Joey Barton has invited Bristol Rovers hero Andy Rammell to meet his players in hope of inspiring a surge to safety.
Barton’s blues are two points from safety and are the bookmakers’ favourites to finish bottom of League One after a run of four straight defeats.
With eight games to go, the Gas are in need of heroes and Barton has been inspired by the tale of Rammell, who reminisced with Bristol Live this week about his incredible scoring run that saved the club from falling into the Conference in 2003.
He may have played only 14 games for the Gas at the back end of his career, but his invaluable goals against Cambridge United, Oxford United and Darlington mean he is forever etched in the club’s folklore, and Barton believes the same status is on offer to his players.
“There’s a heroic end to this if we get it right,” the manager said ahead of the Good Friday trip to Ipswich Town.
“It’s not all doom and gloom. It’s been a tough, hard season, but there’s still the ability for someone to emerge as a hero.
“I read the piece about Andy and we’ve made contact with him and invited him to the training ground to the players. He’s hoping to get across next Thursday.”
Rammell, aged 36 at the time, signed on deadline day that season, which was at the end of March, and the Gas were in a similar state to their current plight – in deep relegation trouble with eight games to play.
His goals fired Rovers to safety with one game to spare, and the Gas boss hope his players can learn from the striker’s experience.
“It’d be nice to sign someone at the back end of March,” Barton joked. “That luxury wasn’t there for me, it closed at the end of January, but at the time they had the opportunity to do that and he came in and saved the day for the football club.
“He probably never has to buy a pint in Bristol again and he certainly goes down in local folklore as a legend of the club.
“That opportunity is there. Four goals in the last three games to keep the club in the Football League, what an amazing story and when we contacted him his kindness to come in and speak to the guys was key as somebody who has experienced what it can be like and see what the fanbase will do when you do something positive for them.
“There’s lads here with an opportunity of becoming legends of the club, and why would you not take that? Sometimes you get that for winning trophies and promotions, but also I’m an Evertonian and Barry Horne has got that at Everton for a goal against Wimbledon on the last day of the season. For the Evertonians, he’s a legend.
“It’s the same here and the lads have got to look for the optimistic, positive outcome for a tough, hard season.”
