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Rovers v Newport (League Two Play Off Final)

Rovers v Newport (League Two Play Off Final)
Posted by Ian
Wembley Stadium
Saturday, May 25, 2019 - 03:00 PM
Until: Saturday, May 25, 2019 - 05:00 PM
(Adjusted for timezone: Europe/London)
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aldo
if we add the boxes the club and the hospitality sold for sat we have around 12600 sold so think 13k will be what we take . witch when you consider we avg 6700 at home is not bad going .
 
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I have read a lot of comments from Rovers fans suggesting this game is a 'free hit' and they would not be devastated if we lose.

Personally, I think completely the opposite. I was not too disappointed when we lost in 2017 as I knew we would be challenging again the following season. However, if we lose on Saturday we don't know how long it will be before we are challenging for a place in League One again. Perhaps years, as there are a number of League Two clubs of similar size to us that have been marooned in mid table for a long time.

Will we have the same momentum next season ? Will Micky be here in years to come ? Will several of the better players ? I know we have stable ownership, but that is no guarantee of success on the pitch as we saw under Brabin and his predecessor.

Things change very quickly in football and we need to grasp this opportunity.
 

rossb07

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Adam Buxton
I’m not sure how I feel about the ticket numbers so far.

This may well be our lowest migration down to PP South (correct me if I’m wrong) but I understand that it’ll be aired better for the majority to stay at home and the novelty may have worn off for some also.

In regards to the game though, as always hoping and predicting we’ll come out on top but if not then I won’t be too disheartened (barring some freakish behaviour in-game) as it’s been a very good season and the lads have done us proud once again.
 
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This may well be our lowest migration down to PP South (correct me if I’m wrong)
I have been to all eight previous games at Wembley, and I think this will be our third highest following.

The figures are roughly as follows:

1988 Centenary Festival 3,000
1990 Leyland DAF 18,000
1990 Play off final 11-12,000
1991 Leyland DAF 11-12,000 (possibly a slight underestimate - may have been closer to 15,000)
1991 Play off final 11-12,000
2000 Worthington Cup 29,000
2017 Play off final 13,000
2018 Play off final 11-12,000

If we are heading for a final total of around 13,000, it is a good turnout by comparison with previous followings.
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
I have read a lot of comments from Rovers fans suggesting this game is a 'free hit' and they would not be devastated if we lose.

Personally, I think completely the opposite. I was not too disappointed when we lost in 2017 as I knew we would be challenging again the following season. However, if we lose on Saturday we don't know how long it will be before we are challenging for a place in League One again. Perhaps years, as there are a number of League Two clubs of similar size to us that have been marooned in mid table for a long time.

Will we have the same momentum next season ? Will Micky be here in years to come ? Will several of the better players ? I know we have stable ownership, but that is no guarantee of success on the pitch as we saw under Brabin and his predecessor.

Things change very quickly in football and we need to grasp this opportunity.
RLC, thanks for the Wembley attendance figures. They get bigger for the most important games but a few less following recent visits.

While I take all your points above, I think last year's play-off final had far more at stake for the future of the club. Had we lost last year, I truly would have been devastated and feared for the future of the club. This match is important, but not vital. The momentum will still be upward even if we lose. Getting out of League Two is easier with twice as many promotion places. Having said that, I think every true fan will want us to win and be very disappointed if we lose.
 
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I agree that last year's final was by far the biggest game in the club's history BBTC, and defeat was unthinkable. However, I still don't view Saturday's game as a 'free hit'. If we lose, we might have to wait a while before we see League One football again.
 

Ian

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The danger here is that we are riding the big wave at the moment, almost like nothing can stop us, so supporters might be thinking if we don't do it this year, no problem, there's always next year but as RLC quite rightly points out, things can change very quickly in football. I'm quite blasé about it now but will be a bag of nerves at 3pm.
 

Sparky

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RLC is right in that if we don't go up, there is no guarantee we'll be challenging next season. Nors will almost certainly leave and will we get a decent enough replacement? Other key players such as Manny may also leave and our only slight chance of keeping them are if we go up.

We've played Newport twice this season and haven't scored in either so Mickey will have to think about how to overcome this. In terms of selection I highly suspect Micky will play the same team as the semis assuming everyone is fit. Newport seem to know they can stop Nors supply lines e.g. Jennings and Caprice so we're going to have to deal with that. On the flip side Newport have a front two who have over 40 goals between them in Amond and Matt. This is the problem we have in some games in that if teams stop Nors or he has a bad day, no-one else scored that many. But hopefully one will be enough.
 
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I am not overly concerned by Newport. We did not play well in the game at Rodney Parade a few weeks ago, but we were still the better side and created the better chances. Their pitch gives them a big advantage, whereas the Wembley surface should suit our style of play more.

However, we will have to stay switched on defensively and deal with their set plays. We have to be prepared for a big physical test.
 

Boz

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Newport beat us at home, when our pitch was in reasonable nick. It sounded like we were the better side at their place where the pitch was poorer. Unsure the Wembley pitch is going to be a key factor either way.

From what we've heard since, escaping the NL was crucial to our future. This game is very important and I really hope that we win to go up, but don't think it's the same level of importance as the win against Boreham Wood .
 
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We were a much weaker squad when Newport beat us at PP, and it was a very tight game. Of course Newport are capable of beating us, but they are not on a par with Lincoln or Bury so there is no reason to be too pessimistic.

Newport are second in the home table and sixteenth in the away table, so clearly derive a considerable advantage from their pitch.

I was never comparing the significance of Saturday's game with last year's final. I am simply saying that if we lose, there is no guarantee that we will challenge again next season or in coming years.

The comparison I made was with the 2017 final, where we could be pretty sure we would challenge again the following season if we lost.
 
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Ian

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Just been to pick up some merchandise from the shop. Kits, scarves, Wembley merch and Norwood came in. Missed a good photo opportunity as I was in the queue but he did make time to stop in his car on the way out and chat with the kids. The kids were made up. Getting hyped now. Come on Rovers!
 

bigmart

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It certainly isn't a free hit but last season was vital as jobs were on the line and if we didn't go up we faced being marooned out of the league for several years. This is a big opportunity for us to get in League one as come next season we will be without Norwood and quite possibly Monthe as well and replacing those players will be a lot harder in league 2.

I am confident with the players we have now that we will win on Saturday and im going for 2 1
 
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aldo
we will win with a norwood 94th min winner with connor getting the first . and a little scott running faster than last year to get to THE BEST FANS IN THE WORLD we avg over 6500 fans so to be taking nearly 13k is not a bad effort
 

ONIGP

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In work with all my bags packed ready to head straight to the sunny Wirral at the end of the day! I feel like my journey has started and nerves/excitement are now kicking in more than I expected! I'll be happy if my mistakes cost us < £1m today ...
 

Cowshed Kid

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Starting to really wake up to it now!
Time to give you all goose bumps again!
 

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aldo
yes the nerves have kicked in . looking so forward to it just hope for no stupid stuff tomoz just a proper performance
 

Boz

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Micky sounded very calm in the pre-match interview and he remains very grounded and presumably has kept the players in similar vein.

I would expect a similar line-up and bench to Forest Green away, although would personally like to have Pringle on the bench. Nervous too for tomorrow, just hoping that the performance does us proud and whatever the outcome, it's a fair reflection of events on the pitch. Don't have any gut feeling on how this game will go.
 
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