Joey Barton has warned his Bristol Rovers players they will encounter a "dangerous animal" when they face rock-bottom Forest Green Rovers at The New Lawn on Saturday, and the Gas could be without captain Paul Coutts again.
Duncan Ferguson's side have been cut adrift at the bottom of League One, 11 points from safety with 11 games to play, but Barton believes the desperation from the Nailsworth outfit will make for a very awkward challenge for the Gas, who are 15th after taking four points from their past two games.
Barton knows all too well from his time in charge of the Gas during the 2020/21 season that ended at the bottom of the table that teams in that position are capable of mustering big performances to upset the form book – albeit in the Pirates' case they were mere flashes in the pan – and the manager insists his team will be prepared accordingly.
