Naked ambition inspires Bristol Rovers

A place where the manager takes the pre-match warm up instead of indulging wellheeled sponsors in idle chat. A place where the players' car park is a collection of Golfs, Puntos and Clios. And a place where the team predictably wash their own training kit. Naked ambition instead of naked greed. All is good with the game again.

Upsetting the odds: Bristol Rovers striker Rickie Lambert celebrates his deflected winner

So what of Rovers' reward for the moment when Rickie Lambert's free kick was diverted with the aid of a deflection beyond the reach of Southampton keeper Kelvin Davis six minutes from time?

A night out in Bristol's upscale bars and a weekend spent dreaming of a mouthwatering FA Cup quarter-final tie against Manchester United, Chelsea — or Barnsley. Bring it on for brave Bristol Rovers.

FA chief executive Brian Barwick, a Liverpool supporter no less, has been caught up in Bristol Rovers' intoxicating FA Cup run and he was at the Memorial Ground to watch the Pirates' glorious rebirth — an inspired decision from a genuine football man.

Barwick braved the rickety stands at Havant & Waterlooville to watch the boys from the Blue Square South beat Swansea in a third round replay and respect is due for reaching out to the west country. Respect, too, for Bristol Rovers' upwardly mobile, young manager Paul Trollope.

Guided by the experienced head of Lennie Lawrence, Trollope has the ambition to match his studious approach. He took the pre-match warm up (unheard of in the Barclays Premier League), fetched a match ball from one of the stands (people are paid to do that in the Premier League) and swigged sports drinks on the touchline from a bottle without the hint of a sponsor's logo (cue a call from Lucozade this morning).

Trollope, who played in the Premier League with Derby County and Fulham, said: 'We don't have a huge number of staff and unfortunately I'm not very good at delegating. It is something I need to improve on.

"At this level, you have extra work with extra responsibilities and one of them is fitness coach. I know what the players like, I know how it works and I make sure they do it right.

"I am young and enthusiastic, but that will probably wear off over the years."

Trollope's enthusiasm is infectious and his players responded by delivering another wonderful result. History suggests that the quarter final will be their last stop this season —they were beaten at this stage 50 years ago — but Trollope has top-flight pretensions of his own.

"We think we can be a Championship club and with a new ground around the corner and the fan base we have, we are making progress.

"Whatever profession you are in, you need a burning desire to go as high as you can. That is no different for me in management."

Seeing off Southampton is notable scalp, but the Championship strugglers were shocking.

Big shots such as Jhon Viafara, Marek Saganowski and Inigo Idiakez believed they could breeze through this tie and take their place in the quarter-final. Instead, they were blown away.