Latest news with #DarrellClarke
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Clarke has 'unfinished business' at Rovers
New Bristol Rovers head coach Darrell Clarke says he has "unfinished business" with the club after being reappointed seven years after he left the was announced as the successor to Inigo Calderon, who was sacked following Rovers' final game of the season and their relegation to League previously spent four years at the club, between 2014 and 2018, during which time he guided them to promotion from the National League up to League One."I know there'll be some people out there thinking you should never go back, but I look at this as unfinished business," Clarke told BBC Radio Bristol's Having a Gas show."I was fortunate to be here for four-and half years. The last year didn't work out as well as I'd have liked it to."It's also appreciating this football club now has put a lot more investment into the playing budget, the facilities."I never got that when we finished 10th and 13th in League One with probably half of what the playing budget is now."To be able to go to a place where I'm going to be backed, and with the potential this massive football club's got, was a massive influence for me." Clarke said he was returning to the Memorial Stadium not for "sentimental" reason but to win."I like to think they know now my heart's in the right place and I will be doing my upmost to make sure we bring success to the football club first and foremost," he he comes into a club that have endured a torrid season, dropping back to the fourth tier having lost 27 of their 46 matches, including winning just three times away from admitted a "hell of a lot of work" was needed this summer with the players still under contract and that he had brought the start of pre-season training forward."We're making sure the players that are still going to be with me when pre-season starts, they understand exactly what is going to be expected of them," he explained."I'd give everybody a chance but they have to be on board otherwise they'll fall by the wayside."There has also been suggestions of disruption behind the scenes from previous managers, with Lee Cattermole being appointed briefly to the coaching staff behind former manager Matt Taylor's back, while Calderon said when he arrived in December there "were a lot of bad things that weren't because of the previous manager".Clarke said: "There has been a lot of noise and you hear the rumours, but from me coming back here the non-negotiable was that we look after the football side of things." Clarke has managed Walsall, Port Vale, Cheltenham and most recently Barnsley, who he left in March, since he left 47-year-old said he has not changed during that time but has "got better"."Attention to detail even more so, you learn, I'm still doing a leadership course with LMA (League Manager's Association) that's funded by the Premier League - I want to still learn and keep getting better, and better and better," he said. "There's more pressure on me now - I put the most pressure on myself, I was the same first time around as I am now - and that pressure's going to be to perform and give the club and the fans a team they can be proud of."
BBC News
08-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Clarke 'perfect choice' for Rovers return
Former Bristol Rovers midfielder Chris Lines says Darrell Clarke is the "perfect choice" to get the club back into League returned to the club this week after Inigo Calderon was sacked following relegation this his first spell at the Gas, between 2014 and 2018, he secured successive promotions, taking Rovers from the National League to the third tier. He went on to manage Walsall, Port Vale, Cheltenham and Barnsley, who he left in March."He's the best manager I ever worked with and got on with as a friend and manager," Lines, who himself enjoyed two spells at Rovers and played under Clarke for three years, told BBC Radio Bristol. "It is the perfect choice."He's got a tough job ahead of him, but he did last time. He's got serial success, he's a serial winner. He will eliminate the negativity around the place. Everyone loves him."Lines suggested Clarke's appointment may be a way for chairman Hussain AlSaeed to get fans back onside after a dismal campaign."It happened so quickly; maybe they had a plan in mind," he added."[It is] a lift for the club and supporters, they are the main people who need positivity at the minute, and something to look forward to for next season. For them it is brilliant."It'll get supporters who have been cynical or sceptical slightly back on side. It could be a masterstroke from that perspective." 'We're backing him fully and completely' On Thursday, AlSaeed wrote an open letter to the club's fans explaining the decision to bring Clarke back to the club."Darrell's history with this club, combined with his energy and experience, made him the clear choice to lead the team into the next phase," he said. "We're backing him fully and completely; with resources, with structure, and with time."He added that Calderon and he did not share a vision for the future of the club ahead of a battle for former Brighton & Hove Albion Under-18 coach was appointed to succeed Matt Taylor but managed just six wins from his 26 games as Rovers plunged from a position of safety - nine points clear of the bottom four - into relegation."While his passion was evident, the outcomes didn't align with the direction we need to take. We thank him for his efforts and wish him well in the next stage of his career."
BBC News
07-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Headlines: Knitted tributes and tulip displays
Headlines: Knitted tributes and tulip displays 8 minutes ago Share Save Share Save Dyrham Park/ Helen R The annual 'Tulip Mania' event takes place at a historic country estate Here's our daily pick of stories from across local websites in the West of England, and interesting content from social media. Our pick of local website stories Bristol Rovers have confirmed the return of Darrell Clarke as their new manager until 2028, six-and-a-half years on from his departure, reported Bristol Live. Wiltshire 999s told the story of how a Calne man kept an 'incredibly malnourished' dog in his faeces-ridden home. He was found to have failed to provide Rusty with food, water or veterinary care. A community is mourning the loss of two beloved geese, George and Mildred, who were killed in a car accident, reported Gloucestershire Live. More than £3,000 has been raised to cover the cost of their cremation and a memorial. Our top three from yesterday What to watch on social media A knitted post-box topper made by the local Women's Institute has appeared in Bradford-on-Avon in celebration of VE Day and the women involved in the war effort. A community share box in Frome has been set alight, scorching the inside of the wooden box. Members of the public offered to make repairs but it was deemed "too far gone" to save. An old phone box in Coleford, which has been transformed into a seed exchange hub for plants, fruits and vegetables, is almost ready for operation. More than 60 staff and volunteers put on a magnificent display of tulips at Dyrham Park. The extensive project began in November, when 20,000 bulbs were planted.
BBC News
06-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Bristol Rovers bring back Darrell Clarke as manager
Bristol Rovers have re-appointed Darrell Clarke as their manager following their relegation to League Two. Rovers sacked head coach Inigo Calderon on Sunday, less than 24 hours after the end of a disappointing season that ended in a 4-1 thumping at Blackpool. Clarke, 47, had four years in charge of Rovers between 2014-2018, a stint in which he brought them back into the Football League at the first attempt and then instantly won promotion to League One. "It is difficult to put into words just how special it feels to come back to Bristol Rovers," Clarke said. "I am beyond proud to return and once again be here at this exceptional club. "Even though the season just gone was undoubtedly a difficult one, the potential of this club remains incredibly high and, when the chance to return came up, I didn't have any hesitation. "I am excited to get down to work during the off-season, prepare for the new campaign and step out at The Mem once again in front of the brilliant, passionate Gasheads. "We will need each and every one of them with us in the season to come and I want to give them a team they can get behind and performances they can be proud of." After leaving Rovers, Clarke subsequently managed at Walsall, Port Vale, Cheltenham and most recently Barnsley, who he left in March. While at Vale he also won promotion from League Two via a play-off final win over Mansfield in 2022. Director of football Ricky Martin said: "I am delighted to welcome Darrell back to Bristol Rovers. "Following the review of our footballing operation we began our recruitment proceedings, and it quickly became clear to me that Darrell was the right person to take our first team forward. He has been our number one target throughout this process."
