'Cheating', 'men against boys' and 'a really tough place to go' – How Bristol Rovers' rivals rate Graham Coughlan's side

What League One managers have had to say about Graham Coughlan's side

Few could have predicted Bristol Rovers' remarkable 12-month turnaround under Graham Coughlan.

The Gas' boss has taken the team from relegation contenders to a team with play-off potential since being appointed last December.

Rovers are fifth in League One and just two points off third place in the table, and their results are certainly drawing attention from other clubs around the league.

Having played 18 of their 22 League One opponents, we had a look at what their rivals' managers have had to say about Coughlan's side.

'I don't know how he's got his leg up there' – Accrington Stanley

Accrington Stanley boss John Coleman was full of praise for Rovers’ top-scorer Jonson Clarke-Harris after his outrageous overhead kick at the Mem in September.

Coleman said: "It was a terrific goal by their lad to make it 3-2 and we're disappointed conceding it, but when you see an overhead kick like that, the ball was about eight foot up in the air, I don't know how he's got his leg up there.

"It was a fantastic finish, he deserves a lot of credit, but we kept on going and I don't think anybody could begrudge us a point."

'It was men against boys' – AFC Wimbledon

Then Dons boss Wally Downes felt his AFC Wimbledon side were hard done by in their 3-1 defeat to the Gas in September, however he felt Coughlan’s men’s experience was key.

“Their two centre forwards ruffled our back three and I don’t like to see that,” said Downes.

“There was a little bit of men against boys for us today, which is understandable because they’ve got some seasoned players.

“They were experienced enough to hold onto a lead against 10 men and they did.”

Downes has since lost his job at Kingsmeadow after admitting breaching betting regulations.

'Not much of a threat' – Blackpool

The Tangerines are one of just five teams to beat Rovers in League One this season, and boss Simon Grayson believes they were worthy winners on the opening day.

He told the Blackpool Gazette: “I thought for large parts they didn’t offer too much of a threat against us while we were a threat the way we were playing.

“They then changed to a diamond which caused us a few problems to start with but we changed it up a little to match them to do what was required to see the game out.”

'They spend decent money' – Bolton Wanderers

Whites' boss Keith Hill, understandably, spent little time talking about Rovers following Wanderers 2-0 win at the Mem in October.

It was the crisis-club’s first win of the season, and his post-match interviews were dedicated to heaping praise on his players and Bolton’s beleaguered supporters.

However, before the bottom side’s shock win over the Gas, Hill made some interesting observations.

He told the club’s website: “They’re a stable League One side and they do spend decent money if the right players become available. They’ve got a good following and home crowd.”

'They were always a threat' – Burton Albion

Nigel Clough’s Brewers beat the Gas 2-0 on August 31, and after the game he admitted Rovers gave his side a stern examination.

He told Albion’s website: “We know how tough it was today, throughout the game, but especially through long periods in the second half when they put us under a great deal of pressure but we defended to the man brilliantly.

"They put a lot of corners and free kicks into the box and were always a threat. They have a very good squad and like all League One games it was tough."

'They caused one or two problems' – Coventry City

Mark Robins Sky Blues’ got the better of Coughlan’s side at St Andrews in August, running out 2-0 winners with a pair of second half goals.

Robins believed any threat from the Gas on the Coventry goal was self-inflicted and his side were in control.

He told the Coventry Telegraph: “Early on it was a bit frustrating, but it was good. There was some good build up, we were controlling the play.

“They caused one or two problems from misplaced passes but I’m not going to criticise anyone because they are brave.”

'Mem was deadly silent' – Gillingham

‘Totally dominant’. That was the assessment of Gills gaffer Steve Evans.

After a 1-1 draw at the Mem in September, he said: “But I was really pleased with the second half - we changed one position at half time, changed our shape and as soon as we did that we were totally dominant.

“We've equalised had enough excellent positional play around our box and it's not very often you hear Bristol Rovers quiet, especially as the shed end (Thatchers End) but they were deadly silent because they, like their team, were waiting to get beat.

“This is the quietest I've heard them. Some of my staff said that. I think they just went silent because they probably didn't think we could play like that."

'They did a good job killing the game' – Lincoln City

Jamie McCombe was installed in interim charge of the Imps when the Cowley brothers moved on to Huddersfield Town, and after the Gas’ 1-0 win at Sincil Bank in September he argued Coughlan’s side were fortunate to claim the three points.

He told Lincolnshire Live: “With the luxury of seeing them back, the first one is a definite penalty to us. And the one for them is not a penalty. There’s nothing I can do about that, but it has ultimately decided the game.”

However, former Bristol City centre-half McCombe did praise Rovers for their management of the game after taking the lead.

He added: “Ultimately, as the away team when you’re in front you want to kill the game and slow it down. It’s nothing we haven’t done before. They (Rovers) did a good job of it and it’s part of the game.”

The Imps are now managed by Michael Appleton.

'Dangerous on the counter' – MK Dons

Manager Paul Tisdale was sacked shortly after the MK’s 1-0 loss at the Mem in October.

He told reporters the Gas offered more penetration than his side.

Tisdale said: “They probably looked more like scoring than we did. The bizarre thing is they looked more likely to score on the break. Away from home after losing four games, we were still making our play.”

'We dominated most of the game' – Oxford United

Yellows boss Karl Robinson told BBC Radio Oxford his side were dominant at the Mem in August, despite losing 3-1 to the Gas

He said: “We probably dominated most of the game but didn't ask enough questions.

"We had a blatant penalty in the first half with Tariqe Fosu-Henry, it's a blatant one when you see it back, and then there was even more of a blatant one when he came in at the back post and got dragged to the floor by his shirt.

"So we're not getting the rub of the green with some of the decisions as well, especially when you consider their first goal when their 6ft 2in striker backed into our player, fell over and got a free-kick.

"You rue those small little margins.

“In the first 35 minutes there was only one team in this but, at that stage, when you're dominating, you have to ask more questions of the opposition goalkeeper.”

'Rovers always strong going into that end' – Portsmouth

Pompey manager Kenny Jackett commented on the power of the atmosphere at the Mem in their 2-2 draw in October.

Jackett recognised the power of the Thatchers Terrace to suck the ball into the net as Rovers battled back from 2-0 down.

He told Portsmouth.co.uk : “In the second half, Rovers are always strong going into that end. They pinned us in and it looked like we weathered the storm.

“Although I’d say you never feel comfortable because obviously you need to see it through, it’s two set-pieces – one goal from a wide free-kick and then a series of own goals for the second one.”

Jackett was also full of praise for Rovers’ keeper Anssi Jaakkola.

Jackett added: “We’d got ourselves into a very good position and were ahead at the break – we could have had more and their keeper made some great saves.”

'A solid away performance' – Rochdale

Rovers secured an impressive three points with a 2-1 victory at Spotland on November 2, and Dale boss Brian Barry-Murphy admitted the Gas did a good job on the road, although he bemoaned his side’s lack of killer instinct.

He told the club’s website: “We started to get a real attacking penetration in the final third against a team that were sitting deep, and they were entitled to do so because they were winning the game 2-0.

“From their point of view, it was a solid away performance. But, from our point of view, we penetrated that back-line time and time again in the second-half.”

'They are a hard team to play against' – Rotherham United

Jonson Clarke-Harris scored the only goal of the game as the Gas beat the Millers at the Mem in late-September, and Rotherham boss Paul Warne was complimentary of Rovers’ efforts.

He said: “I think we just got outmuscled really, which I hate to say.

“We have no divine right to come here and win the game. They have not lost a home game all season.

"They are a hard team to play against.

"They frustrated us really well and defended well on all the set-pieces. We did not look menacing on any set-pieces and they deservedly won the game.”

'They started cheating' – Shrewsbury Town

In a thrilling game at New Meadow, Rovers scored late to win 4-3 on November 23.

Shrews boss Sam Ricketts was furious at full time, accusing Rovers midfielder Liam Sercombe of cheating – although he failed to specify what the Gas man had done wrong.

Ricketts told BBC Radio Shropshire: "We were still pressing, it wasn't like they were peppering our goal, it was just they started cheating a little bit, one player, the number seven for them.

"It just tipped their way in the end, a thrilling game for the neutral which unfortunately did not go our way."

'We knew we could make them nervous' – Tranmere Rovers

Nine-man Tranmere were beaten 2-0 by the Gas at the Mem in August, and the Whites’ boss Micky Mellon admitted his side didn’t match up to Rovers on the night.

He said: “I’m disappointed with how we played in the first half against a side we knew we could make nervous in front of their own fans.

“We didn’t compete well enough. Bristol Rovers asked certain questions of us and we never answered them.

"But we were still in the game at 1-0. I changed one or two things at half-time, but in the end we have given ourselves a mountain to climb with two ridiculous red cards."

'It's a really tough place to go' – Wycombe Wanderers

Chairboys boss Gareth Ainsworth was a guest on Quest’s EFL highlights show on December 7 after Rovers’ thrilling comeback against Southend United.

He was full of praise for the Gas.

"It's a tough place to go, a really tough place to go,” he said. “They are making the most of teams going there and struggling.

"With Southend going 2-0 up, they (the Gas) must have thought that they always have a chance.

"With Clarke-Harris on form as always, it was a great result for them."

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