Bristol Rovers fan 'Hugo the Elder' from fans forum Gas Chat has kindly agreed to give us an insight into Rovers with a Q & A.
Q: Following two promotions Darrell Clarke did a fantastic job as manager at Rovers, was it the right decision to remove him in December?
A: DC left under mutual consent so I'm not sure 'removed' is really right but I thought at the time that it probably was the right decision by all parties.
Certainly it's proven to be right based on results alone.
Q: As a player Graham Coughlan is a legend for Argyle fans, what are your thoughts on his appointment as manager at Rovers and the progress made under him?
A: I think that DC was over thinking things at the end and GC appears to have just gone back to basics which seems to have settled the squad and galvanized the team.
He has shipped out a couple of players who were not performing and made a couple of really good signings too.
It will be interesting to see what he can do with his own squad.
I will admit that I was in the fence with his appointment, I think many were but you can't argue that he didn't deserve his chance following a very successful stint at Caretaker before landing the job permanently.
Q: Without giving too much away is there a style of play that Graham uses and what Rovers players should Argyle fans look out for?
A: GC seems to have 2 main styles of play. 4-4-2 and a more conservative style with a diamond 4 which seems to lack width but has certainly been effective.
We are definitely hard to beat now and have been picking up points in games we would have lost earlier in the season.
It's impossible to ignore the form and impact of the two new signings, in particular Clarke Harris who looks a real handful.
Q: How long have you been at the Memorial Stadium, is it owned by Rovers?
A: Rovers returned to Bristol in 1996 following a very successful stint playing at Twerton Park, the home of Bath City.
Q: Can you give us an update on the proposed new stadium for Rovers?
A: I would love to tell you, but it's confidential!!
The reality is we are desperate for some movement on the stadium. The owners have told us that our current home is not sustainable for our future but they won't be redeveloping it.
Fans are very much divided on the owners ability, desire or finance to be able to build us a new stadium in Bristol any time soon.
It remains the single most divisive issue among Rovers fans and was certainly one of the most crucial factors in Darrell Clark's decision to leave the club.
We have seen so many promises and false statements over the last few years most of us won't believe anything until we are sat in a new stadium.
Q: What can you tell us about owner Wael al-Qadi and his family, do they have sufficient funds to take Rovers forward?
A: Again, a very divisive issue.
Wael is a very likable owner who does appear to have the best interests of the club at heart but it appears that he does not have control of the family finances.
The al- Qadi's are certainly propping us up at the moment, but no one really knows how long they are prepared to do that, especially as our debts seem to be growing.
Q: Rovers season tickets for next season are already on sale, what are your thoughts on the pricing?
A: Season Tickets are reasonable value and I can sit in a covered seat with my son for around £390 a season all in.
The problem is our ground is a shambles and many fans are finding it hard to justify nearly £300 to stand in the rain to watch L1 football.
Q: What are your thoughts and views on Plymouth Argyle and manager Derek Adams this season?
A: With the greatest respect, I'm not one to take much interest in other clubs and what they do. I have always quite liked Plymouth as I lived there when I was a kid and given how close the bottom half of the table is I think Plymouth have done pretty well this season. There are a lot of big teams in L1 this season.
Q: Finally, your prediction for the game on Saturday?
A: Based on our current form I expect a very close game that will probably be settled by a single goal margin so I'm going to go for a 1-2 Gas win.
Q: Following two promotions Darrell Clarke did a fantastic job as manager at Rovers, was it the right decision to remove him in December?
A: DC left under mutual consent so I'm not sure 'removed' is really right but I thought at the time that it probably was the right decision by all parties.
Certainly it's proven to be right based on results alone.
Q: As a player Graham Coughlan is a legend for Argyle fans, what are your thoughts on his appointment as manager at Rovers and the progress made under him?
A: I think that DC was over thinking things at the end and GC appears to have just gone back to basics which seems to have settled the squad and galvanized the team.
He has shipped out a couple of players who were not performing and made a couple of really good signings too.
It will be interesting to see what he can do with his own squad.
I will admit that I was in the fence with his appointment, I think many were but you can't argue that he didn't deserve his chance following a very successful stint at Caretaker before landing the job permanently.
Q: Without giving too much away is there a style of play that Graham uses and what Rovers players should Argyle fans look out for?
A: GC seems to have 2 main styles of play. 4-4-2 and a more conservative style with a diamond 4 which seems to lack width but has certainly been effective.
We are definitely hard to beat now and have been picking up points in games we would have lost earlier in the season.
It's impossible to ignore the form and impact of the two new signings, in particular Clarke Harris who looks a real handful.
Q: How long have you been at the Memorial Stadium, is it owned by Rovers?
A: Rovers returned to Bristol in 1996 following a very successful stint playing at Twerton Park, the home of Bath City.
Q: Can you give us an update on the proposed new stadium for Rovers?
A: I would love to tell you, but it's confidential!!
The reality is we are desperate for some movement on the stadium. The owners have told us that our current home is not sustainable for our future but they won't be redeveloping it.
Fans are very much divided on the owners ability, desire or finance to be able to build us a new stadium in Bristol any time soon.
It remains the single most divisive issue among Rovers fans and was certainly one of the most crucial factors in Darrell Clark's decision to leave the club.
We have seen so many promises and false statements over the last few years most of us won't believe anything until we are sat in a new stadium.
Q: What can you tell us about owner Wael al-Qadi and his family, do they have sufficient funds to take Rovers forward?
A: Again, a very divisive issue.
Wael is a very likable owner who does appear to have the best interests of the club at heart but it appears that he does not have control of the family finances.
The al- Qadi's are certainly propping us up at the moment, but no one really knows how long they are prepared to do that, especially as our debts seem to be growing.
Q: Rovers season tickets for next season are already on sale, what are your thoughts on the pricing?
A: Season Tickets are reasonable value and I can sit in a covered seat with my son for around £390 a season all in.
The problem is our ground is a shambles and many fans are finding it hard to justify nearly £300 to stand in the rain to watch L1 football.
Q: What are your thoughts and views on Plymouth Argyle and manager Derek Adams this season?
A: With the greatest respect, I'm not one to take much interest in other clubs and what they do. I have always quite liked Plymouth as I lived there when I was a kid and given how close the bottom half of the table is I think Plymouth have done pretty well this season. There are a lot of big teams in L1 this season.
Q: Finally, your prediction for the game on Saturday?
A: Based on our current form I expect a very close game that will probably be settled by a single goal margin so I'm going to go for a 1-2 Gas win.
