Rovers fans have suffered this season. The initial expectation that they would bounce back into League One following last year's relegation has now been replaced by an acceptance that they now need to just secure their league status and start planning for 2012/13.
But much of that planning will be done by Chairman Nick Higgs who hasn't exactly covered himself with glory in the last 18 months or so.
Five managers or caretakers have come and gone (well the fifth will have gone when Shaun North is replaced this week by a permanent boss) and Higgs is the man who has made the appointments and issued the dismissals.
The most successful of the five was Stuart Campbell who ironically took Rovers down. But while relegation will be a scar on Campbell's CV, he did get the players fighting for the club and nearly pulled off the impossible by saving them.
Campbell was replaced by Paul Buckle whose employment was terminated two weeks ago and coach North has seemingly revitalised the players.
They were always going to be second best against Villa in the Cup, but did put in the effort. They turned over Hereford last Tuesday evening and helped knocked Crawley off the summit of League Two on Saturday. Not a bad little run, but North been in this fickle business long enough to know he's not going to be given a chance.
Equally veteran striker Scott McGleish isn't being considered despite letting it be known that - at 38 years next month - he is now preparing to move into management or coaching. I had a chat with Scott on Saturday and I think he was a little put out that he hadn't even got an interview. He didn't really expect to get the job, but was hoping to be given the experience of a job interview just so that he "could begin to understand the process involved". Personally, I think he has earned that opportunity given the honest effort and endeavour he has put into the game during his career.
Mind you, I suspect that most Gasheads would prefer to see him bouncing off the bench as he has done in the last three games and cause mayhem. He managed a goal against Villa (we won't mention the last second penalty miss!), grabbed the winner against Hereford and his enthusiasm for the cause never wavers no matter which club he turns out for - and he's had more than Tiger Woods!
Higgs has got to get the next appointment right. They have the players to get over the safety line, but, then again, they had the players to stay in League One.
Keith Curle and Richard Money were both at the game on Saturday and former player Curle would be a favourite with most fans. He's also making all the right noises in the media and Higgs knew exactly which private box he was sitting in when he was interviewed on Saturday before the game. I think the smart money isn't on Money or even Geraint Williams - who is also being mentioned as a contender. If I were a Rovers fan, I'd get down to the bookies and put a fiver on Curle getting the job, but I won't be reimbursing anyone if I've got it wrong!
(Noel Edmonds was also at the game apparently, although I suspect that even Mr. Higgs won't have asked Mr. Blobby to take over at the helm, although ...)
This week will be a big one for Rovers and could be the turning point in the club's fortunes. I certainly hope so.
My clipping from this morning's paper
No comments:
Post a Comment