 | |||
| Full name | Bristol RoversFootball Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames | The Pirates, The Gas | ||
| Founded | 1883; 142 years ago (1883) | ||
| Ground | Memorial Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 12,534[1] | ||
| Owner | Hussain AlSaeed | ||
| Head coach | Darrell Clarke | ||
| League | EFL League Two | ||
| 2024–25 | EFL League One, 22nd of 24 (relegated) | ||
| Website | bristolrovers.co.uk | ||
 Current season | |||
Bristol Rovers Football Club is a men's professionalfootball club inBristol, England. The team competes inEFL League Two, the fourth tier of theEnglish football league system. The club is affiliated toBristol Rovers W.F.C., whose team play in theFA Women's National League.
Rovers was founded in 1883 as Black Arabs F.C. and entered theBristol & District League as Eastville Rovers in 1892. They moved toEastville Stadium in 1897, when they joined theBirmingham & District League. Two years later, now called Bristol Rovers, they joined theSouthern League. Rovers won the Southern League in 1904–05 and were admitted to theFootball League in 1920. They were allocated to theThird Division South, and remained there until winning promotion as champions in 1952–53. They recorded their highest Football League position, sixth place in theSecond Division, in each of the 1955–56 and 1958–59 seasons. Rovers were relegated in 1962. Promoted asThird Division runners-up in 1973–74, they spent another seven seasons in the second tier until relegation in 1981. Following the sale of the land at Eastville in 1986, the club spent ten years atTwerton Park inBath. Rovers won the Third Division title in 1989–90, and spent three seasons in the second tier before relegation in 1993. In 1996, the club relocated to its current home venue at theMemorial Stadium inHorfield.
Another relegation took the team down to the fourth tier ahead of the 2001–02 season. Rovers won the2007 Football League Two play-off final, but relegations in 2011 and 2014 saw the club drop into theConference Premier. They finished second in the Conference under the stewardship ofDarrell Clarke and immediately regained their Football League status with victory in the2015 Conference Premier play-off final. They followed up this success by gaining promotion out of League Two at the end of the 2015–16 season. They were relegated from the third tier in 2020–21 but returned at the first attempt, claiming the final automatic promotion spot to League One. In 2024–25, they finished 22nd of the 24 clubs, and will return to League Two in 2025–26.
The club's official nickname is "The Pirates", reflecting themaritime history of Bristol, but they are known locally as "The Gas", derived from thegasworks next to their former home, Eastville Stadium. "The Gas" was originally a derogatory term used by fans of neighbouringBristol City, but it was affectionately adopted by the club and its supporters. Matches between the two Bristol clubs are known as theBristol Derby. Besides their various divisional titles and promotions, Rovers have won theGloucestershire Cup 32 times. They won theThird Division South Cup in 1932, theWatney Cup in 1972, and have beenFootball League Trophy finalists twice.
The club was formed following a meeting at the Eastville Restaurant in Bristol in September 1883. It was initially called Black Arabs F.C., after the Arabs rugby team and the predominantly black kits in which they played. This name only lasted for the1883–84 season, and in a bid to draw more fans from the local area the club was renamedEastville Rovers in 1884.[2]
Football:Wotton-under-Edge v Black Arabs (Bristol). A match under association rules has been played at Wotton-under-Edge between these clubs, resulting in the defeat of the visiting team. The home team were in every point superior to their antagonists and after a one-sided game Wotton were declared victors by six goals to nil.
For the1920–21 season, the Southern League teams were moved into the newDivision Three of theFootball League, which becameDivision Three (South) the following season. They remained in this division for over 30 years, before winning the league, and promotion in the1952–53 season.[4]
The team has won promotion on six other occasions: in1973–74 from the Third Division to the Second Division, again in1989–90 as Division Three champions, in2006–07 to the Football League One, in2014–15 to League Two from the Conference Premier, in2015–16 to League One and then in 2021-22 to League One from League Two. The club has been relegated eight times—in1961–62,1980–81,1992–93,2000–01,2010–11,2013–14,2020–21 and most recently at the end of the2024–25 season.[5]
The highest position in the footballladder reached by Rovers at the end of season is sixth place in the second tier, which they achieved twice; once in1955–56, and again in1958–59.[6] The closest they came to thetop flight was in 1955–56, when they ended the season just four points below the promotion positions.[7] The lowest league position achieved by the club is twenty-third out of twenty-four teams in thefourth tier, which has occurred twice. In the2001–02 season,[6] relegation from the Football League was narrowly avoided on two counts; firstly they ended just one league position above the relegation zone, and secondly the rules were changed the following season to increase the number of relegation places to two, meaning that if Rovers had finished in that position one year later they would have been relegated.[8] This position was matched at the end of the2013–14 season, which this time saw Rovers relegated to the Conference for the first time.[6][9] They returned to the league at the end oftheir first Conference season, with apenalty shootout victory overGrimsby Town inthe play-off final.[10] In February 2016, it was announced that a 92%stake in the club had been bought by the Jordanian al-Qadi family, and thatWael al-Qadi, a member of theJordan Football Association, would become the president.[11] Since 2016, the club has been owned by Dwane Sports Ltd, with 92.6% of theshares,[12] while Bristol Rovers Supporters Club owns the remaining 7.4%.[13]
In May 2016, the club recorded a second consecutive promotion by finishing in the final automatic promotion position inLeague Two after a 92nd-minute goal secured victory overDagenham and Redbridge andAccrington Stanley failed to win on the final day of the season.[14] It marked the first time Rovers had reached thethird tier ofEnglish Football since relegation in 2011.[6] In June 2020, it was announced that presidentWael al-Qadi had bought a controlling stake in Dwane Sports Ltd,[15] after he bought the shares of other members of his family, while it was also announced that the club's debt would be capitalised and a new training facility would begin construction at Hortham Lane,Almondsbury, which is close to theM5 motorway.[failed verification][16] Rovers have owned the site formerly known as 'The Colony' and re-branded by the club 'The Quarters' since 2017,[failed verification][17] and, in June 2020, the club announced that it would be ready for the beginning of the2020–21 season.[vague][18]
On 3 August 2023,Kuwaiti businessman Hussain AlSaeed bought a controlling 55% share in Dwane Sports, theholding company for the football club, thus becoming chairman. As part of thetakeover, all debt owed to the company was capitalised.[clarification needed][19] On 22 November 2024, AlSaeed reached an agreement to purchase the remaining 45% of shares owned by both Wael and Samer al-Qadi, the acquisition to be completed over an eighteen-month period.[20]
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The only majorcup competition won by Bristol Rovers is the 1972Watney Cup, when they beatSheffield United in the final.[21] The club also won theDivision Three (South) Cup in1934–35, as well as winning or sharing the Gloucestershire Cup on 32 occasions.[citation needed] The team has never played in European competition;[citation needed] the closest Rovers came was when they missed out on reaching the international stage of theAnglo-Italian Cup in the1992–93 season on a coin toss held over the phone withWest Ham United.[failed verification][22]
In theFA Cup, Rovers have reached the quarter-final stage on three occasions. The first time was in1950–51 when they facedNewcastle United atSt James' Park[23] in front of a crowd of 62,787, the record for the highest attendance at any Bristol Rovers match.[24] The second time they reached the quarter final was in1957–58, when they lost toFulham,[23] and the most recent appearance at this stage of the competition was during the2007–08 season, when they facedWest Bromwich Albion.[25] They were the first Division Three team to win an FA Cup tie away to aPremier League side, when in 2002 they beatDerby County 3–1 atPride Park Stadium.[23]
They have twice reached the final of theFootball League Trophy, in1989–90 and2006–07, but finished runners-up on both occasions.[6] On the second occasion they did not allow a single goal against them in the competitionen route to the final, but conceded the lead less than a minute after the final kicked off.[26]
Bristol Rovers's main rivals are city neighboursBristol City, with whom they contest theBristol derby.[27] An in-depth report by the Football Pools in 2008 deemed this rivalry 8th fiercest rivalry in English football.[28] The most recent encounter between the clubs as of March 2025 took place on 4 September 2013, which saw Rovers beaten by City in aFootball League Trophy tie atAshton Gate Stadium by a 2–1 scoreline.[29][30] Other rivals areNewport County and mainly teams from the West Country, such asSwindon Town,Cheltenham Town,Yeovil Town andForest Green Rovers.
In the past, rivalries also emerged with Severnside rivalsCardiff City known as theSevernside derby.[31] Rovers' most recent meeting against Cardiff was anEFL Cup defeat in August 2024.[32] The last time Cardiff and Bristol Rovers were in the same league was in the 1999–2000 season in the Second Division.[32]
The first time Rovers encountered Yeovil was aFootball League Trophy match in October 2001, which Rovers won via a penalty shoot-out.[33][34] The most recent encounter between the teams was in the EFL Trophy in October 2018, which Rovers won 2–0.[34]
As of September 2024, Rovers last playedSwindon Town in October 2022 in the EFL Trophy (a 3–0 win),[35]Cheltenham Town in the2023–24 League One season,[36] a 3–1 victory, andForest Green Rovers in the 2022–23 League One season (a 3–1 away victory).[37]
Bristol Rovers are known for their distinctive blue and white quartered shirts which they have worn for most of their history. The current home kit consists of a blue and white quartered shirt and blue shorts, the away kit is all black, while the third kit is a green and black quartered shirt and black shorts.During the2008–09 season, a special third strip, which was black with a gold sash, and a reproduction of the originalBlack Arab shirt, was used for a single match to celebrate the club's 125th anniversary.[38] The club released a similar kit marking the 140th anniversary which players wore in a match against Cheltenham Town in December 2023.[39]
The team began playing in black shirts with a yellow sash from their foundation in 1883 as Black Arabs F.C. until 1885, by which time they were called Eastville Rovers. For the next fourteen years, until 1899, the team wore blue and white hooped shirts. These were replaced by black and white striped shirts until 1919.[40]
When Rovers were admitted toThe Football League in 1920 they wore white shirts with blue shorts. These remained the team colours until 1930, when the colours were reversed to blue shirts and white shorts for one season.[40] The blue and white quarters were first worn in 1931, when they were introduced to try to make the players look larger and more intimidating.[41] Rovers continued to wear the quarters for 31 years, until they were replaced by blue pinstripes on a white background.[clarification needed][40]
Over the next ten years, Rovers went on to wear blue and white stripes, all blue, and blue shirts with white shorts before returning to the blue and white quarters in 1973, which have remained the colours ever since.[clarification needed][40] During the 1996–97 season, Rovers wore an unpopular striped quartered design, prompting fans to refer to it as theTesco bag shirts.[42] The change in design prompted theTrumpton Timesfanzine to change its name toWot, No Quarters?[clarification needed][43]
The black and gold shirts were also used as the away kit for the2002–03 season, the club's 120th anniversary.[citation needed]
In 2005, Rovers ran anApril Fools' joke on their official website, stating that the team's new away strip would be all pink. Although this was intended to be a joke, a number of fans petitioned the club to get the kit made for real, and also suggested that funds raised through the sale of the pink shirts should be donated to abreast cancer charity.[failed verification][44] Although the pink shirts were never used in a competitive fixture, they were worn for apre-season friendly againstPlymouth Argyle in 2006.[failed verification][45]
A pirate features on both the club badge and the badge of the supporters club,[46] reflecting the club nickname of The Pirates.[improper synthesis?] Previous club badges have featured a blue and white quartered design, based on the quartered design of the team's jerseys.[improper synthesis?]
Rovers first usedBukta as an official kit supplier in 1977, andGreat Mills as the first kit sponsor followed 1981. Rovers' longest running kit supplier isErrea who supplied the club kits for eleven years (2005–16).[47][48] The club's longest running kit sponsorship was from local companyCowlin Construction, who sponsored the club for 11 years before ending the deal in 2009.[49] Following the end of theCowlin deal, sponsors were chosen by raffle, via the 1883 Club.[clarification needed][50] This process lasted nine seasons before the club announcedFootball INDEX as new sponsors for both home and away kits.[51] In 2019,Utilita become the main shirt sponsors of both the home and away kits for the 2019-2020 season,[52] and the deal was then extended in July 2020 to cover the 2020-2021 season,[53] marking the first time a shirt sponsor had lasted for more than one season since the end of theCowlin sponsorship in 2009.[improper synthesis?]
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| Period | Kit supplier | Home Kit Sponsor | Away Kit Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977–1981 | Bukta | No sponsor | |
| 1981–1983 | Great Mills | ||
| 1983–1984 | Toshiba | ||
| 1984–1986 | Hobott | ||
| 1986–1987 | Henson | Peter Carol | |
| 1987–1988 | Design Windows | ||
| 1988–1990 | Spall | Design Windows | Universal Components |
| 1990–1992 | Design Windows | ||
| 1992–1993 | Roman Glass | ||
| 1993–1995 | Matchwinner | ||
| 1995–1996 | Le Coq Sportif | Elite Hampers | |
| 1996–1997 | Cica | Bradshaw's Snack Box | |
| 1997–1998 | The Jelf Group | ||
| 1998–1999 | Cowlin Construction | ||
| 1999–2001 | Avec | ||
| 2001–2005 | Strikeforce | ||
| 2005–2009 | Errea | ||
| 2009–2010 | N-Gaged | Stevens, Hewlett & Perkins | |
| 2010–2011 | Smart Computers | Stalbridge Linen | |
| 2011–2012 | McCarthy Waste | ITS | |
| 2012–2013 | Opus Recruitment Solutions | CR Windows | |
| 2013–2014 | Eurocams | Highspec Travel Services | |
| 2014–2015 | Arco | Office Beverages | |
| 2015–2016 | The Sportsman Pub | Pensord Press | |
| 2016–2017 | Macron | Dribuild | Powersystems UK Ltd |
| 2017–2018 | Thorntons Travel | Barrs Court Construction | |
| 2018–2019 | Football INDEX | ||
| 2019–2024 | Utilita Energy | ||
| 2024–present | FanHub | ||
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Rovers play their home games at theMemorial Stadium inHorfield, a ground they formerly shared withBristol Rugby. The team moved to The Mem, as it is known informally, at the beginning of the1996–97 season, initially as tenants but purchased it two years later.[failed verification][54]
When Bristol Rovers were known as Black Arabs F.C. in 1883, they played their home games atPurdown,Stapleton.[citation needed] The following year they moved to Three Acres, the precise location of which is not known, but is believed[by whom?] to have been in theAshley Down area of Bristol, where they remained for seven years.[citation needed] This was followed by brief stays at the Schoolmasters Cricket Ground,Durdham Down and Ridgeway.
For the majority of their history, Bristol Rovers have played their home games at theEastville Stadium, where they remained for a period of 89 years from 1897 to 1986.[citation needed] Financial problems led to the team being forced to leave Eastville, now it is an IKEA Store.[citation needed] Bristol Rovers found a temporary home at Twerton Park, the home ofBath City.[citation needed] They stayed inBath for 10 years, before returning to Bristol in 1996.[citation needed]
Rovers also played five home games atAshton Gate Stadium, home of rivals Bristol City, following a fire which destroyed the South Stand of the Eastville Stadium on the night of the 16–17 August 1980.[55] Rovers returned to Eastville in October 1980.[citation needed] DuringWorld War II, some friendly matches were played inKingswood, and in their early history some games were played at Parson Street,Bedminster[2]
In January 2007,planning permission was granted for a new 18,500 capacityall-seater stadium to be built on the site of the Memorial Stadium.[failed verification][56] The project was abandoned after a series of delays.[failed verification][57][58][59] In June 2011, the club announced its intention to relocate the club to a new 21,700 all-seater stadium on theUniversity of the West of England'sFrenchay campus.[failed verification][60] The plannedUWE Stadium was shelved in August 2017 due to disputes between the club and the university.[61]
In 2017, there was a crowd recording at the Memorial Stadium forEarly Man, a 2018Aardaman film.[clarification needed][62]
In June 2020, the club began construction of a new training facility at a site on Hortham Lane,Almondsbury near theM5 motorway.[clarification needed][16] The site is set to include two full size pitches, a goalkeeping area, a gym and a clubhouse building.[clarification needed][16] Having owned the land since 2017,[failed verification][17] no work had previously been carried out before the club moved into the training ground for the start in October 2020.[vague][63]
On 6 April 2023, the Wholesale Bristol Fruit Market and Conygar Investment Company made overtures to eventually create a new stadium where the market stood at St. Philips Marsh. The football club saw it as a 'move in the right direction' with regards to a new stadium, having been involved in discussions for2+1⁄2 years prior.[failed verification][64] In October 2023, new owner Hussain AlSaeed confirmed that the club's proposed move to the site was off and they would instead be redeveloping the Memorial Stadium.[65]
The team traditionally draws the majority of its support from north and eastBristol[66] andSouth Gloucestershire. Many towns and villages in the surrounding area are also home to significant pockets of Rovers supporters.[non-primary source needed][40]
The nickname given to Bristol Rovers supporters is "Gasheads".[vague][67] "The Gas" was originally coined as a derogatory term by the supporters of Bristol Rovers's rivals Bristol City, and was in reference to the large gas works adjacent to the old Bristol Rovers stadium, inEastville, Bristol which wafted the sometimes overpowering odour oftown gas across the crowd.[failed verification][40] "Gasheads" was adopted as a name by a splinter group of Rovers supporters in the mid-1980s to early 1990s.[citation needed] The chant "Proud to be a Gashead" spread to regular fans, and a fanzine was produced calledThe Gashead.
The term "Gasheads" is now universally accepted within the English media and football fraternity as referring to Bristol Rovers supporters.[better source needed][68] After the club's relegation to theThird Division in 2001, the club designated the squad number 12 to the Gasheads, to signify them as the club's12th Man in recognition of their loyal support.[failed verification][67]
The retiredConservative MP forHayes and HarlingtonTerry Dicks was a Bristol Rovers fan. He mentioned the club in parliament ("now struggling in the second division of the Endsleigh league") on 5 May 1994 when debating withLabour MP andChelsea fanTony Banks. Other notable fans are local musiciansRoni Size[additional citation(s) needed][69] andGeoff Barrow ofPortishead[non-primary source needed] and writerDavid Goldblatt. Former Bristol Rovers player and manager,Ian Holloway, who also managedQPR andBlackpool as well as featuring as a pundit, is still a big fan of the club.
Based on September 2014 statistics released by theHome Office,[70] the Rovers fan base were named the Most Dangerous English Football fan base for the 2013–2014 season, with 57 arrests on the season, of which 35% were for "violent disorder."[failed verification] Particularly dangerous was the scene on 3 May 2014 when the Rovers were assured relegation from the Football League for the first time.[clarification needed][71]
The Rovers fans have good relations with Spanish clubCE Sabadell FC, which initially began due to several Rovers fans noticing that the club had the same colours.[72] In July 2016, the clubs played each other in a pre-season match in Spain.[additional citation(s) needed][73]
One Bristol Rovers print fanzine is currently active and is entitledLast Saturday Night.[failed verification][non-primary source needed][74] There is also a fan-run podcast and blog calledGasCast.[75][76]
The song which is synonymous with Rovers is "Goodnight, Irene", which was written byLead Belly.[failed verification][better source needed][77]
Opinions differ as to how this came about, but it is thought to have become popular in the 1950s when a version of the song was in the British charts—the line "sometimes I have a great notion to jump in the river and drown"—seemed to be particularly apt when Rovers lost, as theBristol Frome flows alongside the old Eastville ground.[additional citation(s) needed][40] It is believed that John Clapham is responsible for the song as he used to work at Eastville stadium for the greyhound racing and the last record he would play at the end of the night was "Goodnight Irene" also having a daughter called Irene, the record would then be left in the player and was played at the football.[failed verification][40] Another theory is that it was sung at a fireworks display at the Stadium the night before a home game againstPlymouth Argyle in the 1950s. During the game the following day, Rovers were winning quite comfortably and the few Argyle supporters present began to leave early prompting a chorus of "Goodnight Argyle" from the Rovers supporters—the tune stuck and "Irene" became the club song.[78]
Another popular Bristol Rovers song is "Tote End Boys", which was written and sung by Ben Gunstone. The name derives from the section of Gasheads who stood in the Tote End terrace at Rovers' old home,Eastville Stadium.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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The football club launched its official Hall of Fame in 2021 in partnership with Retro Rovers podcast with the purpose of recognising the players and managers who had had the greatest impact. It was announced that ten people would be inducted in the Hall at a rate of one per week in the first half of 2021, with three added per year thereafter.[80] The first inductee was the club's all-time record goalscorerGeoff Bradford.
| Inductee # | Name | Appearances | Goals | Period | Date inducted | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geoff Bradford | 461 | 242 | 1949–1964 | 26 February 2021[81] | Club record goalscorer |
| 2 | Stuart Taylor | 546 | 28 | 1965–1980 | 5 March 2021[82] | Club record appearance maker |
| 3 | Harry Bamford | 486 | 5 | 1945–1958 | 12 March 2021[83] | Second most appearances for the club. |
| 4 | Alfie Biggs | 463 | 197 | 1953–1961 & 1962–1968 | 19 March 2021[84] | Second top scorer in the club's history. |
| 5 | Ray Warren | 450 | 28 | 1936–1956 | 26 March 2021[85] | Title winning captain in 1952-53. |
| 6 | Jack Pitt | 499 | 16 | 1946–1960 | 3 April 2021[86] | Spent 50 years at club as player, coach & groundsman |
| 7 | George Petherbridge | 457 | 85 | 1945–1962 | 9 April 2021[87] | More FA Cup appearances than any other player for the club. |
| 8 | Mickey Barrett | 129 | 18 | 1979–1984 | 16 April 2021[88] | Talented fan favourite who died from lung cancer in 1984, aged just 24 |
| 9 | Harold Jarman | 452 | 127 | 1959–1973 (player) 1979–1980 (manager) | 23 April 2021[89] | Third top scorer in the club's history |
| 10 | Josser Watling | 323 | 19 | 1945–1963 | 30 April 2021[90] | Oldest living former Rovers player. Died on 3 June 2023 at the age of 98.[91] |
This is a list of the other most noted former players at Bristol Rovers Football Club (excluding those listed in the Hall of Fame above) stating the period that each player spent at the club, their nationality and their reason for being listed. To be included in this list a player must have made over 400 league appearances for the club, scored over 100 league goals or hold a club record.
| Years | Nation | Player | Achievement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928–1932 |  England | Ronnie Dix | The club's youngest ever player, at 15 years 173 days. The Football League's youngest ever goalscorer, at 15 years 180 days. | [92] |
| 1945–1955 | England | Vic Lambden | Scored 117 goals in 268 league appearances. | |
| 1945–1962 | England | George Petherbridge | Played 457 league games. | |
| 1953–1962 |  Kenya | Peter Hooper | Scored 101 goals in 297 league games. | |
| 1956–1973 | England | Bobby Jones | Played 421 league games and scored 101 goals. | |
| 1959–1973 | England | Harold Jarman | Played 452 league games and scored 127 goals. | |
| 1981–1999 | England | Ian Holloway | Named the fans' Cult Hero in aBBC poll. | [93] |
| 1987–1989 | England | Nigel Martyn | Became the first goalkeeper to command a million pound transfer fee when he was sold toCrystal Palace. | [94] |
| 1992–2000 | England | Andy Tillson | Record signing, and former club captain. | [95] |
| 1997–1999 |  Jamaica | Barry Hayles | Club record sale when he moved toFulham for £2,100,000. | |
| 2000–2003 |  Latvia | Vitālijs Astafjevs | Most internationally capped Bristol Rovers player, with 31 appearances forLatvia while playing with Rovers 158 times. | [95] |
| 2016–2018 | England | Byron Moore | Scorer of Rovers' fastest ever league goal (11 seconds) vsAFC Wimbledon | [96] |
As of 26 June 2025[97]
| Job title | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Darrell Clarke |
| Assistant head coach | Rhys Carr |
| Assistant head coach | Jon Stead |
| Goalkeeping coach | James Bittner |
| Head of Medical and Performance | Gavin Crowe |
| Club Doctor | John Moore |
| Sports Therapist | Leighanne Kelly |
| Director of Football | Ricky Martin |
| Head of Recruitment | Chris Spendlove |
| Head Analyst | Liam McCartan |
| Lead Sports Scientist | Kyler Burns |
| Strength & Conditioning Coach | Sam Pashen |
| Academy Manager | Byron Anthony |
| Youth Development Phase Lead Coach (U13-U16s) | Phil Hicks |
| Foundation Phase Lead Coach | Jake Sainsbury |
| Groundsman | Ben Ford |
| Kit Man | Josh Evans |
| Assistant Kit Man | Tom Foley |
| Position | Name[12] |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Hussain AlSaeed |
| President | Wael al-Qadi |
| Executive Vice-President | Abdullatif AlSaeed |
| Director | Khaled Alkandari |
| Director | Abdulaziz Alroomi |
| Director of Football | Ricky Martin |
| Director of Commercial & Revenue | Ritchie Bates |
36 men have been appointed as a manager of Bristol Rovers Football Club, excluding caretaker managers.[98][failed verification][99]Bobby Gould,Gerry Francis andJohn Ward are the only men to have been given the job on a permanent basis twice, althoughGarry Thompson had a spell as caretaker manager before later being appointed permanently, andPhil Bater was caretaker manager on two occasions.
Alfred Homer 1899–1920Ben Hall 1920–21Andrew Wilson 1921–26Joe Palmer 1926–29David McLean 1929–30Albert Prince-Cox 1930–36Percy Smith 1936–37Brough Fletcher 1938–50Bert Tann 1950–68Fred Ford 1968–69Bill Dodgin Sr. 1969–72Don Megson 1972–77
Bobby Campbell 1977–79Harold Jarman 1979–80Terry Cooper 1980–81Ron Gingell 1981 (caretaker)Bobby Gould 1981–83
David Williams 1983–85Bobby Gould 1985–87Gerry Francis 1987–91Martin DobsonDennis RofeMalcolm Allison 1992–93Steve Cross 1993 (caretaker)John Ward 1993–96Ian Holloway 1996–2001 (player-manager 1996–99)Garry Thompson 2001 (caretaker)Gerry Francis 2001Garry Thompson 2001–02Phil Bater 2002 (caretaker)Ray Graydon 2002–04Phil Bater 2004 (caretaker)Russell Osman &Kevan Broadhurst 2004 (joint caretakers)Ian Atkins 2004–05Paul Trollope 2005–10
Darren Patterson 2010–11 (caretaker)Dave Penney 2011Stuart Campbell 2011 (caretaker)Paul Buckle 2011–12Shaun North 2012 (caretaker)Mark McGhee 2012John Ward 2012–14Darrell Clarke 2014–18
Graham Coughlan 2018–19 (caretaker)Graham Coughlan 2019Joe Dunne 2019 (caretaker)Kevin Maher 2019 (caretaker)Ben Garner 2019–20Tommy Widdrington 2020 (caretaker)Paul Tisdale 2020–21Tommy Widdrington 2021 (caretaker)Joey Barton 2021–2023Andy Mangan 2023 (caretaker)Matt Taylor 2023–2024
Iñigo Calderón 2024–2025Darrell Clarke 2025–The Bristol Rovers Academy currently[when?] operates atThe City Academy Bristol andSir Bernard Lovell School. Current first-team squad membersEllis Harrison,Alfie Kilgour,Tom Lockyer andJed Ward graduated from the Academy to earn professional contracts.[100] In May 2021, U16s player Kyrie Pierre signed forAston Villa for an undisclosed six-figure fee, a record fee received by the Academy for a player.[101]
One former member of the academy isScott Sinclair, who was signed byChelsea in 2005 for £200,000, with further payments to the club possible, depending on performance.[102]
Other former Academy players currently contracted to teams in thePremier League orEnglish Football League includeRyan Broom (Cheltenham Town),Ollie Clarke (Swindon Town),Matt Macey (Colchester United) andKofi Shaw (Brighton & Hove Albion.[citation needed]
The club formerly had awomen's team, set up in 1998, as Bristol Rovers W.F.C., following a merger with Cable-Tel L.F.C..[failed verification] This merger came about as Bristol Rovers only had girls' teams up to the under-16 age group level, so when girls reached the age of 16 they were forced to leave the club.[failed verification] The merger with Cable-Tel meant that Bristol Rovers had asenior squad.[failed verification] The club's name was changed to Bristol Academy W.F.C. in 2005, to reflect the increased investment from theBristol Academy of Sport.[failed verification] In 2016, Bristol Academy were re-branded asBristol City following a sponsorship arrangement with Rovers' local rivals.[additional citation(s) needed][103]
In 2019, the Bristol Rovers Community Trust relaunched the Women’s team.[104] They began fielding two teams in theGloucestershire County Women's Football League in the2019–20 season.
In 2024, the club announced that they would take on the management of the women’s team. After three promotions, the team play in FA Women's National League Division One.[105]
Bristol Rovers have won the following honours:[113][6]
League
Cup
I've known Geoff since before Portishead – we still play football together, we're going to see Bristol Rovers later.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
