Ex-Bristol Rovers player ready to take on galacticos
Rovers will be taking on Real Madrid next month and, although it will be Shamrock Rovers and not the Bristol version, there will be a connection.
Cristiano Ronaldo could make his debut for the Spanish giants against the Irish side after his £80 million transfer from Manchester United.
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And he will come up against Shamrock's own record signing – former Bristol Rovers player Gary Twigg.
The Scot made only eight appearances for Bristol Rovers, but played his part in keeping them in the Football League at the end of the 2003-04 season under the management of Ian Atkins. Those Rovers fans able to remember the youngster, who was on loan from Derby County, will recall an attacking left-back.
Twigg, 25, is now a striker and cost Shamrock £25,000 from Brechin City following post-Bristol spells with Airdrie, Oxford and Hamilton Academical. He has scored 14 times in 25 appearances in the League of Ireland this season.
Now he's trying to work out which galactico's shirt to go for on July 20 when the mighty Madrid arrive in Dublin.
Shamrock's ground holds only 3,500 fans but that will be increased to 10,000 by temporary stands.
Twigg said: "It's impossible not to get excited. It's been the talk of the dressing room for weeks now and I just can't believe some of the players we could be up against.
"When we first heard about it Ronaldo hadn't even signed for Real. But even then we had Kaka, Wesley Sneijder and Raul to worry about.
"Everyone knows what Perez is like, he just wants to hoover up the best players in the world and there's talk of Ribery being next.
"So their forward line against us could be Kaka, Ronaldo and Ribery. That's certainly better than Brechin's front three last season!"
Twigg's side will be in the middle of their season and the Scot has warned Madrid that showboating won't be tolerated.
He said: "It's a friendly but our squad is full of winners. Our boys will be taking it deadly serious.
"There's pride at stake and we don't want to be on the end of a drubbing. We'll look on it as a chance to prove ourselves against one of the best club sides in the world. I think if Ronaldo and Kaka come here for a prance about and an easy game they are in for a shock."
10 Comments
by RAYMOND, brislington
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 7:47PM
“The first word is Rovers so that's the confusion of Shamrock and Bristol out the way, I agree though a total nomark of a story purely filled cos there was a City story about transfers, just to even it up?!.....”
by Dean Windass, Darlington
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 5:17PM
“Amy, why don't you go ad read the City non stories instead of this one.
Or even better read up on .Bath's tourist attractions like they do in Bath”
by Warren, North Bristol
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 5:11PM
“Now now Amy, just because Paul knows more than u ;)”
by Amy, Bath
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 5:05PM
“Brentford boy , why don`t you go and read the financial times or go and play the spoons as they do in London.”
by Paul, Brentford
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 4:49PM
“Amy you are correct. Shamrock rRvers are Irelands biggest club at the moment and they do get bigger crowds than Twiggs previous club Brechin City.
I'm surprised someone from Bath would know this”
by Amy, Bath
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 3:15PM
“Twigg made a good move there as Shamrock get bigger crowds and obviously have ambition.”
by Bethany, Bradley Stoke
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 2:38PM
“"Bristol Rovers will be taking on Real Madrid next month and, although it will be Shamrock Rovers and not the Bristol version"
that sentence does not make sense!
I think there should be no "Bristol" before the "Rovers" on the 1st line, otherwise it is contradictory
who checks the grammar and sentence structure on this website? its appalling!!
Why is there no decent and meaningful Rovers reports on here?! I agree with Wesley!”
by Esmond Million's Dropped One, France
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 12:57PM
“Who writes this total crap, I used to have a parrot who made more sense than this, Come on Bristol Evening Post, Your sports reporting gets worse and worse, This story is a pathetic waste of space and insulting to any reader who actually subscribes to your rag.
Get a grip, Your sports reporters must be the lasiest in the country, They just trawl the fans forums and lift inane rumours and non stories and claim them to be exclusives.
Your sports coverage is a total joke, Why not actually employ a sports reporter who gives a damn and who actually knows about sport and get rid of the person who submitted this rubbish.”
by geoff, henbury
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 10:25AM
“The opening paragraph makes no sense at all.
"Bristol Rovers will be taking on Real Madrid next month and, although it will be Shamrock Rovers and not the Bristol version, there will be a connection."
If you're going to make up non-stories about the club you support, at least get it proof read.”
by Wesley, Weston-s-mare
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 10:02AM
“Wowee.
Come on sort it out, your Rovers coverage is awful. Let's have some updates about new signings, plans on the new stadium, Trolls'/Lennies thoughts on the upcoming season. Dig about and actually do some work. Don't bother just looking at our message boards and copying anything from there. DO YOUR JOB!”