MIRACLE MAN
Rovers supremo never lost faith in ‘born winner’ Joey
IN the city where they celebrate promotion by climbing traffic lights in playing kit, Bristol Rovers owner Wael Al-Qadi revealed why he stood by manager Joey Barton.
And after the astonishing seven-goal romp that sealed a place in League One, Al-Qadi set his heart on Rovers renewing acquaintances with their rivals across town at Bristol City after 21 years in separate divisions.
A Jordanian banker who has pumped about £20million into the club, Al-Qadi joined the dressing-room celebrations after the 7-0 rout of Scunthorpe pipped Northampton to automatic promotion. Barton’s first such feat as a manager was remarkable given his team were 17th in January. “I stood by Joe because he is a born winner,” said Al-Qadi. “He was desperate to succeed and to give our fans a team to make them proud.
“Even in the early days, when our results were hit-and-miss, I could see glimpses.
“When we lost 4-1 at Exeter early in the season, and we were taught a lesson I thought, ‘That’s the kind of football I would love to see at Rovers’.
“Now we have the momentum of promotion we aim for the Championship.”
Al-Qadi admitted he expected the miracle to happen despite Northampton going 3-0 up at Barrow on the last day. Rovers already needed to close a five-goal gap on goal difference but when Barrow pulled one back and Aaron Collins – later seen climbing traffic lights in his full kit amid the celebrations – put The Gas 3-0 up in the second half, Al-Qadi knew it was on.
He said: “When the third goal went in I have to admit I was expecting a fourth, a fifth, a sixth. I always kind of believed in miracles and I certainly believe in them now.” Barton, whose season was interrupted by a court case where he was cleared of assaulting a fellow manager, went to church several times a week to seek divine guidance for Rovers’ passage.
He said: “Life is not fantastic for everybody but if we can give a bit of an oasis to people, where they can come and release that emotion, and we can inspire in some way, that’s where football is at its best.”
Northampton, though, have spoken to the EFL about Scunthorpe’s team selection.
The Iron, who were already relegated, fielded a young team with six players who had made fewer than five senior appearances and with 17-yearold goalkeeper Owen Foster.
Cobblers chairman Kelvin Thomas said: “We’ve obviously spoken to the EFL regarding some matters, but probably more so about the rules going forward, and we certainly do not expect anything to change in the short term.”