Why do Bristol Rovers celebrate May 2? Key date for Gas and Bristol City explained

May 2, 1990. It's a Wednesday.

To fans of Bristol Rovers, it is a day that many celebrate to this day. It's been 33 years, and so much has changed since then, but the Gas fans who were alive remember it fondly, whilst those not born, are told what happened.

So without further ado, we're going to take you through what happened in the build-up to Wednesday, May 2, 1990.

The build-up...

The setting of our scene is Twerton Park, home of Bath City. Bristol Rovers are playing there because the Eastville Stadium is no more. The Pirates are three games out from the end of the season.

Their opponents? Inter-city rivals Bristol City. Earlier in the season, the two played to a goalless draw at Ashton Gate, but this match had significance about it. The Robins, managed by Joe Jordan at the time, were two points ahead of Rovers, and were on course for the Third Division title (now known as League One).

Rovers were managed by Gerry Francis, who later went on to manage QPR and Tottenham Hotspur. They had been on a good run of form, and other than a defeat to Shrewsbury Town two games before, they had been unbeaten in three months.

City had similar form, though they did taste defeat to Tranmere Rovers and Reading, and going in to this match had lost 1-0 to Bolton Wanderers in their last outing. Both teams had been vying for the title because of their good run of form.

What happened in the game?

A crowd of 9,813 packed in to Twerton Park, which was Rovers' home from home. Devon White opened the scoring for Rovers when he made the most of Andy Llewellyn's slip which allowed White to net from David Mehew's cross.

A second followed when Carl Saunders had the beating of Rob Newman, and was able to cross in to the forward to score past Ronnie Sinclair. Ian Holloway, who later went on to manage the club then made sure of the victory with a penalty. Llewellyn was adjudged to have handled Phil Purnell's shot and 'Ollie' showed his composure to net.

The full-time whistle blew at Twerton, and it would mean that Rovers would be promoted to the second tier, and would potentially win the title. City would also be promoted, with Notts County finishing third.

Who played that day?

Bristol Rovers: Parkin, Alexander, Twentyman, Yates, Jones, Mehew, Holloway, Reece, Purnell, White, Saunders.

Bristol City: Sinclair, Llewellyn, Bailey (Honor), Shelton, Humphries, Rennie, Gavin, Newman, Morgan, Smith, Turner (Ferguson)

The reaction?

In an interview with The League Paper, City's Robbie Turner said: “It was a strange season. We started the season strongly, even though we were beaten 6-0 at Tranmere. We were going places, flying at the top of the league and we knocked Chelsea out of the FA Cup.

“Then, one Saturday we were due to play Bristol Rovers – who were struggling at the time – at Trumpton Park, as we called it, but rain was forecast. “Guess what? Lo and behold, they flooded the pitch and the referee called the game off on the Saturday, though I think Bath played on it on the Sunday morning.

“It allowed Rovers to get themselves together, but we had seen what was coming,” he said. The game was rearranged for a Wednesday night and they thumped us 3-0. Devon White scored two goals and Ian Holloway got a penalty, yet we were the best team in the league.

“The local pundits called us the Real Madrid of the Third Division. We could play football and, all round, were the best team. It is still hard to take losing the league to Rovers."

And what happened next?

Rovers won the league title by thrashing Blackpool 3-0. Paul Nixon, David Mehew and Phil Purnell all scored and that meant a points tally of 93. Rovers though couldn't secure a League and Cup double, after losing to Tranmere Rovers in the Leyland Daf Cup.

In the next season, City finished ninth and were just two points off the play-offs. It was a 13th-placed finish for Rovers, who finished nine points behind them. In the next set of derbies between the two, it was a win apiece with City losing in January 1991, but winning in March.