Stuart's Sorry, Saddening Saga

'Legend' is a word that is banded about far too often in modern day sports, with an alarming disregard for definition. It is a status that should be earned through years of graft, labour and the highest level of consistency; not just on the pitch, track or court, but with professionalism away from the arena of choice.

In the past decade no Bristol Rovers player has risen through the ranks - from fans favourite, to hero and the final step up to 'legendary status' - like Stuart Campbell, a former captain and manager who has been held in the highest regard by all those connected to the club. One slip, however, has taken the shine off a glittering relationship with fans, who had held him up as a champion of all that is good about Bristol Rovers.

It's been a week since our 3-0 defeat to Port Vale and the start of this ever-unfolding saga, in the public eye at least.

I've spent the last four seasons watching Campbell put his heart and soul into Bristol Rovers, both on and off the pitch, and to look over the current situation brings a tinge of sadness. 'Cams' has been a great servant over the past seven seasons, his exemplary record, through the good and the bad, speaks for itself. When I look with my heart, I don't want to see him leave, but with my head, perhaps it is time to move on.

Stood outside the clubhouse bar at the Mem last Tuesday night I checked my Twitter feed, the best source for finding the team news straight away. BBC Bristol told us that Campbell was missing through illness, though in truth I wasn't disappointed to see him missing out.

The linchpin of our midfield for so many seasons, Stuart has been a great servant, but last year you could see he was beginning to age, in footballing terms at least. JP Kalala came into the side under Dave Penney and did Campbell's job to a better degree than we had seen all year. This season, nevertheless, I still wanted to see Stuart as part of the squad, though not as a regular starter.

From what we have seen so far the midfield has struggled as a whole, Campbell has been putting his usual 100% into his game, but for me he has been chasing shadows too often, once his run in the team began.

Watching 'Cams' leadership and drive, his welcoming nature off the pitch, you instantly get the idea that he is perfect for coaching. He is fully qualified in that respect and made it common knowledge that he believed it was where his future lay, yet he still wants to continue playing. I respect that, but then again you get the impression that he hasn't accepted that his days as a regular starter in the Football have almost passed.

Being honest, most of us on the terraces can see it, but more importantly Paul Buckle sees it. The deal that Nick Higgs has claimed Campbell and his advisor have requested is, quite frankly, ludicrous. An extra year? Perhaps, if he shows what he can do this season. But to throw in the possibility of a further year beyond, and on increased wages to boot, does not make any sense for Bristol Rovers.

If Campbell has, as we are told, rejected the player/coach role, his possible career chances have been threatened by himself. We are lead to believe that getting a job in coaching professional football is an arduous task, Campbell looks as though he has shut a door that was wide open to him.

The comments that have come out in the press are totally out of character for a man who has acted with such dignity throughout his career. The sequence of events, the ultimatum from his advisor, only succeeded in riling Paul Buckle, a man whose ego knows no bounds. While player power has significantly increased over the past two decades, Buckle doesn't come across as a man to play the stubborn game with.

Nick Higgs and the board have invested significantly in both the new manager and his squad, leaving them with no option but to stick to their guns and back the manager on this one. The last line of Higgs' statement on the official Rovers site - 'I am personally disappointed that my previously good relationship with Stuart has disintegrated to a level where these issues have been played out in the press.' - is ominous for Campbell's future at the Memorial Stadium.

What is clear to me is that Stuart Campbell lives and breathes football, and that may have been his undoing. The desire to continue playing, into and past his mid-thirties, while admirable, is not realistic, not while he is at Bristol Rovers at least. I want to see Campbell as a coach at Rovers, he knows the club inside out and his passion for the game, coupled with his reams of experience, give him the tools required to coach at our club.

A little bit of inward reflection, a few harsh words to his advisor and a couple of heartfelt apologies are required for Stuart to get a second chance with us; if anyone deserves one it's him, he hasn't required it in over seven years of faithful service.

The fans showed on Saturday what he means to them and this club, and I'm sure he feels the same way about us.

Whether you stay or go, Stuart, I wish you the best of luck. But please, don't let it end like this.