Tuffley Rovers AFC

MUSTOE COMMITS TO ROVERS PROJECT

With their playing season concluded and their position in the Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division secured, Tuflfey Rovers have moved quickly to make their first signing for the 2022/23 season, with the appointment of Neil Mustoe as their manager for the 2022/23 season.

Mustoe had initially stepped into the role vacated by the resignation of Rich Cox on an interim basis from the start of January 2022 and having guided the Rovers squad to safety after a season-long battle with relegation he has now accepted the opportunity to continue in the role next season.

A defeat in Mustoe’s opening game against Brimscombe & Thrupp, on 3 January, was followed by a first win in thirteen for Rovers, as Mustoe secured his first win against Shrivenham on 8 January. Two heavy defeats followed before Mustoe’s influence began to show and although Rovers’ form continued to be patchy in the latter part of the season – with just two further wins – the squad was far more competitive, despite few changes to the squad itself.

Now, the Gloucester City legend will look to ensure that Rovers build on a positive start when the 2022/23 season commences; an opportunity he is very much looking forward to.

“I am very happy to be officially appointed as Tuffley Rovers’ manager”, he confirmed. “This is a club with real potential, with a fantastic infrastructure, from the youth set-up, through to the first team squad and I’ve been impressed with the willingness for us to all be looking at shared goals and singing from the same hymn sheet, with the focus on creating a pathway for players to progress.”

The new manager arrived in January with the club facing a battle to avoid relegation and Mustoe’s first objective was to ensure an eighth season in the Premier Division, and although it was a case of ‘mission accomplished’, he was quick to reflect on the achievement with a focus on ensuring Rovers don’t face a similar situation next season.

“It has been an very interesting and testing three months, or so, for everyone involved in the club”, he reflected. “I can only assess my short spell on the basis that we got the job done, but am I totally happy with the way it has gone? No. We all need to better going forward, starting with me.”

Rovers’ Head of Football Development, Ken Blackburn, was key to securing Mustoe’s commitment to the role on an interim basis and he expressed his delight at the move to a permanent appointment.

“I have been looking to bring Muzzy in, whether as manager or in some other capacity, since I joined Tuffley Rovers but it was all a matter of timing”, he confirmed. “Having been a pro and then semi-pro player for more or less the whole of his life, so since we’d ended our spell together at Gloucester City U18s, he’d taken some time out of football to spend more time with his family.”

“I was certain it would be a matter of time before he got ‘itchy feet’ and I am absolutely delighted that he’s now decided to commit to Tuffley Rovers”, Blackburn added. “Our association goes back a long way and I can honestly say that we have never had one cross word with each other, except maybe when he was navigating and I was driving the minibus to City games!!”.

“For Rovers to get someone of his stature, both in terms of his playing and coaching career, is a real coup for the club and it is now time to use the benefit of his knowledge and experience to move the club forward. We don’t want to stand still and I know he wants to be a winner, with the focus on playing football that should be enjoyed, with our spectators entertained by the way the side play.”

Blackburn was also quick to focus on a shared objective, with the focus on creating a squad with a blend of experienced players alongside young talent coming through the youth and development structure at the club.

“I, for one, will support Muzzy all I can and hopefully we can attract the right experienced players, whilst at the same time developing young talent, who will be given the opportunity to progress when they are ready”, he explained.

Mustoe is also focusing on player development, but also acknowledges the club’s record for helping players to progress to higher level football.

“Tuffley Rovers has provided an opportunity for players to get their foot in at Step 5 and then progress. Over the years and even over the past few months, when results haven’t been great, our players are attracting interest from higher level clubs and I hope that encourages others to see the potential that the club offers”, he added.

The new manager was also quick reflect on the challenge posed to the squad he inherited in January, which was largely unchanged to the end of the season, with new signings Ashley Davies and Sammie Hicks unavailable for long periods, and Bristol Rovers work experience signing Harvey Greenslade quickly moved on to a higher level of football after his successful spell at Tuffley.

“The players have had to adapt mid-season to a style and formation change, meaning I’ve been asking them to do things that are unfamiliar and unnatural, for them and for me, for the good of the team and to ensure that we gave ourselves the best opportunity to stay up”, he confirmed, before turning his attention to the next campaign.

“Everyone at the club is aware that our summer recruitment is now incredibly important”, he explained. “Hopefully we can get players in of the calibre we need, then mix it with the current squad and the youngster coming through, so that we improve our performances and our results, because I want to bring success to the club. I am already very much looking forward to next season already.”

After a season of struggles, on and off the field, Chairman Dan Boon felt that the appointment of Mustoe was just what the club needed and, like Blackburn, is delighted that the club have finally got their man.

“I am thrilled that we have managed to secure Muzzy in the role on a permanent basis. He came in at a very difficult time for the club, with his only brief for the remainder of the season to keep us in the league, which he achieved. I’m now looking forward to a period of rebuilding, so that he can get the squad he wants, playing the style of football he wants the club to adopt. It suddenly feels like a great time to be involved with the club”, he concluded.

Alongside Mustoe’s appointment, Rovers have confirmed that both their Assistant Manager, Ritchie Warden, and physiotherapist, Ashleigh Watson, will remain at the club for the 2022/23 season. Further appointments to the club’s coaching and management structure are likely to be confirmed shortly.

Shortly after Neil Mustoe took charge as Tuffley Rovers’ interim manager in January 2022, he took a very young squad to Bradford Town and what followed was a chastening experience that saw Tuffley Rovers return to Glevum Park off the back of a 7-1 defeat.

Tonight at their home another young squad will look to challenge the same opposition for a place in the Bluefin Sports Hellenic League Challenge Cup semi-finals, as they come together for a quarter-final tie that will kick-off at 7:45pm.

Mustoe is looking forward to the opportunity to advance in the competition – with a trip to Hereford Pegasus in store for the winners of tonight’s game – but recognises the challenge his side face after his experience at Bradford Town.

“That visit to Bradford Town was a game that proved to be a bit of an eye opener for me, as I was introduced to the league and squad”, he reflected. “It certainly gave me a sense of what we were going to need to get the job done of securing our Hellenic Premier Division status.”

“Since that game, other than the last league game against Fairford Town, we either got a result or lost by the odd goal and were competitive in every game. That is what I asked after the 7-1 defeat at Bradford Town.”

“We did have a few injuries and suspensions – and what seemed to be a very long sin-bin – when we played at Bradford, but we were well beaten on the day. Tonight we will have to be organised, disciplined and concentrating fully if we are to get a result tonight and combat their strengths. We will also need to be better with the ball and our decision making as we have not tested the opposition goalkeeper often enough in the last few games.”

The match-day programme is now available online and printed copies will be available on the turnstiles.

Tuffley Rovers are all set to host their penultimate home Hellenic League Premier Division fixture of the 2021/22 season and they will welcome Cribbs to Glevum Park on Saturday afternoon, looking to build on a promising performance in defeat against Westbury United last weekend, which was followed by a much needed win at Hallen on Tuesday night.

The win in South Gloucestershire during midweek was a huge step in Rovers’ quest to secure their Premier Division place for the 2022/23 season, as it left Hallen 15 points adrift of Neil Mustoe’s side with five games to play, whilst the gap between Rovers and the other relegation place, currently occupied by Calne Town, is now 11 points, albeit with the Wiltshire side having three games in hand.

Mustoe isn’t looking down the table, though, and as revealed in his interview with Severn Sport, the focus has shifted to chasing down the sides above Rovers in the table.

As ever, Rovers’ official match-day programme will be available at the turnstiles, whilst an advance copy is already available online.

Tuffley Rovers will play their ninth home game in their last eleven fixtures on Saturday, buoyed by seven points accumulated from the last four games, a run that has lifted them up to 16th place in the Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division table, nine points clear of the relegation places with eight games remaining.

The visitors this weekend are Hallen FC, who have suffered a wretched season, amassing just ten points from their 29 games, although they too have been on an improved run, with six of those points coming in the last ten games. They currently sit sixteen points adrift of their hosts – and at least fourteen points short of climbing out of the relegation zone – so the game promises to be pivotal in the fortunes of both teams as the end of the season is fast approaching.

Rovers Manager, Neil Mustoe, has improved his squad in recent weeks and has managed to retain the services of Bristol Rovers loanee Harvey Greenslade for the fixture, although he is likely to be recalled from his work experience agreement after the game, with a move to a higher level looming, in order to continue his development. Greenslade has netted three times since joining in early January and Rovers have taken seven points from the five games he has featured in. Mustoe will be hoping the 17 year old signs off with another excellent performance, at the end of the week where he was named as the Player of the Month for January 2022.

As ever, Rovers’ match-day programme is available online, with printed copies available via the turnstiles.

After a stunning comeback to earn a point against the league leaders, Bishops Cleeve, last weekend Tuffley Rovers will be looking to banish the memory of what is arguably their worst result tomorrow, when they welcome Hereford Lads Club to Glevum Park, just over three months after then manager Rich Cox oversaw a 9-1 defeat at the County Ground, Hereford.

With nine league games remaining, interim boss Neil Mustoe finds his side 18th in the twenty team Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division, with a six point gap between them and Calne Town, the team currently sitting in 19th (the highest relegation placing). However, the recent win at home against Shrivenham – Rovers’ first since October – and the home point against Cleeve have brought renewed hope of a move away from trouble. Four points out of twelve available at Glevum Park since Mustoe took on the role doesn’t round like it should offer much hope, but it is a pleasant contrast to zero points from the twenty-one points available up to the new manager taking the reins.

Lads Club arrive at Glevum Park after defeating Calne 6-2 at home last week and have won three games in a row, but they have lost their last two games away from the County Ground and with only five wins from thirteen games on the road this season, Mustoe might be hoping that his own team’s resurgence in form will carry his side to a result that might open up additional space between them and the sides in the relegation spaces, as the season draws towards a conclusion.

Sam Mendes is the only withdrawal from the squad that turned out against Bishops Cleeve seven days ago, as he has been nursing a groin injury, and Lewis Bainbridge replaces him, having missed the previous game.

As ever, Rovers have produced their match-day programme for the fixture, which is available online now. Printed copies will also be on sale at the turnstiles.

Match sponsored by 

Tuffley Rovers will host league leaders Bishops Cleeve on Saturday afternoon at Glevum Park, with the visiting squad likely to include a host of former Rovers, including ex-Manager Mark Pritchett and Brennan Denness-Barrett who joined Cleeve on Friday after his work experience arrangement at Rovers was cancelled.

The visiting squad is also likely to include Luke Merchant, Kieran Alder and Jake Rhodes, whilst Will Turner spent time with the squad during pre-season and visiting coach, Freddy Ward, made a handful of first team appearances during Doug Foxwell’s time as manager.

After another chastening defeat at Bradford Town last weekend, Rovers boss Neil Mustoe hopes to welcome back Ashley Davies and Joel White into the starting line-up and should have pushed through one further signing in good time for the 3pm kick-off. Davies is a former Cleeve player and Rovers could include two others, if Liam Wright is fit to return alongside Lucas Price.

Rovers are desperate for points and although performances have improved in Mustoe’s brief tenure as manager, they have just one win and sit only five points above the relegation places, with ten league games remaining. Cleeve arrive at Rovers’ home with a nine point lead at the top of the table (with eleven games to play) on the back of three consecutive wins and ten wins in their last eleven league games.

When the sides met earlier in the season Rovers became the only side to prevent Cleeve scoring this season, as the sides fought out a 0-0 draw at the Mitres’ temporary home, Evesham United.

As ever, Rovers’ official match-day programme is now available online and printed copies will also be available on the turnstiles.

Although he was in the dugout for the 27 December Hellenic League game against Longlevens, Neil Mustoe will officially take charge of his first game as Tuffley Rovers interim manager on Monday 3 January and the new, New Year regime will see his new charges presented with a stern test, as high-flying Brimscombe & Thrupp will visit Glevum Park.

Mustoe worked with caretaker boss Ritchie Warden for the Longlevens game but Warden will revert to his role as Assistant Manager for this game and stand alongside the new manager in the dugout.

With Warren Mann and Jack Beardsell suspended, Mustoe will be forced into changing his squad, despite the encouraging performance last time out, but there was some good news when Joel White was declared fit and able to return to the squad after missing all but two games since the end of October; a period that has coincided with Rovers’ dreadful run of form.

As ever, the official match-day programme is available online and printed copies will be available on the turnstiles.

INTERIM MANAGER APPOINTMENT

Tuffley Rovers have moved quickly to appoint Neil Mustoe, the former Gloucester City captain, who had a successful career as a professional footballer, as their new manager on an interim basis until the end of the 2021/22 playing season.

Ritchie Warden – who was yesterday confirmed as holding a caretaker role following the departure of Rich Cox on Sunday – will take charge of the squad in their fixture against Longlevens on 27 December, when Mustoe will have a watching brief and the new manager’s first match in charge will be the home game against Brimscombe & Thrupp on 3 January.

Rovers’ Head of Football Development, Ken Blackburn, worked with Mustoe when they were both involved at Gloucester City and moved quickly to canvas his interest when Cox stood down but hadn’t necessarily anticipated to be in a position to appoint so quickly.

“I’ve kept in touch with Muzzy (Mustoe) on a regular basis and when Rich Cox stood down he seemed the perfect candidate, so I got in touch”, Blackburn confirmed. “I wasn’t necessarily expecting him to be in a position to help now, so it was a really pleasant surprise to find he could take on the role from the New Year.”

Chairman Dan Boon also welcomed the appointment.

“I’m pleased to announce that Neil has agreed to take the role on an interim basis until the end of the season”, he said. “The pedigree and leadership qualities that Muzzy will bring is exactly what the squad needs right now.”

Mustoe started his professional career at Manchester United, playing in the 1995 FA Youth Cup winning side, before spells at Wigan Athletic, Cambridge United, Stevenage Borough and Yeovil Town. He then moved to his home town club, making almost 350 appearances for City before his retirement in 2014.

Warden, who served as the Assistant Manager to Cox, will remain as part of Mustoe’s coaching team.