Bristol Rovers: Graham Coughlan's Christmas threat was a masterstroke but trouble was brewing | OneFootball

Graham Coughlan's brilliant techniques had Bristol Rovers firing but trouble was brewing as Mansfield Town arrived for their boss.

Bristol Rovers have long had the ambition of returning to the Championship.

Having not played there since 1993, they will be desperate to return there in the coming years, but with League One becoming evermore difficult, it will prove no easy task.

Looking back, one standout year in recent seasons where they seemed poised to challenge was 2019-20. With Graham Coughlan at the helm, the Gas were firing on all cylinders and his unique methods over Christmas seemed to be producing results.

Unfortunately, this hope was cut short as an approach from a club in the division below arrived and, shockingly, he opted to leave the Memorial Stadium with Bristol Rovers in fourth-place.

Graham Coughlan's Christmas gamble paid off

Originally joining Rovers as defensive coach for long-serving manager Darrell Clarke, his early months at the club saw him perform duties predominantly on the training ground.

However, this was quickly stepped up as Rovers sacked Clarke following a spell of bad results which saw them sitting in 21st place. Appointed as interim head coach, just a month later he was offered the full-time job, and he achieved his main target as the Gas stayed up, finishing in 15th place.

The season after, Coughlan continued to improve Rovers and, as a crucial game against Southend United arrived in December, the Gas had propelled themselves to fifth place in the league.

The Shrimpers, who were sitting in 22nd place in League One with just six points, had picked up just one win all season, and it seemed like a simple victory for Coughlan's men.

The players seemingly went in with a similar attitude, and they were punished in the first half. Goals from Tom Hopper and Brandon Goodship had Southend 2-0 up and the Rovers head coach was clearly seething going into the break.

What happened next has become infamous among Rovers fans. At half-time, a furious Coughlan reportedly delivered a fiery team talk, including the declaration that “their Christmas party was cancelled,” among other stern words.

It ignited the players, who came out in the second half with renewed determination and just 10 minutes after the restart, they clawed back two goals to level the match. Ed Upson then completed the turnaround with a brilliant volley from 25 yards before Alfie Kilgour secured the win with a flick on into the far corner.

Ipswich Town win was marred by Mansfield talks

Buoyed by their previous week's fightback at the Memorial Stadium, Coughlan would take his side to Ipswich Town looking to pick up another crucial three points. The Gas would race into a two-goal lead and although James Norwood pulled one back, Rovers held on to record an impressive victory.

While the away end was jubilant, singing about promotion after the team moved within two points of the automatic spots, the post-match atmosphere took a dramatic turn. In the press conference, Coughlan admitted that he would have to consider his future after an unnamed club approached him and that he needed to speak to his family in order to make a clear decision.

Unfortunately for Gas supporters, Monday morning brought unwelcome news as Rovers reluctantly granted Mansfield Town permission to speak to their manager. For Coughlan, the decision was straightforward; the opportunity to be closer to his family proved too compelling to pass up. By Tuesday, the deal was confirmed, and the then 45-year-old departed after an impactful year in charge.

Rovers never fully recovered that season, and following the early curtailment due to COVID-19, they finished the campaign in a disappointing 14th place based on points per game.

It was a similar story for their former boss, who has struggled since, as he was sacked from his subsequent jobs at Mansfield Town and Newport County.

Now 50, he has recently taken over at National League side Boston United, where he will be looking to keep the Pilgrims alive in the fifth tier.

With a trip to Mansfield this weekend, Rovers supporters may well reflect on a frustrating period under Coughlan, which had offered them hope but failed to deliver.