Darrell Clarke has been sacked and it hurts

It hurts because this is not just another manager leaving Bristol Rovers. This is a man who rebuilt this football club once before. A man who gave us belief when we had none. Who dragged us up from the bottom and made us proud to follow Rovers again.

That first spell will live forever. Promotion at Wembley. A team that fought for the badge. A connection between players and supporters that felt real and honest. Darrell Clarke did not just manage Bristol Rovers. He understood it.

For it to end like this feels wrong.

This second spell was never about nostalgia. Clarke came back knowing how difficult the job would be. He walked into a club with no clear structure. No visible long term plan. No meaningful communication from the top. Promises made and quietly forgotten. Anyone would struggle in those conditions.

Yes results have been poor. Yes mistakes were made. Clarke will be the first to admit that. But he has been left exposed by those above him. Hung out to dry while the board stay silent and untouched.

We have now watched manager after manager fail under the same ownership. Different personalities. Different ideas. Same outcome. At some point the pattern becomes impossible to ignore.

I have no confidence that the next appointment will change anything. Not because Darrell Clarke was perfect but because the environment is broken. You cannot build success on instability and silence.

What hurts most is that Clarke will walk away carrying the blame while those truly responsible remain hidden. No apology. No explanation. No accountability.

Darrell Clarke should be remembered for what he gave us. For the pride. For the fight. For reminding us what Bristol Rovers can be when it is run with heart and purpose.

He deserved honesty. He deserved support. He deserved better.

And so did we.