Joey Barton banned his players from their annual trip to Cheltenham this year with the 2-0 defeat to Wycombe Wanderers essentially sealing their fate and any squad or staff members caught celebrating in that corner of Gloucestershire over the next three days face a heavy fine.
Barton has set his team a points target for a 10-game block which would have coincided with the Wednesday of the festival, but they fell three points short and instead will spend their day off watching the racing in front of the television rather than trackside.
Last season’s pilgrimage up the M5 famously helped spark their stunning conclusion to the League Two campaign but, as Tuesday night emphasised against a Chairboys team knocking on the door of the top six, the Gas are still some way short in being considered a credible play-off challenger.
