Thank You, Will

In recent times Bristol Rovers fans have been blessed with a raft of talented strikers taking to the Memoral Stadium field.

Barry Hayles, Jason Roberts and Nathan Ellington to name three from many moons ago but my time watching the Gas is far more recent. Junior Agogo was the first 'big name' that I remember, though I saw very few games that he played and highlights on ITV were where I knew him and his goals from.

Richard Walker, spot kick extraordinaire, was the next forward who found fame with Rovers. His 22 goal season in 2006/07 took the club to both the Millennium Stadium and Wembley and two exquisite strikes against Shrewsbury at the latter became the pinnacle of his playing and my supporting career with Bristol Rovers. Walkers ability to hit the back of the net was almost divine in League 2 but unfortunately his sloth-like lack of pace was found wanting at the step above as a higher calibre of defenders managed to slip the Brummie forward into their back pockets. With Walker's failure to grasp League 1 by the horns came the need for somebody new to take his heroes mantle, and up stepped Rickie Lambert.

As with Agogo I never got see Walker at his best, but thanks to a house move I was able to start becoming a regular at the Mem in our first season back in League 1 so Lambert was the first super striker I was able to take a look at week in, week out, and it certainly wasn't a bad place to start. It may have taken Lambert until November to score a goal at home but prior to that goal against Millwall we saw a sumptuous 45 yard volley at Luton, that goal eventually only being beaten by a Jermaine Beckford's weaving run and curling strike in the goal of the season stakes. Lambert also scored the goal that put Rovers through to the FA Cup quarter finals with a deflected free kick as the Gas survived their first season back in the third tier. The Liverpudlian eventually finished the 2007/08 season with 19 goals, far and away the clubs leading scorer, but next season was when Lambert would really become one of the divisions hottest properties.

Rovers made their mark in their second home game against Hereford, Lambert scoring twice in a 6-1 victory in front of over 6,500 fans on a sunny North Bristol afternoon. The striker went on to score 15 goals in Rovers first fourteen league games, including a four in a single game against Southend, and looked set to beat Geoff Bradford's seasonal scoring record of 33. Even though he went on to put two past Cheltenham, one coming after an elegant turn in the box, and put a hat-trick past Hereford Lambert never made that total and neither was he alone in becoming the leagues top scorer, finishing level on 29 with Simon Cox of local rivals Swindon.

That was to be his last full season for Rovers as one game and one goal into the next he made his seven-figure move to Southampton where he once again dominated the scoring charts, finishing with a staggering 37 goals including the opener in his second Johnstone's Paint Trophy final, winning the cup against Carlisle.

Lambert's deft touch and footballing brain defied the image of a powerful striker with a right foot like a traction engine. His technical ability made him much more than the simple target man that his appearance showed and his movement and goal-poaching skills made him one of the lower league's most feared frontmen. With an extra yard of pace there is no doubt in my mind that Lambert would have spent the majority of his playing career plying his trade in the Premier League.

Rovers went a season without a first class striker to score their goals, though Jo Kuffour, Chris Lines and Jeff Hughes all made it into double figures for the year. But in June 2010 Rovers gave a chance to another striker who would take it with everything he had, Will Hoskins.

Three unsuccessful years at Watford had found the striker's fame falling from an excellent career start at Rotherham but he soon found his scoring boots again, netting his first goal against Exeter and going on to score numerous winners, many of them superlative strikes, his twisting journey on the way way to the edge of Huddersfield's box before bending an effort around Alex Smithies outstretched arms was a particular highlight. Not only could he perform miracles but he could also show us the beautifully simple finishes such as the close range dink over Swindon's goalkeeper in the 3-1 win at the Mem.

Two ankle injuries in November and April meant that Hoskins had to miss parts of the season and a fairly barren second half to the term from Rovers only true attacking threat compounded the Pirates relegation back to League 2, but there was no doubt that Hoskins was yet another excellent striking talent that graced Rovers with his presence.

Hoskins has now moved on to pastures new, joining Brighton for their assault on the Championship, but Rovers fans still have the memories of a forward who put his heart on his sleeve for the cause who, with a more stable club around him, could have had many more goals to his name. Hoskins was a different type of striker to Lambert, for all the power his predecessor had in his locker Will had raw skill and a flair about him, he could turn a defender inside out, strike from distance, finish from close in or send over a delicious cross for his comrades.

The two goals he scored against the team he would go on to join typified the varying degrees of his footballing abilities, his first was a dipping drive that found the underside of the crossbar before recoiling over the line while his second saw him bamboozle two defenders with a flurry of stepovers before slotting the ball past the Brighton 'keeper, surely one of the finest consolations the league would see this season.

Even though Hoskins was far and away the most talented player in the side he was also a team player and grew close to the fans, interacting with them not only on a matchday but also during his own time via Twitter. He will be missed but there will not be a single Gashead who wouldn't thank him for his brightening displays in an otherwise torrid season.

So it's with a sigh of depression that I have to say my own thank you, Will, for your goals, your tricks, flicks and spins and the way you held up the pride in our side where others failed. The Memorial Stadium will be different without your aura engulfing it's four corners.

But with the exit of one footballing demigod comes the chance for someone else to step into the breach and thrust themselves forth into Bristol Rovers folklore and, whoever it may be, I look forward to telling rambling anecdotes of their glories to all and sundry.