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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
Sport
David Byrom

Accrington Stanley assistant hails 'magnificent' Memorial Stadium ahead of Bristol Rovers clash

Attempts to build a new Bristol Rovers stadium have been ongoing for some time, but it appears that one of the Gas' opponents is quite fond of their current ground.

After moving to the Memorial Stadium in 1996 and sharing with the rugby team, Rovers fans have always been keen for a ground they can truly call their own.

Its canvas tents and open terraces can often split opinion, but Accrington Stanley assistant Jimmy Bell has reserved praise for the Mem, labelling it a magnificent ground.

Accrington assistant Jimmy Bell (Getty)

Speaking to Stanley's website ahead of tomorrow's game against Rovers, Bell said he was looking forward to the trip.

He said: "We've got a fantastic record against them, but that counts for nothing.

"We will tell the players that and we'll go with a system and a style to try and beat the way they play.

"They're a strong team, they've got a great crowd and a magnificent stadium and pitch.

"With all that, it should be a really good game."

It will be a new-look Stanley that make the trip to Rovers, with the club making three deadline day signings to take the total number of summer arrivals to 17.

With Aji Alese and Jerome Opoku signing on loan from West Ham and Fulham respectively and Connor Simpson joining from Preston, Bell admits it was a slightly busier deadline day than they were expecting.

He said: "We had a very busy deadline day, players became available and we've got a limited budget, and we've packed the squad out now.

"It should stay open even longer, but a few weeks give you a chance to assess what you've got.

"We've got a healthy squad now, and we've got good competition."

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