In late August, prior to Bristol Rovers’ EFL Trophy game against Cheltenham Town, Wael Al-Qadi was enjoying a pre-match coffee on Gloucester Road when he was approached by a fan. The supporter was moved to thank the Gas owner for his generosity during the pandemic in keeping the club afloat and delivered full confidence in his stewardship of the club, but his warm words came with a catch.
Pointing to a group of fans down the road he was drinking with, he made the point that a number disagreed with him, but he alone could see and recognise what the Jordanian had done and was trying to do in north Bristol.
That exchange very much reflected the discourse throughout 2021, whereby the fanbase was divided not just on the identity of the manager in the dugout but also, by extension, the way the club was being run. And that particular debate was far from binary, carrying a healthy amount of nuance.
