Tom has fond memories of Rovers despite the tough times
❝When your team doesn’t win and you’ve missed a few chances, you really do take that personally
BOOS and social media criticism have not stopped Tom Nichols reflecting on his time at Bristol Rovers with fondness.
But the former Gas striker admits there were mental struggles and “down days” as he failed to match expectations at the Memorial Stadium.
The 27-year-old joined Rovers from Peterborough United in 2017 for a reported fee of £350,000, just shy of the record fee paid for Andy Tillson 25 years previously.
More than 100 appearances but only nine goals followed before being told he was free to leave by former manager Ben Garner in January. A six-month loan spell at Cheltenham Town ensued before a free transfer in the summer to their League Two rivals Crawley Town, where Nichols has rediscovered his scoring touch with eight goals in 20 appearances.
Nichols, who feels in a “really good place” on and off the pitch at Crawley, has given an honest assessment of his time at Rovers.
“Obviously, it didn’t go to plan,” Nichols exclusively told the Bristol Post. “The day I walked in the door, if you told me how many goals I would score, I wouldn’t have been happy with that.
“I didn’t score anywhere near as much as I wanted to, but I do look back with fondness.
“I met a lot of good people there and the fans were good to me to be fair, considering the goal record.
“I’m sure a lot of players have been booed for a lot less. I didn’t produce on that front, but I do look back with fondness. I played a lot of games and enjoyed my time there.
“I didn’t score enough goals, but I appreciated the managers I played under.”
Ultimately, Nichols was brought in to score goals and he did not deliver as desired. Criticism from paying supporters was justified and the former Exeter City prospect has no complaints. But it did not make those evenings after a disappointing performance in front of goal any easier.
“I definitely did have some down days and down periods, I’m not going to deny that,” said Nichols.
“It was a struggle at times because I’d gone from being a goalscorer to not being able to hit a barn door.
“It was tough for me, but involving yourself with the lads really does help. Some players might go into their shell a bit more and sit by themselves. I was trying to enjoy it as much as I can and get the enjoyment back in the game while I wasn’t scoring goals.
“It was tough, I can’t deny that and I’m sure my family would tell you that as well. To be honest, it’s probably tougher on them.
“Reading stuff online affects them more than it does me. I know my dad struggles with that, reading stuff online does upset him.
“I did have some down times when I was missing chances and we weren’t winning. When your team doesn’t win and you’ve missed a few chances, you really do take that personally.
“Maybe that was why my goal record wasn’t as good, maybe I dwelled on things too much.”
Criticism of Nichols perhaps peaked in October 2019 after a costly penalty miss at Doncaster Rovers but, just a few weeks later, his striking partner Jonson ClarkeHarris launched a staunch defence of his team-mate in the press.
“He’s created so many goals for me. Now that I classify him as a friend, it’s (the criticism) starting to touch me now,” Clarke-Harris told the Bristol Post.
Nichols remains heartened by the words of his former colleague, who is now League One’s top scorer at Peterborough United.
“I knew I was contributing to the team, I knew I wasn’t playing terribly,” said Nichols. “I knew I had to offer value in other parts of my game, because at the time I couldn’t score goals. I had to do that in other ways. I do remember that from Jonno. I won’t forget that. He didn’t have to do that because he was on fire at the time, so he could have easily carried on doing what he was doing.
“But he went out of his way to back me in the press, I will always hold Jonno in very high regard for that.”
Fast-forward a couple of months and Graham Coughlan had departed. He was replaced by Garner, who took less than a fortnight to make his decision on Nichols’ future. The Somerset-born striker was told he was surplus to requirements and was free to move elsewhere.
“It was a quick decision,” Nichols recalls. “He said he had been watching our games for a little while and he said to me ‘I think you could do with a fresh start’, which was fair enough.
“Looking from the outside, you could say I probably did need that, but at the time we were going pretty well and I was a big part of the team.
“Every manager has their own ideas and I don’t hold any grudges against him for that. I suppose I’m glad he told me early. Some managers would wait until the last day of the window and say you’ve got to find a new club.”
There were good times at the Gas amid the disappointment for Nichols, who named a Carabao Cup defeat to Premier League Brighton & Hove Albion, when he scored and delivered an outstanding allround performance, as his favourite game in the blue and white quarters.
Coughlan’s last game, a 2-1 win at Ipswich Town 12 months ago, also is worthy of mention, when Nichols scored a diving header, and the striker left a Rovers side in playoff contention before they dramatically collapsed to a bottom-half finish.
» For the full interview, visit www. bristolpost.co.uk/sport.