The Holloway preview
If you were a betting man and a statistics enthusiasts you'd be excited after studying the Gas's last league campaign. Ask any statistician or know it all pub drunk and they will tell you that trends are everything in their line of work and domination of the bar. In 2007 -2008 The Gas finished a gnats foreskin [just thirty nine points!] behind the English winners Swansea. Bugger all when you think about it. Well I have looked into my tea leaves and can see clearly that with a little more consistency at home and away and an extra thirteen wins and then scoring more and conceding less than the other team the gap will be closed.
Dollop the talking mule
There are managers and there is Dollop the talking mule; he knows how to win the league now. The Gas will adopt tactics of scoring more goals than the opposition to win games both at home and away. I can really see how this theory works. Last time out the Gas were in the league right up until September. Problems off the field caused us to lose focus at a critical time. We are the form team this time!
The Chairman and spending
Once we become on par with Cheltenham and Stockport in terms of spending Lordy watch out the league and the rest of England and the rest of Europe.
The goalkeeper
What can you say? Steve Phillipps is 100% Gas, always has been always will be till err …and there is not a keeper in Europe I would rather have marshalling the back four. Superb in every aspect of his game including crosses where he radiates a calmness similar to that displayed at Lulsgates air traffic control. Unflappable and a top bloke, massive personality, great in the dressing room, a real listener to everything the manager has to say and a man who lets his abilities rather than his mouth do the talking. Never a whinge or a whine with Steve.
Craig Hinton
With Craig playing across the back with the three tall blokes signed from the Lebeq Tavern I would not expect to see Rovers concede a goal till 2009. With this perfect alliance of ball playing prowess and well oiled and drilled defensive acumen expect to see even the legendary Lee Dixon, Tony Adams, Steve Bould & Nigel Winterburn turning up at the training pitch to learn how its done.
Centre of the Park
Everybody has heard of our unstoppable midfield. What with Stuart Campbell and Dave Pip … err Pap …Pop… Pipe …PIPE and the other two. Nobody and I mean Manchester United and Real Madrid here could play through this lot. I simply cannot see how other teams will ever get the ball off the likes of Pap … err Pip …Pop… Pipe …PIPEY.
Paul Lambert
You would expect Paul "the Hitman" Lambert to get somewhere in the range of 50-60 goals next season as he his return of 29 in 100 at Rochdale suggests. This divisions defenders just don't have enough in their lockers, garages or fridge freezers to deal with him now he has settled in and the uncertainty over his future due to giants Forest Green and Team Bath queuing up for his services has been put to one side.
The danger teams
I really have looked into my tea leaves here and considered all the options and it could be anyone of twenty three teams that will win it and at least four will reach the play offs of which two will be in the play off final where one will beat the other by scoring more goals in full time, extra time or by a penalty shoot out. I can see it all very clearly in those leaves.
The twelfth Man
Even Jade Goodey knows that the original twelfth man was Rovers Tote End so forget all this bollocks about Kops and those mental Turks who sing for days. The Blackthorn end will be where it is at. It will be a wall of noise from our loyal fans, THEY ARE THE KIDDIES! Expect attendances to rise very close to 1987's average of 3246 and you can't ask for better passion than that. Best in the world and a different class the Gas.
