Thou shalt not fall in love with a loan player; it's a rule all lower league fans try to abide by, but it can be very difficult at times. Every so often a player on a temporary stay creates a bond and excites the fanbase to such an extent, the reality that he will be leaving at the end of the season is just too tough to bear.
For Bristol Rovers it happened last season with Luke McCormick's stay from Chelsea. The midfielder one of the only shining lights in an increasingly bleak season and with the additional punch to the gut that had the Gas managed to stay in League One, he'd almost have certainly signed on a permanent deal.
Prior to that, Dennis Bailey's spell from Crystal Palace in 1989 still reduces certain generations to a mild quiver while in recent times Rory Gaffney and Mikkel Andersen can be credibly considered as part of this conversation.
