Rovers sack Trollope

Wednesday, 15/12/2010

by Ollie Neno, Shoot's Bristol Rovers blogger

Paul Trollope was today removed from his post as manager of Bristol Rovers after five years at the helm.

It comes the morning after Rovers exited the JPT Southern Semi Final at home to Exeter City on penalties, after the game finished 2-2.

Fan unrest had been growing over the past few months and there were strong rumours on fans forums and local radio that Trollope would go should Exeter put us out last night. This proved to be the case and the fact that they beat us in front of only 3,000 Gasheads probably sealed Trollope’s fate.

Without a win in just over two months and sitting 21st in the table, occupying one of the four relegation spots, things were beginning to turn sour after what have been a largely successful stint for Trollope.

He is one of only five managers in the club’s 127-year history to win promotion and has also led the team to a Millenium Stadium JPT final. He also reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and gave all Rovers fans one of their best memories from his time in charge when the team beat arch rivals Bristol City 1-0 to reach that JPT Final.

All these achievements will ensure that most Rovers fans will remember Trollope for the right reasons and give him the reception he deserves should he ever return to the Memorial Stadium whilst in charge of another club.

It’s perhaps these past achievements that have always kept at least 50 per cent of the fan base on the manager's side when others were calling for his head on numerous occasions in the last two years.

However, on the way back from the game yesterday the support for the manager seemed to be all but gone as masses of ‘Trollope Out’ phone calls flooded the radio from even the most ardent Rovers fans. It’s not nice hearing your fans slate a man who has done so much for the club, however you’d be hard pressed to find one fan who would disagree with the points being made against Trollope last night.

Striker Jo Kuffour was left out of the squad last night with a “touch of flu” according to the official club website. However, the word coming from those ‘in the know’ was that the player and manager had been involved in a bust up on the way back from the 6-2 mauling at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

If this is true, then it is another example of one of the major problems most Rovers fans have with Trollope, his apparent lack of man management skills. During his time in charge, too many players seem to have mysteriously spent long spells on the touchline or out of his squad’s whilst players such as Mark Wright are loaned out and prove huge hits at other clubs whilst they look incapable of playing football with us.

The search for a permanent replacement manager now begins whilst assistant manager Darren Patterson has been put in charge of the first-team until the appointment is made, starting this Saturday at home to Colchester.

Names being banded about early into the search are Bath City manager Adie Britton and former Rovers defender Andy Tilson. Although, the possibility of Patterson being given the full time role isn’t out of the question, in what would be a hugely unpopular decision with the majority of fans.

It has been a fantastic time under Trollope who has done a superb job and will always be remembered fondly by Gasheads. As a young fan, I can only remember watching Rovers under his tenure and he’s given me and all other Rovers fans memories that we will never forget.

So thanks for everything Trollope. As the song went last night as he made his way onto the pitch, “There’s only one Paul Trollope”.

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