Harry Anderson should be in contention to make his first Bristol Rovers appearance since the end of October after travelling and training with the first-team squad before the League One draw at Bolton Wanderers.
Versatile winger Anderson has been out with a foot injury since the 1-1 draw at Sheffield Wednesday six weeks ago, and although he’s been in and out of the starting XI remains a key player for Joey Barton, not just because he can cover multiple positions, but his role as a true team player and being able to execute a game plan.
Barton was particularly irked by Rovers’ application in the final 10 minutes at the University of Bolton Stadium on Friday night, signalling out midfielder Luke McCormick for criticism, and while Anderson may not start against Port Vale at the Mem this Saturday, will still be an important player to have off the bench to either change the game or close a match out.
“He trained this morning so we wanted him with the group,” Barton said. “Harry is such a good team man, a team personality that we wanted around the group with his positivity. He comes into contention now for Port Vale.”
The Rovers’ manager’s frustration with McCormick stemmed from confusion over whether he passed on necessary instructions to his teammates in the closing stages of the match after coming on as an 89th minute substitute.
Barton didn’t reveal what those instructions were but claims the other players on the field weren’t made aware of the tactical tweaks he wanted to make, and subsequently Rovers’ conceded a minute later to draw the game 1-1.
It is all part of the learning curve this young group must go through, and the fact the Gas were rueing the fact they didn’t win at a side and club the calibre of Bolton, speaks of their development. But Barton emphasised those final minutes as evidence of the requisite development needed from certain individuals.
“We’re disappointed we haven’t won but if we want to get out of this division, they’re wins that you’ve got to hang onto and get the job done,” Barton added. “That’s where the January window is going to come and play a big part for us because we need to have no dip in quality when people come onto the pitch.
“And I think we lost a bit of a platform when we put Macca on in the last part; he’s gone on with instructions and hasn’t given them out. That frustrates me.
“He’s saying he did say it, others saying he didn’t. He got a little bit confused. And part of this young group’s learning is, in the inferno, you’ve got to follow instructions.”
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