Bristol Rovers chairman Nick Higgs and manager Darrell Clarke have apologised to fans in the wake of their relegation to the Conference.
Chairman Higgs told fans: “I think this is the saddest day in the history of the club. I am extremely sorry we have got into this situation, I can only apologise on behalf of everybody working with the club.
“This is not something we take lightly, we will do everything we can to address the situation. I am devastated and I feel for everyone associated with the club.
“I understand the anger and frustration going around at the moment, but we have to take stock and think about things carefully and make some decisions which are in the best interest of Bristol Rovers Football Club.
“Ultimately the Chairman and the Board take responsibility for whatever happens at the club. We make the appointments and we run the club, so it is only right we should take the flack when things go wrong."
Manager Clarke, who left the manager's job at Salisbury last summer to become John Ward's assistant before succeeding him in March, added:
“Words cannot describe how I feel, I am devastated and I apologise to the supporters. I take responsibility; I picked the team for the last eight games, and didn’t get the points required.
“I am not going to look for excuses, it is a 46 game season, and we have not done enough. We had a lot of chances today, but we did not take any of them."
The Pirates finished 23rd in League Two, a feat they achieved once before in 2001/2 - the season before the second promotion place was implemented in the Conference. They originally joined the Football League in 1920 during the expansion of Division Three, needing re-election to keep their place in 1939.
“Words cannot describe how I feel, I am devastated and I apologise to the supporters. I take responsibility; I picked the team for the last eight games, and didn’t get the points required.
“I am not going to look for excuses, it is a 46 game season, and we have not done enough. We had a lot of chances today, but we did not take any of them."
The Pirates finished 23rd in League Two, a feat they achieved once before in 2001/2 - the season before the second promotion place was implemented in the Conference. They originally joined the Football League in 1920 during the expansion of Division Three, needing re-election to keep their place in 1939.