Although the significance of his role this season isn’t lost on him, Paul Coutts still plays it down. As Joey Barton’s first signing last May, the arrival of the experienced midfielder he had previously worked with at Fleetwood Town sent a clear message as to what he felt was missing from the dressing room.
Coutts is a fine continuity midfielder, keeping possession ticking over while also countering the opposition with aggression and defensive smarts, but among his strongest attributes are his leadership, character and the way he can bring a squad together with a sense of conformity.
Barton’s fury about “fake footballers” and snus use two months previously had made for strong soundbites but they ultimately broadcast an underlying issue at Bristol Rovers - too little was being expected of players in how they needed to conduct themselves.
It had become too comfortable, too lackadaisical and lacking in direction. There’s only so much a manager can do to infiltrate the hive mind of a dressing room, but perhaps the best tactic is getting the senior players on side and on message.
Alex Rodman and Anssi Jaakkola were retained from the doomed 2020/21 group but they needed topping up and reinforcing and in stepped Coutts and Glenn Whelan to supplement the predominantly youthful new arrivals in north Bristol.
Coutts can be Barton’s eyes and ears in the dressing room but also ensure the manager’s requirements are being transmitted in every way possible, not just on the training ground and on a matchday.
Completely remodelling the culture of a football club could be seen as a daunting task, especially from the position he was starting from. But he also came into Rovers with a fresh pair of eyes, with no sense of bearing any baggage of previous campaigns.
“Team spirit” and “attitude” were buzz words that dominated discourse in terms of what set this group of players aside. It’s cliché but clichés exist for a reason and it's absolutely vital for a successful team to function. And a huge element of achieving that is down to Coutts. You only have to see how other players conduct themselves around him to see that. There is clear reverence mixed with affection.
“It’s not an individual thing, it’s a collective; try and lead by the example set by the manager,” Coutts said outside the dressing room in the wake of Bristol Rovers' 7-0 win over Scunthorpe United. “Clearly his standards were far too high for some of the players who weren’t here last season, they couldn’t live up to them, and it ultimately ended in relegation.
“The gaffer has stayed true to himself, he’s not compromised his standards, and they are top of the top, elite-level standards. If you want to be successful, you can’t cut any corners and I think you’ve seen that (against Scunthorpe): 46th game of the season, they’re all flagging and our boys are still going strong.
“It’s a young group, a group that has grown over the season; the loan players have been superb. The young players have been superb. Luca Hoole has come in and it’s been incredible for the club. Young Jonesey (Ryan Jones) and Jed Ward have trained with us all season, they may not feature but they have bright futures.”
Coutts has been Barton’s lieutenant on and off the field and it’s no surprise the team’s trajectory has mirrored his own; a devastating bout of Covid in the first few weeks of pre-season drained him of energy, left him bed-ridden and when he returned to the club, such was the concern around its impact, his heart rate was monitored fastidiously to ensure he never exceeded 75 per cent of his maximum rate. A 20-minute run at the Quarters soon revealed how difficult that is to do as a professional football: in short, it’s impossible.
The Scot had to effectively completely rebuild his fitness virtually from scratch. The trouble was, as captain and marquee signing there was a season to play and he was instantly playing catch-up, as evidenced by how off the pace he looked at Mansfield, earning a red card as he strived to keep up.
Gradually, though, as his power and aerobic fitness returned, Coutts was increasingly able to dictate games, driving the team forward and imposing his personality on proceedings for 90 minutes, others then following suit, seeing the sort of shift their captain was putting in.
Unfortunately for Rovers and Coutts, the Scot’s ill-discipline at Rochdale cost him a place in the matchday squad last Saturday against Scunthorpe United as his red card for violent conduct for an off-the-ball incident led to a straight red card and instant four match ban. An appeal was unsuccessful and Coutts will now miss the next three games of the forthcoming League One season.
His presence was very much needed at the Mem, however, with Barton ensuring everyone was involved on the matchday, irrespective of whether they were in the 18.
Having trained as normal in the week, to continue that sense of continuity of keeping it a “normal week”, Coutts took part in the warm-up alongside his replacement in the starting XI, Glenn Whelan, and was seen delivering a few pep talks to various individuals prior to kick-off.
The drills he went through with Whelan were very much a role reversal and a way of not just assisting his colleague in his preparation but a way of repaying him. ‘Whelo’ has been an invaluable asset for Coutts in his role as captain, a sounding block for advice
“Whelo has been out there, he supports me in my position, he helps me; we do some longer range passing, some shorter passing,” Coutts added. “He does that for me, so it was only the right thing for me to do for Whelo.
“He’s been unbelievable. I know the gaffer has given me a lot, in terms of leadership etc, but I lean on Whelo loads. His guidance for me has been incredible.
“He’s a fantastic leader, a fantastic professional and he showed against Scunthorpe, he’s a fantastic player. You don’t play that many games in the Premier League and on the international scene unless you’re top, top level.”
Never one for hyperbole, Coutts described having to watch proceedings from the bench as “not great”, checking on scores elsewhere and gauging the reaction of the crowd and being unable to impose his will on each in-game situation.
That being said, he insists he retained his confidence they’d get the job done and the final score and confirmation of Northampton’s result also brought a sense of relief as he didn’t have to test his bad omen status in the play-offs.
Three times he’s reached the post-season knockouts, with Derby County, Sheffield United and Fleetwood, only to be unsuccessful on each occasion; all four of his promotions coming via the more straightforward method.
“I’m not a big fan of the play-offs - I’ve been in them three times and never got past the semi-final,” he said. “This is my fourth automatic, so I much prefer automatics.”
“It’s the first time I’ve been in the top three on the last day of the season with a 7-0 win, so…” he adds, deadpan, in terms of comparing it with previous promotions.
“It’s a bit special, but it’s a special group. I was confident we’d get it done, I didn’t think it’d be as tight as it came down to - amazing, but what a great time to be part of a fantastic club and we need to push on next year (in League One).
“My and the gaffer came close with Fleetwood; we felt we would have if Covid hadn't struck and he knows what he’s doing in that division. It’ll probably be a little bit easier tactically, because games aren’t as random but we look forward to it.”
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