‘Local derbies could be back on next season’

I have had a significant change of heart about Bristol Rovers’ chances of making the play-offs. Even before the recent and significant improvement to the team’s form, I was as confident as confident can be that Darrell Clarke’s boys would make the grade, but I no longer think the play-offs are the most likely outcome.

For me, the spectre of automatic promotion shines brighter. Why do I think this? It’s a feeling.

I realise that “a feeling” is not quite the same thing as possessing a great deal of wisdom and knowledge on a particular subject, but in football there is a lot to be said for it.

I do not think I am breaking a confidence when I say that Rovers chairman Nick Higgs told me, during our recent meeting, that he believes that Darrell Clarke’s management has taken the club back to the kind of place we were in the early days of Ian Holloway.

Granted that Darrell is not a natural Bristolian, in the eyes of most Gasheads he is a naturalised Bristolian. He has embraced the club, its culture and, most importantly, its supporters.

All managers say the right thing about fans – they are always “the greatest fans in the country” – but you get the impression from hearing Darrell speak that he actually means it.

Similarly, managers and players do not, normally, support the club they are playing for, especially when virtually none of them are homegrown, but again this lot play like they do.

I see the gap between Rovers and third placed Oxford and it might as well not exist. A couple of weekends and things could look very different. Success breeds confidence which breeds, yes you guessed it, confidence, and the Gas have bucket loads of that right now.

The mark of how much Rovers have improved since last season can be seen in the run-up to tomorrow’s trip to Barnet. Whilst Barnet have struggled to compete at the right end of the table, Rovers have developed and improved month on month, so much so that whilst they started last season’s games against them as underdogs, tomorrow the Gas go in as red hot favourites.

The signing of Liam Lawrence could be critical to how this season plays out. Granted that it is handy to have more than a little ability, Lawrence’s experience will be invaluable.

Forget his age – Rovers have more than enough players to do the very hard yards for him, if necessary – because the lad can play. If Gaffney can be signed from Cambridge – and most of us believe he will be once the current pantomime has been concluded – then there is not a lot that stands between Rovers and automatic promotion.

These are heady times to be a Gashead and folk should enjoy the good times whilst they can. A second successive promotion, with the real prospect of a return to local derbies next season, should not be beyond the club.