Wael al-Qadi’s comments that bode well as Bristol Rovers aim to keep hold of promotion heroes

Bristol Rovers club president Wael al-Qadi expects most of the squad to remain at the club next season as they aim to compete in League One.

The Gas celebrated promotion back to English football’s third tier after finishing third ahead of Northampton Town on goals scored.

Days after their unlikely success, plans are already underway for preparations for next season, with some work to be done in the next fortnight.

Contracts are up for the likes of Antony Evans, Sam Nicholson and Glenn Whelan, whilst James Connolly, Elliot Anderson, Luke Thomas and Connor Taylor return to their parent clubs.

Al-Qadi however is optimistic that the promotion heroes of 2022 will remain at the Memorial Stadium with aims of maintaining the feel good factor at the club by competing again next year.

Speaking to BBC Radio Bristol, he said: “I have a feeling that everybody in this squad will want to continue and to come back playing together for this manager. I believe we have the momentum to go into next season and compete and challenge.

“I’m really looking forward to next season and I’m sure everybody in this squad is too.

“The mentality is to keep on going and to compete. With this manager and his staff, his squad of players he has and the recruitment we have, I have full faith in. I believe we have a very strong chance of doing that and competing.”

In another interview with the BBC, the owner who has been involved with the club since 2016, revealed that Joey Barton once held a private meeting in his office after a defeat to Leyton Orient.

A 3-1 defeat at the Mem in which a sausage roll was allegedly thrown at Barton, whilst a loud voice of displeasure towards him and his players, left him questioning his own future.

Al-Qadi claimed that Barton would have been accepting of his sacking or a mutual parting of ways following the defeat but the Jordanian opted to stick with the former Newcastle United and Queens Park Rangers midfielder.

Asked why he stood by the 41-year-old, he said: “He is hungry for success, he is determined to win. He is a natural born winner and he knows football inside out.

“He was determined to have success here and turn the club around. I knew this all along and I’m very happy for him, all credit to his staff. They have done an amazing job and got us promoted.

“All of the lads they were just brilliant to watch from the start of the year until now. Every game was a pleasure to watch. It was full of drama, goals, quality goals and great performances from all of them.”

Saturday’s heroics are hard to come by in football given the unlikelihood of it happening and the events that needed to unfold to make it a reality.

Rovers went into the day five goals behind Northampton and when the Cobbers took an unassailable 3-0 lead against Barrow, the atmosphere at the Mem dropped slightly.

An own-goal to start off proceedings before a strike from Connor Taylor inspired some belief to bring it to six and then a late first-half strike from Barrow’s Josh Kay made the task slightly easier.

Aaron Collins and Antony Evans then both scored braces before Newcastle United teenage sensation Elliot Anderson scored the promotion clinching goal, making for pandemonium in front of the sell-out crowd.

A pitch invasion delayed celebrations for 15-20 minutes with a threat of abandonment and a request from both the chairman and manager to act appropriately for the remainder of the match.

But despite what seemed unlikely before the final whistle was blown, al-Qadi was always of the belief that the unlikeliest of jobs would be carried out.

“It was really strange because I knew we were going to go for it before the game,” he admitted.

“When the goals went in I was expecting the third, the fourth and then the fifth. I would think we got the fifth when is the sixth coming and when the seventh went in I just lost it.

“I had this belief and feeling that it was going to happen in the build up to it. I was calm.

Asked about a possible trip abroad for the first-team squad as a reward, he expects a phone call from captain Paul Coutts to begin plans to commemorate their achievement.

“I believe so. I think they are planning something. Couttsy will be on the phone imminently and demand a trip.

“They deserve it and I hope they have a great time. They have put a lot of smiles on our faces and the Gasheads are very happy, they deserve all the success.

“My message to the fans is that I am really delighted to see them happy again. I’m proud of this team, we will work hard to continue their success to them hopefully.”