Joey’s a good appointment for Rovers, says new Robins boss

NIGEL Pearson has backed Joey Barton to be a good appointment for Bristol Rovers.

The former Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers midfielder was appointed as the new Rovers boss on Monday, succeeding Paul Tisdale at the Gas as they look to try to avoid relegation from League One.

Barton was appointed just hours before Bristol City named Pearson as their new manager, with the new Robins boss watching on from the stands at the Riverside Stadium as City won 3-1 against Middlesbrough on Tuesday night to end their recent winless slump.

For Barton, it was not such a positive start as Rovers were beaten 2-1 at home by relegation rivals Wigan Athletic, with the Gas dropping into the bottom four as a result. But Pearson, who worked with Barton at Newcastle United, has spoken positively about the former Fleetwood Town manager, adding that he has received messages from the new Rovers boss among many others since being appointed in BS3.

“Me and Joey exchanged a few messages,” he said. “I have a lot of time and respect for him. He’s a very intelligent man actually. It’s part and parcel (social media) of the modern world. I’m not a dinosaur. I’m overwhelmed by a lot of the messages I’ve received. That type of thing matters to me.

“We’re working in a time when supporters can’t come and see us and football needs to survive in its current form and we have to go through this and maybe social media is a way for supporters to keep involved.”

Barton jokingly suggested that he and Pearson could share a flat, with the two appointments coinciding with each other at the city’s two

Football League clubs. But while that is not going to happen, Pearson has said he would like to meet up with Barton. “I think he’s a good appointment for Rovers,” said Pearson. “I think he’s got a bright future. People can have pre-conceived ideas but the reality can be different. I’d like to meet him when we can. There’s an element of humour here but we’re both very aware we’ve got jobs to do that are not necessarily straightforward.”