After a superb captain's performance, Joey Barton believes Paul Coutts' influence at Bristol Rovers on and off the pitch is priceless.
The skipper was outstanding in the heart of midfield as the Gas defeated promotion rivals Port Vale 3-1 on Easter Monday to close to within two points of the top three. Two in-form sides played out a thrilling and chaotic contest at Vale Park, but Coutts' composure was invaluable in steering Rovers to victory.
He produced a brilliant assist to haul Rovers onto level terms after a nightmare start and marshalled his teammates through difficult phases in the game. Gas manager Barton knows he is lucky to have a skipper like Coutts leading his team as the race for promotion goes down to the wire.
