Huddersfield Town rubbed salt in Bristol Rovers’ wound with £1.2m deal: View | OneFootball

It was a day to forget for Bristol Rovers against Huddersfield Town and a bittersweet memory for Gas Icon Marcus Stewart

It was a day most Gasheads might wish to forget after the Green and Black army would march up Wembley Way in anticipation of History. Concluding a long and arduous season, Bristol Rovers would meet Huddersfield Town in the 1995 Division Two play-off final.

The match, held on the 29th May 1995, saw the Terriers take an early lead through a goal by Andy Booth as the game entered first-half injury time, sparking their own hope of making history. However, the Gas would equalise just 68 seconds later to ensure the sides went in at halftime level. It wouldn’t be Bristol Rovers’ day, however, as Huddersfield found a second late in the game to make sure it was the Terriers who went home happy with the result at 2-1.

The Rovers' equaliser that day came from a fan favourite everywhere he went. Gas Icon Marcus Stewart popped up with a close-range volley as he was falling to the ground to offer the Pirates a way back into the match.

Bittersweet feelings for Marcus Stewart

Stewart has previously spoken of the bittersweet feelings he had that day. Speaking to the EFL, he said: “To score at Wembley is one of the best feelings you can have. Bittersweet. Scoring at Wembley for the first time, brilliant - Losing a play-off final for the first time. I didn’t like the feeling.”

“You get to a play-off final, I think it was a week we have a break, you’re looking forward to getting suits sorted out, you’re looking forward to getting tickets, your family and friends are calling you and those sort of things go on. And you’ve got to train as well, it’s hard to take your mind off the game itself, although you know on the training ground is your sanctuary at times 'cause otherwise around the training routine we think about Wembley constantly so training was, I remember, training being almost a sanctuary for myself.

"They deserved to be a goal ahead if I'm honest with you leading up to halftime, so for us to get a goal just before halftime must have been a dagger in the heart for those guys because they played really well. We got a goal against the run of play went in at halftime one each and we didn’t really deserve it I don’t think. ”

On his goal, Stewart recalled: “To score at Wembley. I've played there a couple of times before but never scored there so to score at Wembley where England played, where England won the World Cup, very patriotic. Is one of the best feelings you could have.”

Terriers by name, Terriers by nature

The following season, by name - by nature, the Terriers would rub salt into the wounds of Gasheads as they would tempt away their favourite and Stewart would follow Huddersfield into Division One. It may have been softened somewhat by the £1.2 million price tag and Gasheads never held a grudge against the player still regarded so highly.

The former Gas, Ipswich Town and Sunderland player shared the unfortunate news of his diagnosis of the condition Motor Neurone Disease in September 2022 and has since joined supporters and peers on multiple events to raise awareness of the condition.

Stewart had a great playing career and made memories that will last a lifetime for many. He currently serves as Yeovil Town's director of development. With Bristol Rovers meeting Huddersfield this weekend for the first time in more than a decade, it is certain to reignite some good and bad memories of that day, almost 30 years ago.