“Well spotted Bladder.
Horfield Boy is indeed a Rovers Director in fact until his true face was revealed he was in fact the Chairman of the Football Club.
All very sad for a dying football club.”

“I have to laugh at suggestions that GIFT should have put an advert without their contact details - why would anyone do that? And why wouldn't anyone tell people that something like this has been refused by Bristol Rovers. Keeping it all hush hush sounds exactly what the football club wants to me, good on GIFT for speaking out.

I also wonder whether the people who think GIFT should pay for an advert without their details on also think that the directors of Bristol Rovers who "won" the shirt sponsorship draw should not have their company's name on the shirts?”

“Horfield Boy, there was no dialogue between the board and GIFT, nor was there likely to ever be as they informed GIFT that any communications should be made through the supporters club.

For some reason there is a fear pervading throughout "Box 1". The fear of an independent, democratic supporters organisation.

I have to wonder why?”

“Terry, I see you are going for "life of Brian" - "what have the board ever done for us?" questioning. Well, they appointed Paul Trollope and Lennie Lawrence, (allegedly) signed Rickie Lambert against Paul's wshes (yeah, right...), provided the funds to get us promoted after years in the Div 4 hell-hole and we had our best FA Cup run for 50 years or so.

Nick Higgs has a weekly update column on the club web site and is very open to the supporters. I personally have had many discussions with the supporters club directors. What our board do not have is huge amounts of money to throw at the club, although I believe they do cover losses personally.

The one thing they have not (yet) delivered is the new stadium - then again, neither has Lansdown done so yet for the 1982 boys.

The point of my posts is that GIFT have played this whole situation wrongly and have effectively ended any dialogue with the football club and board by publicising the dispute. And nobody has answered my question as to why GIFT could not have agreed to place the advert without their contact details being included. After all, if they are so keen on kicking out racism, that woud surely have been a price worth paying.

Onwards and upwards and let's hope Leeds lose their second game of the season on Tuesday evening!”

“As I understand it GIFT have spent over a year trying to engage the higher levels of BRFC in discussion about many issues. However, BRFC have repeatedly made it clear that they wish only to receive input from the Supporters Club. This is a very cosy arrangement for them since the SC is so closely affiliated with BRFC itself that there is never any level of criticism from this quarter, no matter what the issue. This is fine if you are happy with the status quo or if you are 100% happy with the way the club operates. Bad luck if you're not. What would be nice would be to have people at the top who had a genuine interset in the fans wishes and ran an open shop, rather than the current closed shop that operates to protect their own interests. Well done GIFT on an excellent advert though.”

“And so this frighteningly paranoid board at Bristol Rovers gives yet another smack in the face for fans trying to do some good.

I'd like horfield Boy, or anyone else for that matter, to tell me what good the board of Bristol Rovers has done for its supporters over the past six years?

It appears to me that this football club exists just to massage a few egos and is not the "fans club" as some would have us believe!”

“Surely the issue is that the GIFT advert, in quality and originality, far surpasses anything seen from Rovers or the official supporters club.

I¿m sure the club Directors are proponents of the free market and see competition as a vital means to stimulate enterprise and innovation. Prompted by a perceived threat from the 50 strong GIFT organization and aided by the 3000 member supporters club they will no doubt step up their efforts. We can expect a marketing blitz to propel Rovers forward and herald a new golden era as the stadium plans come to fruition.

The people over at (Long) Ashton Gate must already be cowering at the approach of this Gas fuelled colossus.”

“gasheads , lions lead by donkeys
how ironic ken masters the sc rep hasnt answered anyone on the forum for 4 years yet today as a firefighter we seem to have a director answering us via the e post”

“"Does this mean Rovers consider their relationahsip with GIFT more important than getting to grips with racism?"

You could argue GIFT see it as more important to get publicity for themselves than getting to grip with racism - they could have easily had the advert in without the self publicity.

"Shame on Rovers directors for refusing to publish an anti-racism advert that was paid for by fans. "

Shame on GIFT for picking an emotive subject to try and trying to use it to get their own way.

The truth is they have done nothing to improve their relationship with the club by running crying to the Evening Post, in fact you could argue they have made it even less likely they will ever be accepted by the club. From the clubs perspective they already have a strong relationship with the supporters club who have supported BRFC for years, It is there decision if they chioose not to promote others.”

“Shame on Rovers directors for refusing to publish an anti-racism advert that was paid for by fans.

I'm disgusted by the actions of the club.”