Bristol Rovers fans' donation to youth team
Bristol Rovers' fans have provided the cash for a 16-seater coach for the club's youth squad.
The Pirates' Supporters Club donated the £28,000 needed after raising the money through their 50-50 matchday draw.
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The boost comes just as Rovers have revamped their youth system in time for the new season, bringing it back in house and appointing former Oxford United boss Darren Patterson as their new head of youth.
Coach Paul Trollope said: "Well done the fans. It is much appreciated – another piece of an ever-expanding jigsaw.
"It is another sign that we are making progress off the field and shows that we are going about our business in a professional manner."
Supporters Club chairman Jim Chappell said: "This coach will greatly raise the profile of Rovers in and around the city and on trips to other grounds.
"It has fulfilled a long-time personal ambition of mine to get involved in promoting Bristol Rovers' youth set-up.
"We had previous discussions with Paul, and he said the most urgent requirement for the new youth set-up was a minibus to take the players to and from training.
"Many higher-ranking clubs would be proud to have their young players carried around in such a vehicle and I'm hoping that we can eventually allocate further 50-50 funds towards other youth development projects at the club along with kit, apparatus and medical equipment."
Next month the Supporters Club is set to pass the £800,000 mark in donations to the club through its share scheme. It now has 360,000 shares in the club – a holding of just over seven per cent.
More than 4,000 fans attended the Rovers' annual fun day yesterday at the Memorial Stadium, where chairman Nick Higgs assured supporters that the club is still working to deliver its delayed ground redevelopment scheme.
Planning permission for the £36 million scheme was granted in 2007 but it has since been held up by funding problems.
Answering questions from fans at the fun day, Higgs said: "It's very difficult to keep making holding statements and we took the view that we would not make another statement until things are signed and sealed.
"We hoped, back in March, that we were ready to start. But the funders of the project have come up with some fundamental changes to some of the leases and we have to work through those with the lawyers.
"Things are progressing. There's nothing insurmountable, but these things all take time to sort out and we are working our way through them.
"I can assure you that as soon as I am able to make a statement, I will.
"We need to have made a meaningful start by the spring of 2011 but, with the way things are progressing at the moment, I would suggest that we will be starting long before that.
"A meaningful start means that foundations or drainage systems have to be under way, and not simply digging a hole in the ground."
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by parrot, north somerset
Tuesday, July 14 2009, 3:07PM
“Amy, Still more washing up to be done !! Know your limits !!”
by Amy, Bath
Monday, July 13 2009, 11:21PM
“Dean your career is over and you would earn more as a Bricky . oooops . Oh well at least the rovers will cheer you when you beat them playing for Darling ton. Most nick names for rovers fans wives.”
by Dean Windass, Darlington
Monday, July 13 2009, 8:00PM
“Amy
When will you stop posting moronic comments on Rovers stories? You seem mildly obsessed with Rovers, thanks for the extra support but your benign comments are better suited on the City stories I think.
Let me guess, you are a member of the 2007/2008 half season ticket at xmas club.”
by Phil, Warmley
Monday, July 13 2009, 5:49PM
“Wesley , i agree with some of your views. we only believe we are a small club as we are fed to believe this from the club . Its ok people thinking 3 seasons time we`ll be in the Champ but what then . Our board don`t put themselves out in the slightest unlike the fans who seem to carry everything.”
by John, United Kingdom
Monday, July 13 2009, 5:35PM
“Wesley. Exactly who have you in mind to take over from the current Board? Perhaps you could persuade them to buy the club!
I reckon they're doing a fairly decent job but can't argue that someone with more money than sense would be welcomed by most Gasheads. Until that day dawns we have to accept the gradual progress made in the last few seasons is as good as it gets. I'm confident that we will be in the Championship within 3 seasons at which point we may be more attractive to a wealthy investor.”
by Wesley, Weston-s-mare
Monday, July 13 2009, 5:24PM
“Think what you want judge. It's always the same with us Gasheads...as soon as someone dares to criticise anything to do with BRFC you are automatically labelled a pooh head. I am as passionate as they come but i am not like you or the majority of gasheads who prefer to ignore the rubbish from our directors.
Wake up you fool!”
by The judge, bristol
Monday, July 13 2009, 4:49PM
“I can smell poop!! Maybe someone is impersonating a gashead...... wes-=s*!thead hhmmmm”
by Wes, Weston
Monday, July 13 2009, 4:37PM
“Absolutely... Cowlin is another fine example. You are right about Agogo, we also signed the legendary Andy Rammell who's goals kept us in the football league.
Now we have this farce of a situation where we are rebuilding a ground to a capacity that isn't going to be big enough to sustain long term Championship football. And of course the dirctors won't be funding any of this themselves. No chance. That will come from other areas.
These guy's are a joke and we will never achieve anything with them and their small minded approach....
BOARD OUT”
by Amy, Bath
Monday, July 13 2009, 3:04PM
“roversteve i`m sure was first in the queue of 2 people to get his face fainted like captain black arab gas h at the open day.”
by It's Me, bristol
Monday, July 13 2009, 2:41PM
“misterx, obsessed much? mmwwaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh”