It has received strong support from the fanbase following relegationSport

Daniel Hargraves Bristol Rovers reporter

12:06, 02 May 2025

Hussain Al Saeed arrived at Bristol Rovers in August 2023(Image: Bristol Rovers FC)

An open letter written to Bristol Rovers owner and chairman Hussain Al Saeed asking for communication following the club’s relegation to League Two has exceeded 1,750 signatures.

A Rovers fan, known as ‘Vital Gas’ on the social media platform X, posted the letter on April 28 and has since received significant support from Gasheads with supporters asking the hierarchy to come forward publicly and take accountability for mistakes that have ultimately led to the club’s relegation.

The Gas have lingered in the bottom end of the League One table for the vast majority of the season but a dismal run of just one point in nine games saw Rovers plummet into the relegation zone. Their place in League Two was officially sealed on Tuesday night after Burton Albion picked up the point they required to confirm safety, although the Brewers’ victory over Cambridge United three days prior had seen them all but safe.

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Mr. Al Saeed last spoke publicly to local media in February when interviewed by the BBC where he shared he was “confident” in the club’s plans to redevelop the Memorial Stadium. His last known interview was with the iPaper’s Daniel Storey in March as part of their ‘Doing the 92’ series.

The letter starts with ‘Vital Gas’ stating that they are “writing to you [Mr. Al Saeed] today not in anger, but with a deep sense of sadness and concern for the future of Bristol Rovers Football Club” before addressing recent rumours and allegations directed at Hussain Al Saeed’s son Abdullatif Al Saeed, who is executive vice-president at Rovers and oversees more of the day-to-day affairs behind the scenes. His last public interview was with the GasCast podcast in December.

Matt Taylor, who was sacked by the Gas in December, has since been interviewed, admitting that he “never once felt in control” and that the club was “very complicated” behind the scenes. Taylor’s predecessor, Joey Barton, has also suggested that there was interference from above with football matters during his brief period working with the Al Saeeds before being dismissed in October 2023.

Additionally, former Rovers captain Sam Finley, who was released by the Pirates last summer upon the expiry of his contract, responded to an article written by Bristol Live this week, suggesting that “the clubs a mess” and that conversations with the executive vice-president were “a waste of time” having had “a few myself”.

The Gas will conclude the 2024/25 season tomorrow (Saturday) away at Blackpool before heading into yet another massive summer for the football club with confidence, at this moment in time, scarce that Rovers will be in a strong position to return to League One immediately.

Supporters are seeking clarity and communication with no official statement yet published at the time of writing following relegation.

The full letter reads as follows and can be found here.

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“Dear Hussain Alsaeed,

“I am writing to you today not in anger, but with a deep sense of sadness and concern for the future of Bristol Rovers Football Club — a club that so many of us have supported through thick and thin, and one that now finds itself relegated to League Two.

“This relegation is not just a failure on the pitch. It is the result of months of chaos, instability, and, increasingly, reports of behind-the-scenes interference — particularly involving your son in player signings and even team selection. Multiple former managers have hinted publicly at this involvement, leaving supporters to piece together the troubling picture we now see clearly.

“The fans are hurting. We are devastated by what has happened to our club, and we are desperate for answers. Silence and distance are not acceptable anymore. We plead with you — speak to the supporters. Explain what has gone wrong. Be honest about the mistakes that have been made and the lessons that must now be learned.

“More importantly, we ask you: what are you going to do to ensure that the same mistakes are not repeated next season? What safeguards will be put in place to make sure that footballing decisions are left to experienced professionals and not influenced by personal connections? How can we trust that the leadership of Bristol Rovers understands the damage that has already been done — and is willing to change?

“This club belongs to its fans as much as anyone else. It is woven into the lives of generations of people who love it fiercely and deserve much better than the secrecy, mismanagement, and decline we have witnessed.

“Please — talk to us. Address us. Show us that you recognize the seriousness of this moment and that you respect the people who have stood by this club long before your involvement, and who will stand by it long after.

“The future of Bristol Rovers depends on honesty, accountability, and change. We are waiting — and we will not simply be ignored.”

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