Football Pulis: Recruitment so important to a Rovers revival

TONY Pulis believes Bristol Rovers should focus their attention on smart recruitment and a policy of developing young players to arrest their slide down the English Football League (EFL).

- Will MURRAY

The 67-year-old managed a number of clubs during his career, including two particularly successful spells at Stoke City.

In his second stint as manager of the Potters, he guided the club to the Premier League and also reached the FA Cup final in 2011 - eventually losing to Manchester City at Wembley Stadium.

As a player, Pulis made 100 appearances for Bristol Rovers during two spells at the club in the 1970s and 1980s. He was one of many players who came through the academy ranks in that era, including Ian Holloway, Gary Mabbutt, Keith Curle, and Geraint Williams, to name a few.

Pulis, pictured, believes that the development system was key to the club's success during this time and believes, more than ever, it is a key part of running a sustainable club when competing against teams with bigger budgets.

In an interview for the Bristol Post courtesy of Netbet betting odds for sports events, Pulis said: “Rovers - it'd be lovely for someone who understood football to go in with someone who financially had a few bob and was ready to invest in the right way,” he said about the situation in BS7.