Football Season Guide

Bristol Rovers had a season of ups and downs in 2022/23. They started slow then gathered pace in late autumn only to start stumbling again come January. The Pirates had a few good spells when they were keeping plenty of clean sheets and winning matches. Those coincided with 2 successful loan spells at the club for high-profile defenders. Outside of those periods the main core of the squad struggled. Coach Joey Barton has tried to address the defensive issues this summer and he already added 4 new defenders to the ranks. Veterans Wilson, he’s 34, and Friend, he’s 35, bring plenty of experience. However, they are both prone to injuries and Rovers will need more depth in defence before the transfer window shuts. The main departures were in midfield. Right winger Anderson and club captain Coutts have left. Coutts still could be resigned as he remains without a club. It seems the negotiations there have stalled though. McCormick had an injury-ravaged last season but with Anderson gone he’s hopeful to see a lot more playing time this season. Also, winter arrivals Sinclair and Marquis should be used a lot in their first full season at the club. Thomas and Brown add extra options in attack, with Thomas also capable to play as a right winger so he will be in contention for that role too. The Pirates need more bodies, mainly in defence and midfield, and monitoring their transfer activity between now and the end of August is vital to properly determine how high they can aim at.