52 replies to this topic

[adygasblues]

Who was the best manager for rovers sorry if this has been posted before cannot see it on form!

Bristol Rovers Manager History

Manager Start Date End Date Mark McGhee 18 January 2012 Present Paul Buckle 30 May 2011 3 January 2012 Stuart Campbell 6 March 2011 9 May 2011 Dave Penney 10 January 2011 6 March 2011 Darren Patterson 16 December 2010 10 January 2011 Paul Trollope 22 September 2005 15 December 2010 Ian Atkins 26 April 2004 22 September 2005 Kevan Broadhurst 22 March 2004 26 April 2004 Russell Osman 22 March 2004 26 April 2004 Phil Bater 17 January 2004 22 March 2004 Ray Graydon 25 April 2002 16 January 2004 Phil Bater 10 April 2002 24 April 2002 Garry Thompson 24 December 2001 9 April 2002 Gerry Francis 27 June 2001 24 December 2001 Garry Thompson 29 January 2001 27 June 2001 Gary Penrice 29 January 2001 27 June 2001 Ian Holloway 13 May 1996 29 January 2001 John Ward 1 August 1993 10 May 1996 Dennis Rofe 1 October 1992 1 November 1992 Malcolm Allison 1 August 1992 1 March 1993 Martin Dobson 2 July 1991 4 October 1991 Gerry Francis 1 July 1987 13 May 1991 Bobby Gould 16 May 1985 1 July 1987 David Williams 1 May 1983 10 May 1985 Bobby Gould 22 October 1981 1 May 1983 Terry Cooper 1 April 1980 20 October 1981 Harold Jarman 13 December 1979 1 April 1980 Bobby Campbell 22 November 1978 12 December 1979 Don Megson 1 July 1972 22 November 1977 Bill Dodgin(Snr) 1 August 1969 1 July 1972 Fred Ford 1 April 1968 1 August 1969 Bert Tann 1 January 1950 1 April 1968 Brough Fletcher 1 January 1938 31 December 1949 Percy Smith 1 November 1936 1 November 1937 Albert Prince-Cox 1 November 1930 31 October 1936 Dave McLean 1 May 1929 31 October 1930 Joe Palmer 1 May 1926 1 May 1929 Andy Wilson 1 June 1921 1 May 1926 Ben Hall 1 July 1920 1 May 1921 Alfred Homer 1 August 1899 31 May 1920

[the Bright Side of Life]

Bert Tann. No comparison. End of thread. Sorrry.

[2 Tone Gas]

Gerry Francis gets my vote........

[Toby Lerone]

Gerry Francis Mk1

[pirate49]

Bit like the Best Striker thread, where it's difficult to look past Geoff Bradford.
Has to be Bert Tann. He took us to our highest ever league position and
developed, and held on to, local talent.
Then you can consider Gerry Francis, John Ward, Don Megson and (as
a partnership) Lawrence and Trollope...............................................
I always thought that David Williams had the making of a top manager too.

[imabloke]

Olly.

[jaymer]

Gerry for me (first time only tho).

[smashandgrab]

Gerry Francis for me without a shadow of doubt ..what he done with this football club with the
resources and the squad he had back then was nothing short of amazing..
have just finished reading "a season to remember" brings it all back like it was yesterday.

"In the 1989/90 season, Bristol Rovers clinched promotion to the old 'Second Division', thanks largely to the tremendous team spirit of a side exiled in Bath, away from its traditional Bristol home. The 'Ragbag Rovers', as they became known, set an outstanding club record, remaining undefeated in 41 matches throughout the season, the highlight of which was a 3-0 victory against local rivals Bristol City in the penultimate game of the season."

without Francis at the helm we could have well gone to the dogs

[liam_the_top_gashead]

Dave Penney

[meadgas57]

Gerry Francis

[OutwoodGas]

Gerry Francis for me, for the very reasons given by SmashandGrab. Additionally the football was great, he had leaders all over the pitch, and the players vastly overachieved individually under him - Devon White and Billy Ocean being the prime examples.
I thought David Williams was good - he wasn't there long but produced an entertaining accomplished team too.

[gashead73]

Been watching & supporting the gas since 1979 and the best manager we have had in those 33years for me was Gerry Francis.

John Ward & Trollope both come a very close second.
(only my opinion though)

[hollyhillgas]

Don Megson, Watney cup and promotion.

[Harry Buckle]

Bert Tann first ever championship and promotion with mostly home grown players and under a no buy no sell policy plus quarter finals of FA Cup and sixth in Championship twice. No one will ever beat that record....or will McGhee ?

[TheBideford Gas]

Bert Tann for me but what Gerry Francis acheived with his ragbag rovers will be never forgotton. What a season that was, topped off with a thrashing of the OTIB!

[Gas-Ed]

Shaun North

[KingswoodPolak]

Bobby Gould had a good side before he left us first time and David Williams team played the best football but, in my time, has to be Don " don't say God say Megson"

[Eastville1966]

Only three....Bert Tann, Don Megson and Gerry Francis. No-one else comes close in my (very) humble opinion....

[Bristol Rovers]

Difficult one this, like the best striker thread Bert Tann before most forum users started watching Rovers and from a different era anyway.


From modern times do you go for Don Megson with the Watney Cup, long unbeaten league record and promotion, Gerry Francis and is achievement of getting promoted whilst we were playing at Bath with the famous 3-0 victory, or Lawrence & Trollope's two finals in one season and the Lambert era.

As the football wasn't the best under the Trollope it would have to be Megson or Francis, think I would plump for Francis as he got us promoted and made a fortune for the club when we sold Martyn etc. Although Smash & Grab take some beating!

[Hung drawn and quartered]

Gerry Francis for me without a shadow of doubt ..what he done with this football club with the
resources and the squad he had back then was nothing short of amazing..
have just finished reading "a season to remember" brings it all back like it was yesterday.

"In the 1989/90 season, Bristol Rovers clinched promotion to the old 'Second Division', thanks largely to the tremendous team spirit of a side exiled in Bath, away from its traditional Bristol home. The 'Ragbag Rovers', as they became known, set an outstanding club record, remaining undefeated in 41 matches throughout the season, the highlight of which was a 3-0 victory against local rivals Bristol City in the penultimate game of the season."

without Francis at the helm we could have well gone to the dogs

The 41 games unbeaten made me laugh, sort of true but only in the fact that we lost 5 games out of 46 and won or drew the remaining ones (41). We had some good runs that season, but probably no more than 15 unbeaten at any one time.
Re the question, Francis in his first spell is the best manager we've had in my time supporting my a mile.