Head of recruitment Tommy Widdrington has called for a truce with rivals City: https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/exclusive-bristol-rovers-want-forge-3579775 Since joining Bristol Rovers in the summer of 2018, Tommy Widdrington's mission has been to sign the best available players for Bristol Rovers, while improving the team and gradually decrease a wage budget that had spiralled out of control. The fruits of Widdrington's labour lies in many of the outstanding individuals within Graham Coughlan's squad who, in tandem with significant hands-on coaching and tactical input from the manager, have improved the Gas after relatively minimal expenditure. Jonson Clarke-Harris, Abu Ogogo, Tom Davies, Josh Hare, Anssi Jaakkola and Ed Upson have all arrived on Widdrington's watch, while high wage earners such as Stefan Payne, Tom Lockyer (admittedly of his own volition), Sam Slocombe, and Daniel Leadbitter have been moved on. In an exclusive interview with Bristol Live, which you can read on Wednesday, Widdrington has detailed the full extent of Rovers' recruitment operation, his positive relationship with Coughlan and how the club have made huge strides in an area largely unseen to supporters. Widdrington's remit includes working within strict financial parameters with the need of maximising the resources available while seeking to put them in a sound football and financial position for the years ahead. One major resource he feels the Gas are not making the most of, lies just five miles to the south of the Mem and a subject he knows full well some supporters will find hard to accept. Bristol City are one of the most prolific loaning clubs within the Championship, with 10 players on temporary hire around the EFL including, most notably, midfielders Liam Walsh at Coventry and Joe Morrell with Lincoln City plus goalkeeper Max O'Leary at Shrewsbury. Relations between the clubs have been tense since Matty Taylor's departure from the Mem to Ashton Gate in January 2017 but Widdrington believes bridges need to be built for the betterment of Bristol Rovers. As the former Southampton midfielder admits, City would surely be appreciative of the opportunity to send some of their best talent to a League One club in an area that is easily accessible for them to monitor, while for the Gas, the benefits are obvious. Widdrington told Bristol Live: "Whether the fans like to hear this or not, I'd like to see there be a little more of a cordial relationship between the clubs - we can help them and they can help us. I can't comment on that Matty Taylor transfer because I wasn't here, but certain people at this club will say the right thing wasn't done on one or two occasions. I have no problem with anybody at Bristol City, I know a lot of the staff there including Brian Tinnion. Our knowledge of them is as good as their knowledge of us, because they come and watch our games every week. We don't necessarily watch their games because we're fishing in a different pond but there might be people who they want to get out on loan to develop and they could improve us. I come from Newcastle, so I completely get the rivalry and the politics but, ultimately, we want to improve as a football club and get better on the pitch and I want to do that in any which way we can." Graham Coughlan has been seen regularly at Bristol City Under-23 matches and he and his staff have a good relationship with Lee Johnson and his coaches. As Widdrington says, there is absolutely no reason why stronger lines of communication cannot exist - beyond the political and tribal divide between supporters that many would say is paramount in terms of importance. From City's point of view, it is a prospect they would undoubtedly be open to but, based on Johnson's comments in August, a thaw in relations is required. Lee Johnson said: "I know there has been interest in our young players from Bristol Rovers - I don't know what the historic feeling about that would be. But our port of call would always be to do the right thing by the player. I'm not sure how that would be received at any of the other local clubs but generally we have good relations with the local clubs bar one." When asked by Bristol Live, if Widdrington's idea is something Bristol City would be open to, CEO Mark Ashton said: "We have Brian in place as loan manager but everyone has input into the boys' placement. I couldn't look at you and say we shouldn't have a relationship with Bristol Rovers. look at the clubs I've been at in the past: West Brom, would we have loaned players to Aston Villa or Wolves - yes, we probably would have at times. If it's the right player, the right fit and the right club I wouldn't exclude anybody."
See, now this is the opiniom of out of towners, but for me I would feel a little inferior having to go to the 'Big Club' along the way to improve 'our' squad. Why can't we bring through good enough young players of our own to challenge for promotion and beyond ? You won't go up and continue to be successful with half a team made up of loaners !
I don't mind the odd loan now and then from them, no different to other loans. Only if they would improve us. I wouldn't want to throw in the towel and become a feeder club for them though and regularly help improve their players by giving them regular first team experience for them. Again, now and then for the right player but not a regular thing as what is being suggested.
Goes against the grain borrowing from them, any other club then maybe the odd one but not them and let's be quizzicle here, what is the point of having a" development squad " if you are going to rely on other clubs off - loads and not 'develop' your own kith & kin ? They've got it all wrong.
I agree about our development squad. But if a loan becomes available who is good enough to walk into our starting 11 then I am all for it because they should hopefully improve us for that season. I just don't see (without any knowledge here) if there any City players who can walk straight into our starting 11 who is actually available for loan. As we are in top half of L1, any players good enough to walk straight in to our starting 11 would most likely be players in City's squad who are in and around their first team, so those players may not be available for loan. Matty Taylor was 1 player who has joined a L1 rival in the top half with us, joining Oxford. However, I don't think loaning him would have been a good idea, even though he would walk straight back in our starting 11 alongside JCH. Imagine that strike force!!
