Darrell Clarke has called on everyone associated with Bristol Rovers to embrace the challenges ahead as his players prepare to enter the ‘business-end’ of the season. Clarke still maintains that Rovers can overturn Barnet’s seven-point lead at the top of the Vanarama Conference over the remaining 14 games of the campaign – but insists that giving into fear over the final few nerve-wracking weeks of the campaign could prove costly. Rovers return to the Memorial Stadium for the first time in 37 days when they play Lincoln City on Saturday and Clarke issued somewhat of a rallying call ahead of the game at his usual Thursday morning press-briefing. DC said: “I know the crowd will be right behind us on Saturday, they always are, and that will be important because they can play a part in helping us over these last 14 games. When you are getting close – and we do still have a chance of winning the league – it is understandable that people will be getting on edge a little bit more. There has been a fear element around the place for most of the season, but we are coming down to the business end now and we need to approach the final straight without that fear. Some supporters have this nervous edge about what might happen, and that is understandable, but I have to try and move my players focus away from that. It’s the ‘what happens if we don’t go up’ syndrome I am trying to eradicate and my message to everyone is that we all need to meet the challenge head on and not to fear it. Players are human beings and they can be affected by negativity. I don’t want them going to bed a night worrying about what will happen if we lose a game rather than thinking about winning it. I don’t want them fazed or affected by any negative vibes; I want them to look forward to what should be an exciting end to the end of the season. We know one or two people will have a moan up at times, that comes with the territory and is fair enough, but we have to ignore that and make sure it doesn’t affect the confidence of the group. I want my players to play with confidence and I want them to focus on the good things they have done to get us into a great position over three-quarters of the season.” From the Post
It's great that we're right in there. Our season could have been like Torquay's, which is what most people predicted. I've enjoyed it so far and the final furlong is going to be brilliant. I'm sure it's going to go right down to the wire, but I still reckon we'll end up on top... UTG!
