The Opposition View – Bristol Rovers

Following yesterday’s huge slice of luck for the Chairboys, here’s what Bristol Rovers manager Mark McGhee and a few of their fans thought of the game and the fact that it was abandoned when they were 3-1 up.

“The game was called off, not by the referee, but by the health and safety officer here at Wycombe Wanderers and we’ve got to trust him that he was genuine in his interpretation of what was happening.” said McGhee.

“Apparently the pylons behind the away end stand had been hit twice (by lightning) and there were cables up there that could come down and it was serious enough where he had to consider that. So we’ve just got to accept that he made that decision in good faith.”

“Of course, our players are saying that if they (Wycombe) had been 3-1 up, would the game have been called off, and I’d like to think it would.”

“Certainly they were keener than us to have it put off. I know that Gary (Waddock) was keen to get it off, which I would have been in the same circumstances. I’m not criticising him for that – he’s got lucky today and we have to live with it.”

Turning to the football on show, McGhee said: “I thought that apart from the disappointment of a poor goal that we conceded, the first half performance was terrific. There was energy, there was movement, there was passing, there was incision, and there were three fantastic goals.”


The Rovers fans weren’t quite as philosophical as their manager.

The following extracts are taken from the Bristol Rovers Fans Forum, Football Forums and the Bristol Rovers Alternative Forum.


SteveK wrote:
‘Wycombe Football Club are a total disgrace. From the ‘Safety’ Man who didn’t immediately empty our stand to the Wycombe players who went on and on at the referee after the break to abandon it. Gary Waddock your players are a total disgrace as is your club. The FA should become involved in this and award us the points and fine Wycombe good and proper.’


WycombeGas wrote:
‘The Wycombe statements don’t add up. If the stand I was sat in had been hit by lightening I think I might have known about it! And if it was, why we’re we not immediately evacuated? The storm had passed over when the game was stopped. Shocking decision in my opinion made by a person with a vested interest. Disgusting.’


smashandgrab wrote:
‘You can guarantee that if Wycombe had been 3-1 up, the club’s safety officer would have taken a different view on things.’


Newmarket Gas wrote:
‘I want to see proof of the lightening strike, should be easy as I am sure repairs must be needed. The question of why the lads and lasses were kept in that ‘unsafe’ stand should be asked at the top level of the FA.’


Toby Lerone wrote:
‘I was at the game with my brother who is a meteorologist. We couldn’t figure out why he didn’t postpone the start of the second half as it was obvious that lightning was on the way – we were tracking it on the radar. The fans weren’t in danger as the stand is earthed and effectively forms a Farraday cage. The players on the pitch however were very much in danger so why he let the subs stay out even after the suspension is beyond me. The whole thing is a farce!’


We beat Holland wrote:
‘Maybe we should refuse to replay the game in protest. Yes we would be giving up a possible 3 points but it would be a fairly unique way of demonstrating our utter contempt at the way our fans’ health and safety was put in severe danger for a good half an hour after it was first thought to be in danger…oh and also how we got totally shafted out of 3 points.’


mehew magic wrote:
‘I genuinely think we should at least ask Wycombe if they would be willing to let Lee and Eliot score (the latter twice), and we will let Logan score, then we will play the 90 minutes with no fuss.’


PipeDream wrote:
‘The health and safety excuse is ludicrous because if the away stand was genuinely dangerous and unsafe we’d have been evacuated. We weren’t. There’s more to this. But still, it wasn’t a great sight to see Gasheads react in the way they did. It doesn’t do the vast majority of us justice as we were superb today.’


welsh_gas95 wrote:
‘Luckily I got out just before they shut us in… I had to fight (not literally) past 10 mupppets trying to charge the police and get on the pitch. Moral high ground well and truly lost.’


Gas-Ed wrote:
‘From what I understand, the Rovers’ fans were simply helping to dismantle the stand that was unsafe.’


London_Gas wrote:
‘What actually happened was that a few pushes and shoves led to a policeman landing on a hoarding and knocking it over, a few bottles and a seat was thrown, but nothing serious. Knowing the media they’ll say it was a riot.’


The Joker wrote:
‘We were excellent regardless of the abandonment. We played some of the best stuff going forward I’ve seen for a long time. Well done Gas.’


VintageGas wrote:
‘We were absolutely superb today and looked like we’d score every time we went forward. How we hadn’t scored 5 in the first half I’ll never know.


aber gas wrote:
‘We passed the ball along the deck, showed brilliant movement, pressured the opposition and put 100% into every tackle. Lots to be proud of today, gutted at how it ended.’


Salfords Gas wrote:
‘We have been ****ed and it stinks to hell.’


Next Game: Southend v Wycombe – Sat 1st Sept – 3.00pm