GOODNIGHT IRENE might be the love song of choice for Bristol Rovers fans. But for the Gas players a different set of dulcet tones are helping to shape their promotion charge – singer Sam Smith!
Striker Matty Taylor has revealed that the Wembley bound players listen to music's latest sensation to help them relax before games.
And the CD will no doubt be packed for their trip to English football HQ on Sunday when they take on Grimsby Town for a place in the Football League.
“The music always goes on in the changing rooms doesn't it?” Taylor says. “Instead of all the upbeat music to get us going for games, we've had a few renditions of Sam Smith and his slow music!
“The speakers are right up and Sam Smith is blaring out. A few try to sing. There's a few who can and a few who can't.
“Once he's been on, we get the proper tunes on. It's been a bit of a ritual over the last few weeks. It relaxes everyone, gives us a giggle while we're waiting for the gaffer to come in and then it's game time.”
Proud
Taylor has already been to one Conference promotion final. Back in 2010 he was in the stands with his mates as hometown club Oxford United beat York City to end their four-year exile in Non-League.
This time he's hoping Rovers can end their stay after just one season – and become the first club since Carlisle United in 2005 to do so.
If they do go up, Taylor's goals will have played a big part in their return. The 25-yearold took his tally to 21 goals in the second-leg win against former club Forest Green Rovers. Having set up Chris Lines with some clever build-up play for the Gas' opener, he made it 3-0 on aggregate with a late goal to add to the one he scored in the first leg.
But despite becoming the first to reach the 20 goal mark since England striker Rickie Lambert, Taylor readily admits it took a while to get going in front of goal at his new club.
“I'm quite proud of the Lambert record,” says Taylor, who was signed by boss Darrell Clarke last summer. “If I get the service I back myself to score the majority of them. I haven't had it all my own way this season. At the start of the season I didn't score too many and I think there were a few fans questioning me.
“It didn't affect me. I knew it was there, but you get that. I'm glad I've shown everyone what I'm all about now.
“We didn't start the season that well. The club had been relegated and the daggers were out a bit. You can understand it because the fans wanted us to do well.”
When they settled into their groove, Clarke's side became hard to beat. They went on a 20-game unbeaten run as they cut the gap on leaders Barnet, before losing to Eastleigh in March.
They haven't been beaten since as the players coped with the weight of expectation around their Memorial Stadium. Taylor has lived up to his own expectations too. With seven goals in the last seven games, the confidence is flowing.
Fun
It's been a long road to the brink of the Football League. Just six years ago he was a teaching assistant at The Marlborough School and taking The NLP's calls while on his lunch break. Back then, he was scoring goals for fun – 80 in two seasons – at North Leigh after being released by Oxford United.
“Going to Wembley from playing in front of 150 people on the nice slope at North Leigh is remarkable – it probably set me up with a few goals, that slope!” he laughs. “I'm sure Wembley will be flatter.
“Back then I was playing for fun really. Now it's my job. I get on really well with the North Leigh manager Mark Gee. He's a bit like the gaffer now, he lets me go out and play my football.
“I did the first year, had a few clubs watching but didn't get any offers. I kind of forgot about playing football professionally.
“I worked and I was looking to get on with my qualifications to be a PE teacher. I enjoyed working at the school. That's what I was looking at taking further and something I might look at again in a few years' time. I met some great people there.
Hungry
“After the second season, Forest Green came in and I thought, ‘I've got nothing to lose, I've got to give this a go'. I haven't looked back.
“At this level, and probably the league above, you get players who have dropped down from top clubs. Sometimes they've got better ability, sometimes not. You meet in the middle.
“They haven't known anything else. Maybe that's part of the reason why they drop down because they're not hungry enough. I've worked a day job and, let's be honest, there is no comparison.”
Rovers could take more than 30,000 fans to Wembley and Taylor knows a good season could become even better.
“The gaffer has done a great job,” Taylor says. “The club was in a bit of turmoil but he's kept it steady and turned
it around. He's continued to improve the team and it shows what a good young manager he is.
“Some supporters probably stayed away because of relegation and everything that was going on. In the first few months the gaffer would say, ‘You don't understand how big this club is'.
“I've now realised the size of the club and fully appreciate what a great club it is. The fans have steadily come back in their numbers. If they can keep that up and we can get promoted, then the only way for this club is up.”
