Bristol Rovers

Bristol Rovers has spent their recent history battling it out in League One and League Two, with a brief spell out of the Football League.

After being founded in 1883, Rovers have won the Western League, the Southern League and Division Three titles.

The Gas has also won promotion from what is now League Two on three occasions and achieved one promotion from the National League.

The club currently compete in League One, which is the third tier of the English Football League. Stay updated with the latest Bristol Rovers news and more on The Real EFL - Football News, Predictions & News.

Bristol Rovers Updates

Bristol Rovers find themselves in a relegation battle in League One with only a couple of points between them and the drop zone.

The Gas have scored less than a goal a game so far this season but have conceded nearly 1.5 per match on average.

The club have an FA Cup third-round tie to look forward to away at Premier League newbies Ipswich Town in January. They secured their progression with victories over National League South high-flyers Weston Super Mare and League One rivals Barnsley.

Bristol Rovers Transfer News & Rumours

As the January transfer window approaches, the rumours of potential ins and outs at all clubs will soon escalate.

Fans of Bristol Rovers are unhappy with the attacking prowess of their side some rumours circulating suggest that is the area Matt Taylor will focus on in the window.

One player rumoured to be interesting the club’s management is Colchester United’s Samson Tovide. The 20-year-old has five goals and five assists from his 16 games so far this season but is under contract for another 18 months so would cost the club a potentially sizeable fee.

A potential departure could be the goal-scoring hero of last season, Chris Martin. The 36-year-old former Derby County striker scored 16 times last season but has failed to find the net in 11 outings so far this campaign.

Bristol Rovers Signings

Bristol Rovers has been active in the transfer market this summer, utilising the loan system as well as spending money on new arrivals.

Promise Omochere from Fleetwood Town is the headline capture with a fee of around half a million required for his services.

Player	Age	Nationality	Left	Fee	Contract Duration
Promise Omechere	23	Ireland	Fleetwood Town League Two	£500,000	3 Years
Isaac Hutchinson	24	England	Walsall League Two	£250,000	3 Years
Jamie Lindsay	29	Scotland	Rotherham United League One	Free Transfer	3 Years
Ruel Sotiriou	23	Cyprus	Leyton Orient League One	Free Transfer	3 Years
Clinton Mola	23	England Congo	Reading League One	Free Transfer	3 Years
Joel Senior	25	England	Morecambe League Two	Free Transfer	2 Years
Bryant Bilongo	23	England	Middlesbrough U21s Premier League 2	Free Transfer	2 Years
Micah Anthony	20	England	Queens Park Rangers U21s Premier League 2	Free Transfer	2 Years
Shaqai Forde	20	England Barbados	Watford U21 Premier League 2	Undisclosed	3 Years
Dan Ellison	19	England Ireland	Chippenham National League South	Undisclosed	2 Years
Lino Sousa	19	England Portugal	Aston Villa Premier League	Loan	1 Year
Josh Griffiths	23	England	West Bromwich Albion Championship	Loan	1 Year
Jake Garrett	21	England	Blackburn Rovers Championship	Loan	1 year
Gatlin O’Donkor	19	England Ghana	Oxford United Championship	Loan	1 Year
Michael Forbes	20	Northern Ireland	West Ham United Premier League 2	Loan	1 Year
Taylor Moore	27	England	Free Agent	Free Transfer	3 Years

Bristol City Key Matches

With the lack of a Bristol Derby or any local rivalries, Rovers’ closest matches are against sides such as Exeter City and Reading.

With their precarious league position, games against Wigan Athletic, Rotherham United and Cambridge United could be vital at the bottom end of the table.

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Bristol Rovers’ Key Achievements

Bristol Rovers have achieved several notable milestones in their history, reflecting both their resilience and their passionate fan base. Key achievements include winning the third-tier league title twice, in the 1952–53 and 1989–90 seasons. Their best-ever league position came during the 1950s when they reached 6th place in the second tier of English football. The club has also reached the FA Cup quarterfinals twice, with the first occasion in the 1950–51 season drawing a record crowd of 62,787 against Newcastle United. Additionally, their historic 4-0 victory over Manchester United in the 1956 FA Cup is regarded as one of their most impressive wins.

• Western League Champions 1899/1900
• Southern League Champions 1904/05
• Third Division South Champions 1952/53
• Third Division Champions 1989/90

Bristol Rovers’ Current Squad

The Bristol Rovers squad underwent something of an overhaul during the summer as manager Matt Taylor looked to build a squad capable of finishing higher than last season’s 15th place.

Bristol Rovers Attackers

Bristol Rovers have an attacking group that has a mix of youth and experience. Scott Sinclair and Chris Martin are in the ‘veteran’ stage of their careers while Gatlin O’Donkor and Shaqai Forde are two players at the other end of the spectrum.

Martin was on fire last season as he bagged 16 goals from 38 matches but has failed to score at this stage this term. Big money signing Promise Omochere has found the net twice and added three assists for his team so far.

Bristol Rovers Midfielders

One of last season’s star performers Luke Thomas has been joined in midfield by former Rotherham United man Jamie Lindsay and Isaac Hutchinson from Walsall. Thomas scored seven and provided another nine assists in the most productive season of his career to date.

Other members of the midfield include former Chelsea youngster Luke McCormick, on loan Blackburn Rovers man Luke Garrett and Sierra Leonne international Kamil Conteh.

Bristol Rovers Defenders

James Wilson and Jack Hunt provide experience to the defensive unit and the free signing of former Bristol City defender Taylor Moore has added some continental experience to the side after his spells in France.

Joel Senior has made the step up from League Two having joined from Morecambe while the club have utilised the loan market with additions such as Aston Villa’s Lino Sousa and Michael Forbes from West Ham United.

Bristol Rovers Goalkeepers

West Bromwich Albion loanee Josh Griffiths is the club’s number one this season and he has been one of the standout performers thus far. The 23-year-old has kept six clean sheets in 18 matches.

The England Under 21 International has had multiple loan spells already in his career, representing Cheltenham Town, Lincoln City and Portsmouth.

Griffiths’ backup is 21-year-old stopper Matt Hall who has been at the Memorial Stadium since the summer of 2023 but has only managed two appearances. Hall is a product of the Southampton Academy.

Bristol Rovers Manager & Coaching Staff

Matt Taylor was appointed Bristol Rovers boss in December 2023 having left Rotherham United the previous month.

Taylor is joined on the coaching staff by former Rotherham assistant Wayne Carlisle and Millers goalkeeping coach Scott Brown.

Former Forest Green Rovers manager David Horseman is a new addition to the Rovers backroom staff having joined the club in the summer.

Matt Taylor – Manager

Taylor’s playing career saw him represent a number of clubs in non-league and league football. Burscough, Hucknall Town and Team Bath were some of the clubs the centre-back represented before getting his break with Exeter City.

After over 150 appearances for the Grecians, he would turn out for Cheltenham Town and Charlton Athletic among others before retiring and taking the manager’s job at Exeter.

He took the club to a League Two playoff final before securing promotion to League One the following season. He was rewarded with the top job at the Championship side Rotherham. He lasted just 55 matches before departing, ending up at Bristol Rovers just weeks later.

Wayne Carlisle – Assistant Manager

Carlisle represented Bristol Rovers as a player in the early 2000s and went on to play for the likes of Exeter City and Torquay United before moving into coaching.

The 45-year-old Northern Irishman held roles under Taylor at both Exeter and Rotherham before following him to the Memorial Stadium.

David Horseman – 1st Team Coach

David Horseman was appointed to the Bristol Rovers staff in the summer of 2024 after leaving his previous role as head coach of Forest Green Rovers the previous December.

Before his spell at The New Lawn, the 40-year-old had spells working at Watford and Southampton, where he combined roles with the B team and first team.

Scott Brown – Goalkeeper Coach

Brown spent a large majority of his playing career representing Cheltenham Town but also turned out for clubs such as Aberdeen, Wycombe Wanderers and Rovers’ city rivals Bristol City.

The 39-year-old has followed manager Taylor to Rotherham and Bristol Rovers having started his coaching career at Exeter after his playing days came to an end.

Bristol Rovers’ Former Managers

Matt Taylor is the man currently in the Bristol Rovers hot seat having taken the reigns in December 2023, taking over from Joey Barton.

The club’s first-ever full-time manager, Alfred Homer, was in charge for over 600 games from 1899 to 1920 and led the side to the Southern League title.

Bert Tann has managed the most games in the club’s history, taking charge of the Gas on close to 900 occasions. Appointed in January 1950, Tann delivered the Division Three South title during his 18-year spell as boss.

Gerry Francis brought the club another Division Three title to the Memorial Stadium after taking charge in 1987. John Ward led the club in two different spells during the early 90s and from 2012 to 2014. Paul Trollope was in charge when the club secured promotion to League One in 2007 and Darrell Clarke delivered a return to the Football League in 2015 and followed that with promotion to League One in 2016.

• Ben Garner managed the club from December 2019 to November 2020, taking charge of 33 matches but winning only six of those.
• Paul Tisdale replaced Garner having had success with Exeter City but a rather short and unsuccessful stint with MK Dons. Tisdale lasted just 19 games and was replaced in February 2021.
• Joey Barton was the man chosen to replace Tisdale. Barton was unable to save Rovers from relegation but took the club back to League One at the first attempt.
• Matt Taylor came in after leaving Rotherham United and signed a deal that runs to the summer of 2027.

Bristol Rovers Legends

Rickie Lambert

Rickie Lambert went from non-league to international football in a fantastic career. Excellent spells at Stockport County and Rochdale led to Bristol Rovers spending around £250,000 for his services. Lambert’s 60 goals in just over 150 appearances secured hero status and a one-million-pound move to Southampton. The striker would go on to join giants Liverpool and represented England on 11 occasions.

Vitalis Astafjevs

Vitalis Astafjevs joined Rovers from the now-defunct Skonto Riga in 2000 with the three-time Latvian Footballer of the Year going on to appear 57 times for The Gas. He represented his country an incredible 167 times, scoring 16 goals.

Steve Yates

Steve Yates played close to 200 games for his hometown club Bristol Rovers after coming through the youth ranks at the club. His performances secured a move to Premier League Queens Park Rangers for around £750,000. He stayed with the R’s for six years before moving on to represent Tranmere Rovers, Sheffield United and Huddersfield Town before dropping into non-league.

Ian Alexander

Ian Alexander played close to 300 games for Bristol Rovers having joined the club in 1986 from Cypriot outfit Pezoporikos Larnaca. Alexander had represented Rotherham United and Motherwell before heading to Cyprus. He would remain at the Mem for eight years before dropping into non-league. He was part of the side that won the third-division championship in 1989-90.

Harold Jarman

Harold Jarman is a legendary figure who made close to 500 appearances for the club between 1959 and 1973. Jarman also played county cricket for Gloucestershire. He is the club’s third-highest scorer of all time and is a member of the club’s Hall of Fame.

Marcus Stewart

Marcus Stewart started his career at Bristol Rovers, scoring close to a goal every other game before heading to Huddersfield Town. The Premier League came calling with Ipswich Town before he played for the likes of Sunderland, Yeovil Town and even Rovers’ rivals Bristol City.

Ian Holloway

Ian Holloway started and ended his playing career at Bristol Rovers before managing the club. ‘Ollie’ made over 200 appearances for the Gas across his two spells and would play in the Premier League with Queens Park Rangers before managing in the topflight with Blackpool.

Bristol Rovers Team Metrics & Performance

The 2024/25 campaign has not, so far, been one with much to shout about for Gasheads as the club finds itself in 16th spot as the Christmas period approaches.

At present, they are closer to being dragged into a relegation fight than pushing for a top six finish. The Gas has lost more than they have won and currently has a negative goal difference.

Perhaps their most impressive victory of the season so far was the 1-0 victory away at playoff hopefuls Mansfield Town.

Watch Bristol Rovers’ Latest Highlights

Bristol Rovers Pitch & Amenities

Bristol Rovers have played at Memorial Stadium since 1996, having originally moved to the ground as tenants of Bristol Rugby.

The rugby club left the ‘Mem’ in 2013 leaving Bristol Rovers as sole users. Since being at the stadium, Rovers have overseen multiple improvements including adding roofs over the Clubhouse Terrace and Family Terrace, enhancing accessibility around the ground and building a new South Stand.

The capacity at the Memorial Stadium is 12,000 with a natural grass playing surface. The stadium can also be used to host conferences, banqueting, parties and events.

Bristol Rovers Fanbase & Support

Bristol Rovers Football Club, based in Bristol, England, has a passionate and loyal fan base known as Gasheads, a nickname that stems from the club’s history of playing near a gasworks in the early 20th century. Their supporters are known for their strong community spirit, travelling in numbers to away games, and fostering a sense of pride in the club’s traditions and identity.

The fan base primarily hails from Bristol and the surrounding areas, including South Gloucestershire and North Somerset.

Supporters are known for creating a vibrant and vocal atmosphere at the club’s home ground, the Memorial Stadium.

Bristol Rovers Supporters Club (BRSC):

The official supporters’ organization, established in 1947, is dedicated to promoting fan engagement and supporting the club financially. BRSC organizes travel to away games, runs fan events, and works closely with the club to represent fans’ interests.

Bristol Rovers’ Rivalries & Notable Matches

Bristol Rovers arch rivals are city neighbours Bristol City. The two sides have met well over 200 times and the dominant side has been City who have amassed more than 100 victories.

The largest winning margin is 5-0 and has been achieved three times but Bristol Rovers. The highest-scoring games have contained eight goals, one being a 4-4 and the other a 5-3 victory for City.

Bristol City hold the record for longest unbeaten run, a ten-game spell that lasted from 1975 to 1981.

The first encounter between Bristol Rovers and Bristol South End (later Bristol City) was a friendly match in 1894 with South End running out 2-1 victors.

The first competitive meeting came in the 1895/96 Gloucestershire Cup with Rovers this time being emphatic 4-0 winners.

The last 20 meetings have been dominated by Bristol City and Rovers have won just three of those matches. Their last victory came in 2007 in another Football League Trophy match with the Gasheads’ last league victory coming in the year 2000 at the Memorial Stadium.

Meetings between the rivals have been few and far between in recent years, with the last contest being a 2013 Johnstone Paint Trophy clash at Ashton Gate. The match finished 2-1 in favour of the hosts, Bristol City.

Bristol Rovers Facts

Bristol Rovers History

Bristol Rovers Football Club, nicknamed The Pirates due to Bristol’s maritime history, is a professional football team based in Bristol, England. The club was founded in 1883 as Black Arabs FC, later becoming Eastville Rovers and finally adopting the name Bristol Rovers in 1899. Here’s an overview of their history:

The club initially played their football in the local amateur leagues and joined the Bristol and District League in 1892. They became professional in 1897 and joined the Southern League in 1899. In 1920, Rovers were invited to join the newly formed Football League Third Division.

In the mid-20th century, Rovers experienced fluctuating success but achieved notable stability during the 1950s under manager Bert Tann. In the 1952-53 season, they won the Third Division South, earning promotion to the Second Division, where they stayed for much of the 1950s and early 1960s. The club’s highest-ever league finish was 6th in the Second Division in the 1955-56 season.

By the 1970s, Rovers became known for their entertaining football, with star players like striker Geoff Bradford, the club’s all-time leading scorer.

The team won the Third Division title in 1989-90, managed by Gerry Francis, earning promotion to the Second Division (later the Championship).
However, financial struggles and inconsistent results led to relegation and instability.

The club’s financial difficulties led to them leaving Eastville Stadium, where they had played between 1897 and 1986.

Following their departure from Eastville, Rovers would embark on a period of ground-sharing with Bath City at Twerton Park before the club moved to its current home, The Memorial Stadium, in 1996.

In their recent history, the club has been a “yo-yo” team, moving between the third and fourth tiers of English football (League One and League Two).

In 2014, Rovers were relegated from the Football League for the first time in their history, dropping to the National League. They bounced back immediately, achieving promotion in 2015. The Pirates secured another promotion to League One in 2016 but have since alternated between the third and fourth tiers.

Bristol Rovers Social Media Links

You can keep up with the latest news and updates from Bristol Rovers on the club’s official X account, using @Official_BRFC.

For ticket information, squad profiles and more the official Bristol Rovers website can be found at www.bristolrovers.co.uk.

Bristol Rovers Outlook & Forecast

The Gas looks set for another season in League One but will need to drastically improve their form if they are to avoid being sucked into a relegation scrap.

The January transfer window could be vital to their prospects of a mid-table finish and the opportunity to build again for next season.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bristol Rovers Football Club

How much would it cost to buy Bristol Rovers Football Club?

Bristol Rovers Football Club is owned by Wael al-Qadi, a Jordanian businessman and member of the prominent al-Qadi family, who have strong ties to banking and football. Wael became involved with the club in 2016 when his family, through Dwane Sports Ltd, acquired a controlling stake in the club.

It is believed that Al-Qadi has spent around £20 millions of his own money during his ownership. No figures of the club’s value were available.

What league are Bristol Rovers in now?

Bristol Rovers currently play in League One which is the third tier of English league football.

Why are Bristol Rovers called Gasheads?

Bristol Rovers are called “The Gas” or “Gasheads” due to their historical association with a gasworks located near their former home ground, Eastville Stadium.

When Rovers played at Eastville, which was their home from 1897 to 1986, a large gasworks was situated nearby. The gasworks would occasionally release fumes that could be smelled during matches, leading rival fans (particularly those of Bristol City) to mock Rovers supporters by calling them “The Gas.”

Is Bristol Rovers a big club?

Despite being the second team in Bristol, Rovers are one of the larger teams in League One, certainly when considering average attendance. The Memorial Stadium has a capacity of around 12,000 and the club are averaging close to 7,500 this season.

Where to watch Bristol Rovers FC?

You can watch Bristol Rovers in action at the Memorial Stadium in Bristol.