Three Is A Magic Number?

As Bristol Rovers appoint Stuart Campbell as their third manager of the season, Nobes looks at how other sides who went through as many bosses during a campaign fared.

Dave Penney has been shown the exit by Bristol Rovers after two months

When Dave Penney reflects on his managerial career, it will include a tale of two Rovers. At the first, Doncaster, he established his reputation as a promising young coach.

He led Donny back into the Football League in 2003 before taking them to the League Two title a year later. He then consolidated the Yorkshire side in the third tier.

At Bristol Rovers, however, he hardly had time to get his feet under the desk. The 46-year-old took charge of just 13 matches at the Memorial Stadium as he struggled to turn around the League One outfit's fortunes.

Just two wins and nine defeats - conceding 28 goals along the way - later and the Gas had shown him the door, handing senior player Stuart Campbell the job until the end of the term.

He began his reign with a 1-0 win at Tranmere in midweek, taking the West Country outfit to within a couple of points of safety.

Not that having three different managers during the campaign is an ideal scenario. It paints a picture of instability and panic, pinning blame on one man rather than looking at collective responsibility.

Rovers are banking on their latest switch making the difference though, but what do the history books tell us about sides going through three different bosses in just one season?


Exeter City 2002/3

He now drives a milk tanker around Devon but, at the start of the 2002/3 season, John Cornforth [pictured] was in charge at Exeter.

As boss at St James Park though, he failed to deliver, and was removed from his position at the start of October.

The Grecians, just three points above the drop zone, turned to rookie Neil McNab.

However, the Scot managed just three wins from 20 games and with City rock bottom at the beginning of March he was axed.

Former Preston boss Gary Peters was drafted in for the last 13 games to try and save the Grecians.

Result: Despite collecting 20 points under Peters, City ended up 23rd, just a single point off safety, and were relegated to the Conference.



Northampton Town 2002/3

Cobblers had only narrowly avoided the drop the previous year - when they had turned to Kevan Broadhurst to replace Kevin Wilson.

However, the boot was on the other foot a season later, when Broadhurst was given the push and in came former England international Terry Fenwick [pictured].

His reign lasted just seven games though - five losses and two draws - dumping Town to a point off the bottom of League One.

Chief Scout Martin Wilkinson then assumed control for the last 13 matches of the season.

Result: Wilkinson hardly fared any better. Cobblers finished bottom of the division, a full 11 points from safety.



Macclesfield Town 2003/4

Macc began the season under the stewardship of David Moss, but after a third of the campaign found themselves only out of the drop zone on goal difference.

In came club legend and assistant boss John Askey into the top job.

However, he struggled to lift the Cheshire side out of relegation danger.

With seven games of the season remaining, and the Silkmen three points adrift of safety, he was moved back down to assist veteran manager Brian Horton [pictured].

Result: Collecting 13 points from 21, the experienced hand of Horton ensured Macc beat the drop comfortably in the end.



Millwall 2005/6

The Lions had already got through one manager before pre season had even ended.

Steve Claridge was swiftly removed after 36 days over concerns about his managerial style and the club's prospects for the season.

Ex-Wolves boss Colin Lee was drafted in, but Millwall struggled towards the bottom.

When he left just before Christmas the club were bottom of the Championship and five points from safety.

His assistant, and former Lions player, David Tuttle [pictured] then took over the reins with more than half the season to keep them up.

Result: That worrying pre-season proved correct, with Millwall finishing the season second bottom, and relegated with two games of the season still to play.



Torquay United 2006/7

Only a late great escape had saved the Gulls from relegation to the Conference in the previous campaign.

It had been engineered by Ian Atkins, who led the side into the new season.

However, a bright start soon evaporated and he was given the boot by new owner Chris Roberts with United just outside the bottom two.

Roberts hired former Czech Republic international Lubos Kubik to take over, but his disastrous reign saw the Devonians collect just a single win from 12 matches.

By the time Keith Curle [pictured] took over in February, Torquay were rock bottom and five shy of safety.

Result: Curle guided the side to two wins from 15 as they crashed to a dismal relegation to the Conference.



Leicester City 2007/8

Milan Mandaric hailed the summer appointment of Martin Allen [pictured] at the Foxes - then parted company with him after just three games.

Next up was Gary Megson, but it was roles reversed when Megson walked out on the club after just 40 days to join Bolton.

Mandaric then turned to Plymouth's Ian Holloway to bring some much needed stability.

With more than 30 games of the campaign remaining he was charged with guiding the club up the league table.

Result: Only he didn't. The goal-shy Foxes were permanently staving off the drop until, on the final day, slipping into the bottom three and being relegated.



Bournemouth 2008/9

A ten point deduction had resulted in Kevin Bond's men being relegated to League Two in 2008.

They then had the daunting prospect of beginning the season on minus 18 points.

Failure to win in their first four games saw him axed and ex-Cherries striker Jimmy Quinn being brought in to win their fight against the drop.

By the end of 2008, although back in positive numbers, they still sat seven points adrift of third bottom with half of the season remaining.

Popular former player and Quinn's assistant Eddie Howe [pictured] was thrown into a baptism of fire to keep the Dorset side up.

Result: The rest is history. The 29-year-old rookie garnered 39 points in the second half of the campaign as Bournemouth comfortably stayed up in the end.



Queens Park Rangers 2009/10

The revolving door was in full spin at Loftus Road as Rangers kept up their extraordinary managerial turnover last term.

Jim Magilton [pictured] began the campaign, with the Rs picking up after a slow start to be in contention for the play offs.

An alleged dressing room bust up saw Magilton leave and Paul Hart in as his replacement.

Hart's reign lasted just four matches though before he resigned.

Caretaker Mick Harford presided over Rangers slumping into the bottom five and were just three points above the drop zone when Neil Warnock was appointed.

Result: The outspoken Yorkshireman quickly turned things around in West London, and QPR ended up in 13th - well clear of any relegation danger.



Peterborough United 2009/10

Posh had just won back-to-back promotions into the Championship under Darren Ferguson's management.

A poor start that saw them bottom after 16 games led to the Scot being fired.

He was followed by Kettering boss Mark Cooper, [pictured] plucked from the Non Leagues.

His nightmare tenure only produced one win from 12, and he was given the push in January.

Jim Gannon was the next in the hot seat but, despite a relatively productive spell, he turned down the chance to stay on at London Road.

Result: Gannon's final game saw Peterborough condemned to relegation and Gary Johnson took over for the last four matches of the season.



Notts County 2009/10

Big-spending County were everyone's tips for the League Two title last term.

An inconsistent start saw the club's ambitious owners axe Ian McParland with the club only in the play offs.

They brought in Swede Hans Backe, [pictured] a close friend of Director of Football Sven-Goran Eriksson.

However, after a similarly erratic tenure, he was gone by the time the club's ownership fell through and a new regime turned to Steve Cotterill.

Result: Cotterill picked up the pieces, got the best squad in the division to play to their maximum, and an incredible late run took them to the predicted title.


Sheffield United 2010/11

Like Rovers, United are onto their third manager of the campaign.

The early sacking of Kevin Blackwell [pictured] was then followed by a four-month spell at the helm by Gary Speed.

When he quit for Wales though, they turned to Port Vale boss and proud Sheffielder Micky Adams.

He has struggled to turn around the club's fortunes though, and they currently look likely to be relegated to League One.

The Gas will hope to not suffer a similar fate.

Like The Fox On The Run

With Leicester City surging into promotion contention in the Championship, Nobes looks at other clubs who have come up with a late run to win promotion.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's Leicester are the form side in the Championship

Sure, Steve Claridge may have predicted as much on the BBC's The Football League Show, but so did our very own Doctor Lakes last month - Leicester City are on the march.

In fact, since Sven-Goran Eriksson took charge at the Walkers, no Championship side has done better than the Foxes with the Swede collecting 43 points from his 22 games at the helm.

Now lying 7th and just five points off the top two, City, who were propping up the rest of the division in the first few weeks under Paulo Sousa, are firmly in the promotion mix.

After his team's recent 4-1 loss in the East Midlands, Barnsley boss Mark Robins declared Leicester the best side in the division - and current form backs his judgement.

Should they indeed gain entry back to the Premier League though, they won't be the first side to win promotion off the back of a storming second half season run.

Here's my look at how some of their potential predecessors managed to do it.


Birmingham City - 2001/2

Perennial top six candidates, Birmingham parted company with long-serving boss Trevor Francis in 2001.

They then made an enemy for life in Simon Jordan in poaching Crystal Palace boss Steve Bruce to turn around their fortunes.

However, with nine games of the season remaining, it appeared promotion in his first season at the helm would be beyond former Blues player Bruce.

Not so. A combination of a late run coupled with rivals Preston, Burnley, and Coventry wobbling saw City get back into contention.

Five wins and four draws from their remaining matches secured 5th place and a shot in the play-offs.

There they saw off Millwall over two legs. Then they recovered from a goal behind to defeat Norwich on penalties in the final at the Millennium Stadium and reach the Premier League for the first time in their history.



Wrexham - 2002/3

When the Red Dragons went down to a loss at struggling Exeter at the beginning of March they were still just three points off 3rd in a congested top half of League Two.

However, they were a mammoth 21 points behind league leaders Hartlepool with only 42 points left to play for.

They dropped just eight of those points though, winning ten and drawing four, to finish the season promoted in 3rd.

They ended up three points off top of the table Rushden, a single point behind Hartlepool, and with the largest goal difference in the league.

It earned boss Denis Smith the Manager of the Year award in the basement division. In truth, had the season gone of for a couple more weeks, Wrexham would have been crowned Champions.

Remember when this man used to have the Midas touch? No, seriously.

Crystal Palace - 2003/4

God bless Iain Dowie.

You don't hear those words very often, but the remarkable run his Crystal Palace team went on in 2004 has provided great comfort to many a Championship club and boss since.

Should their side be struggling at Christmas, you can guarantee - in an appeal for more time to turn things around - that they will mention the dramatic turnaround in fortunes Dowie engineered in South London.

True, the Eagles were in the relegation zone at the start of December, but soon surged up the table until, with ten games left, they were just five points shy of the top six.

In those last ten, they won seven and drew one to end up 6th, having only moved into the play off positions for the first time in the penultimate round of fixtures.

Once in the play offs they saw off Sunderland on penalties in the semi finals before earning a sweet victory over Capital rivals West Ham in the final to end the season promoted to the top flight.



Sunderland - 2006/7

It was a run which made Roy Keane a legend on Wearside and established managerial credentials gradually destroyed over 18 months as Ipswich manager.

Still, before we discovered Keane's scouting network was reserved simply for former players, Irishmen, or Manchester United youngsters, he seemed to have the Midas touch in 2007.

The Black Cats rounded off 2006 sitting in 12th after a 1-0 loss to Preston at the Stadium Of Light. They sat six points off the play offs and a massive 16 behind leaders Birmingham.

However, in their final 20 games, Keane's charges won 16 and drew 3 to oust Birmingham from the top after game 42 and stay there to secure the league title and promotion.

The original late run and Blackpool play off win came under Simon Grayson

Blackpool - 2006/7

If Ian Holloway guiding Blackpool to play off success last term was a surprise, their promotion in 2007 was every bit as unexpected, and owed much to a good late run.

The Seasiders had only just avoided relegation the previous season and seemed to be in for a year of mid table mediocrity in League One.

A loss to Millwall in the back end of the campaign left them 10th, a full 12 points off second place.

However, Simon Grayson's men then went on a storming run of 11 wins and two draws to end up in 3rd spot, just two points off promoted Bristol City.

In truth, there was only going to be one winner in the play offs that season. Blackpool swotted aside Oldham in the semi finals before putting surprise package Yeovil to the sword 2-0 in the final.



Bristol Rovers - 2006/7

Clearly 2007 was the year of late runs, with Bristol Rovers filling that particular role in the basement division to win promotion.

When the Gas suffered a 2-1 defeat at Boston, they sat 16th in League Two with only 11 games of the season remaining.

Nobody could have envisaged what was to happen next. Rovers discovered a run of form and won eight and drew two in the run-in.

It culminated in them finishing 6th and they saw off play off veterans Lincoln over two legs to make the final.

There a 3-1 win at Wembley over Shrewsbury secured them the most unlikeliest of promotions to the third tier.

Coming to a concert hall near you soon - Phil Brown on top of the world in 2008

Hull City - 2007/8

Remember when Phil Brown wasn't known for being that eccentric orange-skinned man who enjoys berating his players on the pitch and singing badly?

I know, it seems hard to believe now, but Brown was making a name for himself in East Yorkshire - first saving Hull from relegation from the Championship and then progressing them up the table.

When they lost to table topping Bristol City at the beginning of March, the Tigers sat 11 points off 3rd place with 12 games of the campaign left to play.

Eight of those games were won, and another drawn, as Brown guided City to 3rd place, just four points behind promoted Stoke.

They went into the play offs strong favourites and, after casting aside Watford over two legs, a 1-0 win over, appropriately, Bristol City secured them top flight status for the first time in the club's history.



Notts County - 2009/10

Now, you might be spotting a pattern here - as well as rejoicing that we have the play offs in English football. Late run of form, qualify for play offs, win them.

You're not wrong. However, in the case of Notts County they didn't leave their chances to the end of season lottery.

In truth, County had been the title favourites last season with an expensively assembled squad that nobody thought they could afford - and they were right. They were also right about them winning the league though.

Notts did it the hard way, however. Their third manager of the season, Steve Cotterill, took over at Meadow Lane with them 7th in the division, trailing leaders Rochdale by a full 14 points.

In Cotterill's 18 games in charge, the Magpies won 14 and drew three of them. Coupled with Dale imploding, they secured the title by a decisive ten point margin.



While 14 games may be too few for Sven's men to close the ten point gap separating them and Championship leaders QPR, current form suggests that just points, rather than any other sides, will separate the Foxes and the Rs come May.

Always On My Mind

With numerous sides from the West Country involved in the League One relegation scrap, Nobes looks at why psychology could play an important part in surviving.

Yeovil Town, under Terry Skiverton, are well versed in relegation battles

The history books will not record 2010/11 as a vintage year in the West Country. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to find a club from the area who have enjoyed a profitable season.

While Bristol City, many pundits dark horses in the Championship, have failed to fully recover from being rocked by Steve Coppell's brief tenure, three other clubs are involved in the fight for survival in League One.

Indeed, with Bristol Rovers currently propping up the rest in the third tier, it's fair to say that, for the city famous for its balloon festival, the last few months have been a deflating experience.

With local rivals Swindon and Yeovil are also embroiled in the relegation scrap, it's enough to make you hit the cider, with all three aiming to avoid a return to the basement division they believed they'd escaped for brighter times in the Noughties.

Arguably though, it is the smallest of the three clubs, Yeovil, who stand the best chance of staving off demotion. Finding themselves at the wrong end of League One isn't new territory for the Glovers.

Barring one appearance in the play offs under Russell Slade in 2007, the Somerset outfit have spent the rest of their six years in the third tier attempting to just to remain there.

Their highest finish is 15th, just six points above the bottom four, and in 2009 they ended up just a couple of points off relegation. They are seasoned strugglers.

While it's true that flirting once too often with the drop will ultimately result in the inevitable, Yeovil's relegation battle experience should actually work in their favour.

Former player, and current boss, Terry Skiverton is working under some of the tightest budget restrictions in the division, yet has a committed and hard working team well suited to the rigours of a dogfight.

A run of eight without a win actually saw them sitting bottom heading into 2011, but the Glovers have responded in typically pugnacious style. A run of 17 points from their first eight games of the New Year lifting them out of the drop zone.

While the manager will be the first to point out that they are by no means clear of trouble yet - they've suffered three successive defeats recently - they have given themselves a great chance of survival.

It's not just the experience of Skiverton's side which should serve them well though. Psychologically they also in a strong frame of mind.

Not only because they know how to win relegation battles, but because they expect to be involved in them.

Ambition must be curtailed when you're competing against much bigger and richer clubs once in the Premier League. While they can always dream of more, finishing fifth from bottom will always be a good year for a club who spent so many years in the Non Leagues.

It should therefore come as no surprise to fans at Huish Park to see their side once again giving a spirited attempt to maintain their third tier status. They are where they expected to be.

For supporters of Swindon and Bristol Rovers though, that couldn't be further from the truth. Neither the Robins or Gas were tipped to figure in the race to avoid League Two, yet both currently sit in the bottom four.

These are tough times for experienced Swindon manager Danny Wilson

It's been a dramatic fall of grace for both, particularly the Wiltshire side though, who were just 90 minutes away from a place in the Championship last season as they faced Millwall in the play off final.

Danny Wilson's team had arguably overachieved in reaching the showpiece occasion, and on the day found themselves out fought and out played by the Lions, losing 1-0.

However, their struggles towards the foot of the table this term have been equally surprising. While they lost key players Gordon Greer and Billy Paynter during the summer, they still appeared to have more than enough to remain in the top half.

It's even more of a surprise considering the experienced manager successfully bounced back from play off heartache while boss at Bristol City to qualify for the top six again in the next campaign.

Not so with the other Robins of Swindon who, after selling striker Charlie Austin to Burnley in January, now appear to be taking on the appearance of a ship quickly sinking back to League Two, four years after promotion from it.

That came under Paul Sturrock, who guided Swindon to 3rd place in 2007, ironically just behind Wilson's Hartlepool. Now both manager and club could be returning to the basement division.

The winners of the play offs that year were Bristol Rovers, and the Gas look near certainties to return to the fourth tier of English football after a nightmarish campaign.

In truth, the rot had set in under previous boss Paul Trollope in the second half of last season, despite Rovers ultimately ending up 10th in the league.

A poor start to the current campaign saw Trollope dismissed before Christmas with the club in the drop zone. Replacement Dave Penney has been able to reverse the slide though.

Rovers have lost their last five games, and with 65 goals conceded have the most porous back line in League One.

At the moment, the long awaited re-development of their Memorial Stadium looks more likely of happening than the Gas do of surviving - and that's saying something.

All in all, it's a long way from the "false position" Rovers defender Byron Anthony was complaining his side found themselves in at the turn of the year.

Meanwhile, Colchester boss John Ward, before his side's 2-1 weekend win over Swindon, suggested Wilson's side have "too many good players to be a bottom four team."

New signing Elliot Benyon was also bullish on Town's hopes claiming that his new boss hasn't even mentioned relegation and "it'll all be forgotten" after a couple of wins.

Too good to go down? Not even talking about relegation? It's the kind of naive rhetoric which so often results in dropping down a division come the end of the season.

True, there's always room for positive thinking, but the shock of players at Rovers and Swindon at finding themselves in such a precarious position can't be understated.

After beginning with such optimism in August, they are now in the position of having to change their mind set and gear up for a fight to the end, scrapping for every point and focusing purely on survival.

In other words, they must successfully adopt Yeovil's mentality and hope that, like their smaller neighbours, it can fit like a glove.

Big Match Review - Walsall 6 Bristol Rovers 1

Walsall 6-1 Bristol Rovers

Saturday January 29, Banks's Stadium, (Att: 4,023)

A first win in eight saw Walsall move off the bottom of League One with an emphatic victory over fellow strugglers Bristol Rovers.

The Saddlers took the lead just past the quarter hour mark when Andy Butler connected with Matt Richards's free kick to power a header past Luke Daniels.

Matt Gill doubled the home team's advantage on 34 minutes as he fired home from inside the box after Jon Macken played him through.

It was 3-0 before the break with Julian Gray converting from just outside the box after Rovers failed to properly clear a corner.

Dave Penney's side pulled a goal back early in the second period as midfielder Jeff Hughes was picked out by Will Hoskins to beat Dave Bevan.

However, no sooner had the Gas got themselves back into the game than they found themselves picking the ball out of their own net once more.

Walsall went straight down the other end and Matt Richards fired past Daniels from distance to restore their grip on proceedings.

They wrapped things up with a couple of goals in quick succession. Firstly, Alex Nicholls shot in from just outside the box, and then Butler got his second of the afternoon with another header, this time for a corner.

It completed a miserable day for Rovers, who find themselves three points off safety. Despite Walsall boss Dean Smith earning a first win though, the Saddlers remain seven points adrift themselves.

Big Match Preview - Walsall vs. Bristol Rovers

Walsall vs. Bristol Rovers

Saturday January 29, 15:00, Banks's Stadium

Two sides in desperate need of points clash in the Black Country on Saturday with League One's bottom side Walsall meeting a Bristol Rovers team who also find themselves in the relegation zone.

They're also two sides in the infancy of new managerial reigns, with Walsall recently promoting Dean Smith to manager until the end of the season and Rovers in just their fourth match under new boss Dave Penney.

It's been a mixed bag of results for the former Oldham and Doncaster boss so far with a win, loss, and draw to date.

After starting with a 4-0 thumping at Carlisle though, the Gas have earned a 0-0 draw with Hartlepool and last weekend secured a crucial 3-1 win in their West County derby against fellow strugglers Swindon Town.

That left Rovers just two points behind fifth-bottom Town as they seek to reverse the shocking run of results which saw them slip into the bottom four - and cost former boss Paul Trollope his job.

Central to their struggles has been a leaky defence, with no side conceding more on the road then their 28 goals. Aside from their loss at Carlisle, they've also gone down to defeat in five other away trips, at Peterborough, Swindon, Plymouth, Milton Keynes, and a crushing 6-2 loss at Sheffield Wednesday.

However, they've also picked up five draws and a couple of wins - at Dagenham and Huddersfield, so Penney will be confident they can at least extend their unbeaten run to three.

Key to their hopes of beating the drop is striker Will Hoskins. The former Watford man has been linked with a move away in the transfer window, and with 12 goals is one of the leading scorers in the division.

Dave Penney is looking to lead Bristol Rovers to safety in League One

For the hosts, a win this weekend is paramount if they are to stand even the slimmest of chances of staving off a return to the basement division they exited, along with Rovers, in 2007.

It's been a nightmare campaign for Walsall who, unsurprisingly, parted company with boss Chris Hutchings earlier this month. Dean Smith stepped in as caretaker and, after two draws from his first three games, he was appointed to the role for the remainder of the season.

However, last weekend's defeat at Exeter followed by Tuesday night's draw with Oldham has left the Saddlers bottom - seven points off their opponents on Saturday and nine from safety.

Their form at the Banks's has been woeful - losing eight in 12. Their record of 51 goals conceded is also the poorest in League One.

Wins on home soil have come against Carlisle, Exeter, and Plymouth, and Smith will know the name of Bristol Rovers must be added to that list if Walsall are to not be cut well adrift.

The stand-out performer for the Saddlers this term has been midfield Matt Richards, whose dead ball expertise allied with seven goals make him central to their chances of staying up.

The two sides only met as recently as January 11 - sharing a 2-2 draw at the Memorial Stadium - a game which saw Penney watch his new side for the first time.

Rovers have picked up since then and appear to be moving in the right direction. If they take confidence from last weekend's win over Swindon, then they can move out of the relegation zone by condemning Walsall to yet another defeat.

Nobes' Prediction: Walsall 1 Bristol Rovers 2

The Fixed Period

After Bristol Rovers part company with manager Paul Trollope, Nobes wonders whether managers sometimes simply have a shelf life at a club.

Rovers have been on a downward trend under Paul Trollope recently

"Performances like this have to stop," fumed Paul Trollope after Bristol Rovers slumped to a 6-2 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday last weekend.

"If it means changing personnel, then that's what we will have to do." Unfortunately for Trollope, the board at Rovers were listening and in full agreement.

The Hillsborough loss - which stretched their winless run to seven games - saw the Gas slip into League One's bottom four.

Tuesday night's Johnstone's Paint Trophy defeat to Exeter proved the final straw though, with Gas chairman Nick Higgs determining it was a change of manager that was required to turn their fortunes around.

It brings to a close Trollope's five-year reign at the helm, a spell which made him the seventh longest serving manager in the Football League.

However, after initial success when he became only the fifth manager in the club's history to take them to promotion, Rovers have been on a downward spiral for the final 12 months of his tenure.

Higgs's decision is one that has generally been met with approval from fans - with falling attendances an indication of the disenchantment with the current regime.

However, while in agreement with the decision to remove the manager, Gas supporters can take some happy memories from Trollope's reign.

After succeeding the unpopular Ian Atkins, the managerial rookie took the Gas to promotion via the League Two play offs in his first full season.

With the vastly experienced Lennie Lawrence acting as his guide in a Director of Football role, Rovers enjoyed a memorable 2006/7 campaign.

As well as ending their six-year spell in the basement division, they also saw off local rivals Bristol City on their way to the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final.

Although they were beaten by Doncaster on that occasion, it was still a sign that the West Country club were beginning to move in the right direction. A feeling confirmed a couple of months later in their play off final win over Shrewsbury at Wembley.

Back in the third tier, Rovers's management duo guided the club to a respectable 16th place finish and navigated a route through to the FA Cup quarter finals - equalling their best ever performance in the competition.

Successive 11th place finishes in the past two seasons continued that progress. However, there was an undeniable feeling, even before this term's slump, that things had started to become a bit stale at the Memorial Stadium.

It raises the issue of whether or not managers can have a shelf life at a club. Whether there is a fixed period a manager can stay in one place before hanging on too long. Whether there is a time when a fresh slate and a new start can be beneficial to both man and club.

Trollope's departure has echoes of Martin Ling leaving Leyton Orient a couple of seasons ago. Another manager who had taken his club into League One but, after six years, seemed to have run out of ideas.

The conclusion of Steve Tilson's seven-year reign at Southend was a similar tale. Even after his highly successful time at Roots Hall, relegation back to League Two seemed to mark the right time for a change.

Lennie Lawrence was by Trollope's side until leaving the club in May

In hindsight, perhaps the writing was on the wall when Rovers brought to an end Lawrence's employment. Often a focus of blame from supporters, the 62-year-old left his Director of Football position at the end of last season.

It followed an alarming sequence of results in the second half of last season. After hitting the heights of 3rd after the opening 10 games, Rovers lost 20 of their remaining 36 matches.

Heavy defeats, with five goals being conceded on three occasions, allied with a more turgid brand of play also served to alienate frustrated supporters.

Perhaps the decision to remove Lawrence though was simply an attempt to freshen things up without having to make the ultimate sacrifice and sack the manager himself?

In hindsight, perhaps the managerial team - just as they both took acclaim for Rovers's achievements - should have shared the blame for the team's failings.

Without his mentor, Trollope has struggled badly. His choice as his new assistant, Darren Patterson - someone who failed to impress at Oxford - was also surprising.

Questionable transfer moves - the signing of striker John Akinde in particular - have also raised concerns over Trollope's handling of an area Lawrence had significant influence in.

There are mitigating factors in the 38-year-old's defence though. Rovers's financial position is not healthy, and the club's continued problems in the expensive re-development programme of the Memorial Stadium continues to be a burden.

Trollope's successor will not walk into a job with much funds available to turn things around in the January transfer window. Indeed, most pressing will be to hold onto eight-goal striker Will Hoskins, key to any hopes of survival.

However, maybe it is just a case of Trollope's time being up. For a manager, when poor results are followed by grumblings over the quality of football and players being selected out of position, the sack is often just around the corner.

Variety is the spice of life, too, and just like fans can become tired of the same person offering the same kind of excuses, players can begin to switch off and tune out after hearing the same voice on the training ground for too long.

Football is also about vision and, as much as some clubs with grand plans are living in dreams worlds, it is important to have a sense of purpose and direction.

Arguably, until their ground issue is sorted, Rovers will forever be in limbo. Hoping to stay competitive in the third tier, but knowing they will be forced to sell any top players they have - as was the case with lower league goal machine Rickie Lambert last year.

A new man at the helm can help provide some kind of focus and new energy to a club, however. Naturally, it must be the correct appointment - which is the challenge now awaiting Higgs and his colleagues.

The right choice to replace Trollope though, and the Gas can be fired up once again.

Top Of The Flops

With Gordon Strachan resigning as Middlesbrough boss following a disastrous start to the season, Nobes looks at pre-season favourites of the past who failed to live up to expectations.

Things went badly wrong for Gordon Strachan at the Riverside

Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised by Middlesbrough, most bookies favourites for the Championship title, struggling towards the start of the season. After all, they received the ultimate kiss of death when even the Soccer AM/MW backed them.

Gordon Strachan should have been preparing to pack his bags there and then - and I'm reliably informed he frequents the site often. He'll have even more time to do so now.

Granted, there's still plenty of time for things to turn around at the Riverside - but failure to do so and, after some heavy summer spending, this Teessiders team will go down in history as one of the game's biggest flops.

Not that they're the first team to fail to live up to such huge pre-season hype though. Here's my rundown of the Top Ten Flops of recent seasons.


10. Millwall - 2006/7

After relegation from the Championship the previous season, the Lions overhauled their squad - investing good money into bouncing back at the first attempt.

Alas though, they decided to hire Nigel Spackman as their manager, and he continued his woeful managerial record at the start of the campaign.

The Londoners collected just five points from their opening ten games, earning Spackman the boot and replacement Willie Donachie having to pull them out of the mire.

They ended up 10th, way short of even a spot in the play offs.


9. Oxford United - 2001/2

There was an air of gloom around Oxford United in 2001 - the club had ended their time at Manor Ground with relegation from the third tier.

Step forward former Oxen player, local boy done good, and ex-England international - Mark Wright. He had impressed in his first manager's job at Southport and seemed like the man to get Oxford moving again.

He wasn't. The squad looked strong, vastly experienced, and well capable of challenging at the right end.

With 19 games played and sitting just three points off the bottom, Wright - already suspended by the FA after alleged racist comments to a match day official - resigned.

Successor Ian Atkins inherited a shambles of a squad which ended up a pitiful 21st with just 47 points to their name.


8. Hull City - 2002/3

Tigers Tigers burning bright. The future looked optimistic for Hull in the summer of 2002.

Their money troubles behind them, a new ground on the way, and a big name manager proven in the lower leagues.

Everyone was tipping City to finally realise their potential. However, things didn't quite go according to plan for Jan Molby.

The Tigers registered just 12 points from their first 12 games and a loss at Kidderminster - the club Molby had walked out on months earlier to join Hull - saw his reign brought to a quick end.

Peter Taylor assumed control, but even he failed to turn around their fortunes. Despite resources the envy of the rest of the division, they ended the season in 13th.


7. Leeds United - 2006/7

Leeds had ended the previous campaign as losing play off finalists to Watford. Hopes were high that Kevin Blackwell's side could now go one better.

Perhaps it was a reaction to their close miss a few months earlier, but the Yorkshire side got off to a miserable start and the manager was fired after just eight games.

He left United in the bottom three, but with enough time and a squad more than capable of getting themselves out of trouble.

So you'd think. Replacement Dennis Wise failed to get the most out a team that had come to within 90 minutes of the Premier League and Leeds dropped out of the division with a whimper having entered administration.


6. Sheffield Wednesday - 2003/4

How the mighty had fallen. Wednesday had been a staple of the top flight during the previous decade, but fell down to League One in 2003.

Boss Chris Turner revamped his squad - aiming to steer his home town club back up at the first attempt.

They almost did make it out of League One - but at the wrong end. The Owls ended up 16th - just three points above the relegation zone and a place in the basement division.

Financially troubled off the pitch, perhaps, but Wednesday's squad's toiling and finishing below the likes of Wrexham and Hartlepool was embarrassing.


5. Bradford City - 2007-10

Still flopping. The pre-season choice for League Two winners of every national newspaper for the past four seasons, City continue to disappoint.

They were relegated to the basement division in 2007, promptly installed legend Stuart McCall as manager, and sold 13,000 season tickets on the cheap.

McCall failed to get them even challenging for the top seven for two-and-a-half years before Peter Taylor was appointed his successor.

Last season's positive end has been followed by a dreadful start this term though - they currently sit in 19th. Still time to turn it around and avoid another flop.


4. Ipswich Town - 2009/10

Resources. Check. Money invested. Check. Decent crowds. Check. Proven manager at this level. Check.

Everything seemed set up for Ipswich last season. How they could fail to challenge now Roy Keane was manager?

How? Try not recording a win in their first 14 games - a run which left them bottom of the table.

Albeit there were plenty of draws in that run - which saw Keane avoid an early axe - but Town fans were not getting value for considerable money.

The Suffolk outfit ended the campaign in 15th - well short of a place in the top six, which had been the minimum requirement.


3. Nottingham Forest - 2005/6

Forest made history in 2005 when they became the first winner of the European Cup to drop into their country's third tier of domestic football.

Their embarrassment didn't stop there though. Despite the lower league experience of manager Gary Megson, Forest failed to get to grips with life in League One.

When Megson was eventually sacked - they sat just four points shy of the bottom four and a possible second successive relegation.

Ultimately, a late rally at the end of the term saw them just miss out on a place in the play offs. A talented squad had made a complete meal of the season though.


2. Coventry City - 2001/2

He may yet get onto a future list with Boro but, for now, Gordon Strachan will have to make do with this failure at Coventry.

The Warwickshire side had just been relegated from the top flight under the Scot after over 30 years amongst the country's elite.

However, they were determined to bounce back immediately - ambition illustrated by the £5 million signing of West Brom striker Lee Hughes.

Three losses in their first five games saw Strachan dismissed though, and replacement Roland Nilsson was unable to coax any consistency out of one of the division's strongest squads.

An end of season 11th place was well below-par, particularly as a Hughes-less West Brom went on to gain promotion.


1. Bristol Rovers - 2001/2

You could probably excuse Rovers for still being in a state of shock when they began their League Two campaign in 2001.

Just 12 months after finishing 7th in the third tier, they had been relegated down to the basement division. Unthinkable.

Still, at least they had retained a strong squad - including promising striker Nathan Ellington. At least they would walk all over opponents and gain promotion with ex-Spurs boss and club legend Gerry Francis in charge.

How wrong they were. Francis was a flop, and the Gas ended the campaign in 23rd - second bottom of the entire 92 club and the lowest position in the club's entire history.

Had they done the same 12 months later, they would have been relegated into the Conference. Rovers got lucky.

Big Match Review - Leeds 2 Bristol Rovers 1

League One

Leeds United 2-1 Bristol Rovers

Saturday May 8, Elland Road, (Att: 38,234)

Leeds secured promotion to the Championship after coming from behind - despite being down to ten men - to beat Bristol Rovers on a dramatic final day in League One.

Knowing a win would secure them promotion, the home side were unsurprisingly tense. However, they began to assert themselves and were denied a goal from Jermaine Beckford after their top scorer was adjudged to be offside.

However, inflamed at the decision, United's Max Gradel was sent off after stamping on the foot of Rovers's Daniel Jones.

At half time results elsewhere ensured that Leeds were still going up. However, their hopes were quickly dashed when the Gas took a shock lead early in the second period.

A cross from Jones was knocked back and Daryl Duffy was on hand to crash the ball past Shane Higgs in the Leeds goal.

Stunned, and heading into the play-offs, Simon Grayson's side responded, and substitute Jonny Howson pulled them level nine minutes later. The midfielder curling home a delightful shot from the edge of the area.

With Millwall winning, they had to find another, and four minutes later Elland Road had erupted. A poor throw out by visiting keeper Mikkel Andersen put the Pirates under pressure.

The crossed ball in broke to Beckford who capitalised on a mix-up in the backline to poke home a second for Leeds.

Knowing they had what they needed, they began to sit back and soak up any attacks Rovers could muster. However, they could have wrapped things up late on when Leigh Bromby's header struck a post.

It wasn't to matter, as the final whistle was shortly blown sparking a pitch invasion and mass celebrations in West Yorkshire as Leeds ended their three year spell in League One.

Big Match Preview

League One

Leeds United vs. Bristol Rovers

Saturday May 8, 15:00, Elland Road

After three years in the third tier of English football, Leeds United know a win this weekend will secure their return to the Championship.

It's been a remarkable season for the Yorkshire side. Their FA Cup exploits gained them nationwide recognition and, at one point, they seemed destined to run away with the League One title and promotion.

However, a dramatic loss of form, coupled with strong challenges from Millwall and Swindon, means Simon Grayson's side have been taken to the wire in the race for promotion.

Recent slip-ups from their closest challengers means United lead a five-horse race on the final day to take the second automatic promotion place behind runaway leaders Norwich.

With a passionate home crowd behind them, they'll be banking on a home record that is amongst the strongest in the division. That record suffered after consecutive defeats to rivals Swindon and Millwall.

However, they got back on track with recent convincing home wins over Milton Keynes and Southend. They also boast one of the tighest home defences in the division.

However, it's goals to win Saturday's game they'll need, and strikers Jermaine Beckford and Luciano Becchio have both been in good scoring form recently - with three and five goals respectively in Leeds's last five matches.

Their opponents - Bristol Rovers - travel north with their season long over. Currently in 9th, it's been a good season for the Gas, who have held down a top half position all term.

A sell out crowd at Elland Road will hope to see their team promoted come full time

That success has been built on a policy of either winning or drawing. With 21 defeats - Rovers have lost as many games as relegated Wycombe. However, they have also recorded 19 wins.

Their away form has been their biggest weakness - with 14 losses away from the Memorial Stadium. Their current form also suggests a side whose players are already 'on the beaches.' The Pirates have won just one of their last seven.

All of which is good news for Leeds, although they'll be wary that in such a high-pressure game, Paul Trollope's side have the quality to punish them.

Striker Jo Kuffour has scored 14 this season, and midfielder Jeff Hughes 13. His set pieces could also prove a danger for a nervy Leeds side.

However, this game is all set up for the home side. Grayson's men have generally been very good at Elland Road and know exactly what they need to do.

It might be a tense afternoon, but Leeds should get the win they need to secure promotion and a place in next season's Championship.

Nobes' Prediction: Leeds United 2 Bristol Rovers 0