Bristol Rovers midfielder Sam Finley has signed a new contract, the club announced on Tuesday.
The 30-year-old's contract was due to expire at the end of this season. but Finley has agreed to new terms that will keep him at the Mem until June 2024.
Dynamic midfielder Finley joined Rovers in 2021 and was a star of the League Two promotion-winning campaign, providing seven goals and seven assists in 40 appearances in all competitions. His goals against Bradford City and Rochdale in the run-in were huge moments that helped Rovers surge into the third and final automatic promotion place on the final day of the season.
On and off the pitch, he is a trusted leader in Joey Barton's ranks, captaining the team in several of his nine appearances this term, and he has been rewarded with improved terms.
He follows Aaron Collins and Antony Evans in securing their futures to the club, with the pair inking new three-year contracts this summer after playing huge roles in Rovers' promotion last season.
"Delighted to get it over the line," Finley told the club's website after signing. "I signed it on the pitch before the Ipswich game. It was on a DocuSign on an email so I signed it on the pitch before the game on Tuesday night, so I’m delighted to get it over the line and thanks very much to my agent and to the gaffer for putting the trust in me.
"The objective when I came down here was to get promoted and push this great club as high as we can go. Luckily, we did that in the first year of having a go at it and hopefully many more to come."
Finley has already made many memories in a Rovers shirt after such a remarkable first season with the Gas. He holds those moments dearly and clearly wants to make more throughout his new contract and possibly beyond.
"I was talking about that (the memories of last season) last night, actually," he said. "I went around to James Connolly and Antony Evans’ (house). They have just moved into Clifton and me and Jordan Rossiter went round and we were talking about the run-in that we had last year – the Rochdale game, the Port Vale game and then the last game of the season and all the partying that went on after it.
"I live with Paul Coutts who has had four or five promotions now and has done numerous parties. That was my first proper promotion; I’ve had promotions in non-league but that was my first Football League promotion and it was a special moment for me personally."
Finley has a close bond with his manager and he believes Barton can lead the club to "great places".
He added: "The first objective when I came to the club was to get it back in League One where we think it belongs and then the gaffer has been talking about where he thinks he can take this club and the objectives he’s got for the club.
"I fully agree with him, with the backing of the great owner we’ve got, I think this club can go to great places."
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