When Bristol Rovers got relegated by Mansfield Town in their own kit - gallery

Saturday, May 3, 2014 is one of the darkest days in the history of Bristol Rovers.

It's their final game of the season, and they face Mansfield Town at the Memorial Stadium. A change in manager a month ago sees Darrell Clarke replace John Ward, and he is tasked with keeping the club up after replacing him when the club was 20th, and four points above the relegation zone.

Clarke wins his first game against Morecambe but a winless run in five brings them back right back in to a race. In their penultimate home match they beat relegation rivals Wycombe Wanderers, and they're in a good position to stay up but a strange event occurs...

Mansfield's kitman Michael Merriman forgets to bring the amber kit, and the Stags have to make a polite request of asking Rovers if they could borrow a kit. Remember this is the fourth tier of English football, and all teams are professional. Rovers oblige, and Mansfield are given a black kit, worn by the youth team with numbers on the back with no names.

The visitors opened the scoring through Colin Daniel, and Bristol City fans to this day celebrate it as 'Colin Daniel Day'. Rovers issued no response, and with wins for Northampton Town and Wycombe Wanderers mean that the Gas for the first time in their existence are relegated from the Football League. In their 131 year existence, they had spent 87 years in the Football League, but that was brought to an end.

Fortunately, Clarke steered the club to promotion at the first time of asking, and then in more happier final day scenes, won promotion to League One, securing back-to-back promotions. Here's some photos from that day, if you're willing to put yourself through the pain...