, but I'm sure I'd heard from reliable sources after the previous regime resigned that this season we were going for a retro kit to tie in with the 125 celebrations. was there an announcement to the effect that this was no longer affordable?

certainly the original idea for a bespoke retro kit was first considered over a year ago

i'm not aware that there was ever an announcement that the idea had been shelved but i guess like many areas the club currently have to go for cheaper options without feeling the need to announce it

i've posted a picture of the new shirt in the kit thread

as for the game today, the pitch was in perfect condition despite the rain we had before kick-off and it was dry for the whole 90 minutes so it was good the club didn't make a premature decision to cancel

performance wise it was another promising effort - we started with watkins, pratt and hemmings up front - the latter looks to have a decent touch for a big man and certainly gives us another attacking option and
at the back, despite missing phil walsh, we limited rovers to just one clear cut chance (a header that looked harder to miss than score)

I left the ground full of hope today. I really fancy our chances this season if they can keep playing like that.

Impressed by new signings yesterday....  

Hemmings is certainly something different but as said earlier his touch is good and he is a big physical presence, although lacking in a bit of pace, Slocombe looked very comfortable on the ball and will give the left footed balance that Aaron Brown should have given last season but was not fit enough to do so, Kingston very industrious and skilful and Frankie Artus looks a 'real' footballer - although his passes were sometimes over hit yesterday - and should provide a very good younger replacement for Connelly and with more pace as well.

Also impressed with the subs - goalscorer Kearey at the back looked very capable and also Evans when he came on........all in all the squad does look in much better shape this season with more energy about it.

However, if I was a Rovers fan I would be a bit worried about the quality of their potential back up players - the fast, tricky left winger apart - they didn't have anyone I would have swopped any of our players for.  

I didn't see the Rovers game but I am pleased that some of the comments on here confirm my thoughts following the Cardiff match. Very early days but I detect a good feeling about the club, a perception I have not had for some while. There seems to be real positivity within the squad and a general belief. Its good to see.

My opposite neighbour is one of the kit men for Rovers. After I gently ribbed him about the score, he made sure he let me know that Saturday's line up was almost entirely youth and trialists, with only one first team regular coming on in the second half. Spoilsport!

But he did tell me that the word at Rovers is that Pat Keary is a done deal and will definitely be joining us. He also says that he's a good prospect and a great kid, popular in the dressing room, and an obsessive when it comes to training. Sounds promising!

Where that leaves the other trialist contender Zak Evans is anyone's guess. Thought he'd had a couple of decent games, but the management were saying that we only needed one more player for the squad.

It was a bit more experienced than that sounds, however, Clarke was a tad dismissive on their web site indicating he wasnt going to risk key players in a game like that ! A man under pressure I think given Rovers are the bookies favourites to go up, oh how we laughed at that tag in Luton these past few years............

We're slowly getting together the best defence we've had probably since the old Simpson-Holland-Jones-Rollo standard back four. We didn't even have Walshy on Saturday (though his dad was still there), but still looked solid.

If possible I'm hoping we can have a keeper to call upon if Mellor picks up an injury like he did on Saturday, and not another waste of space like that Reading bloke.