Joey Barton believes "short-term pain" will be worth it for Bristol Rovers, with the manager optimistic about his team's prospects despite a difficult start to the season.
Rovers are 21st in League One with eight points from the opening 10 games, with the start of the season marred by a series of injuries in defence. Those are unfortunate circumstances, but pressure – externally rather than from above – is increasing on Barton and Rovers to start moving up the table at this early stage of the campaign with a trip to Exeter City on Saturday next on the slate.
The Gas are winless in their past seven games, but with defenders Lewis Gibson, James Gibbons and James Connolly plus utility man Josh Grant closing in on returns to fitness, the manager believes he has the makings of a team that will go from strength to strength. And that is not just with this season in mind, with Barton indicating the loan recruitment strategy was influenced by players' attainability next summer on permanent deals.
