Nothing captures pre-season fever quite like tweets demanding clubs to "Announce trialist B". Bristol Rovers have had their fair share of success with trialists, perhaps more than most clubs in recent times.
The greatest success of all was Billy Bodin, who would become a modern Gas legend with his incredible performances in the promotion-winning campaign of 2015/16. He arrived at Rovers with a questionable injury record but left a hero as he earned a deserved move to the Championship.
Bodin was an outlier. The reality is it very rarely works out like that. More often than not, trialists come and go without making much of an impression, and some don't see the pitch at all.
Here's a look at Rovers' record with trialists in recent years...
Glenn Whelan, Leon Clarke and Junior Brown
We've grouped this trio together because they were on trial at the same time – the final fortnight of the summer transfer window in 2021. They never played a game for the Gas before all signing one-year contracts, starting their trial period after the season had started.
Whelan's signing felt someone inevitable once he was able to prove his fitness, and the veteran Republic of Ireland international proved an inspired addition, making 33 appearances. But it was his role off the field that was most important, mentoring a young squad throughout the campaign.
Clarke and Brown were less impactful, with both enduring injury-hit spells with the club. Brown's last of his six appearances came in October and the left-back did not feature in another matchday squad before being released.
Clarke, 37, only made five more appearances than Brown, but he did have some moments to savour in a Rovers shirt. He scored the winner against Crawley Town in September and his cool finish at Scunthorpe United in January wrapped up a victory.
James Belshaw
The man on this list who could overtake Bodin as Rovers' best trialist in recent times. For some unknown reason, Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver had the questionable brainwave to let Belshaw leave despite the keeper still being under contract with the Sulphurites.
With Gas boss Joey Barton eager to find a backup that could compete with Anssi Jaakkola, Belshaw was invited to train with Rovers after Harrogate sanctioned his exit.
He impressed at The Quarters and featured as a trialist in the 1-1 draw against Plymouth Argyle, performing strongly enough to earn a contract.
Within a few weeks, he was starting games in League Two for the Gas with Jaakkola out injured and the Finland international would never reclaim the number one spot.
Belshaw was superb for the Gas, keeping 17 clean sheets and his ability to police the spaces behind the back four by taking an aggressive starting position enabled Barton to set his team up with a high line.
A new contract until 2024 and the player of the season award arrived as the season drew to a close, with fan-favourite status secured for the 31-year-old.
Stuart Nelson
While Belshaw was a keeper who was snapped up after his trial, Nelson did not receive a deal. The former Gillingham and Brentford keeper played for the Gas in their opening pre-season friendly against Melksham Town 12 months ago, and he hung around in training for a few weeks and months as a support goalkeeper.
With no deal on the table at Rovers, Nelson signed for National League South side Dorking Wanderers in October and made 10 appearances before joining League Two Sutton United as a backup keeper, playing twice.
He was released at the end of the season and has joined National League South club Dover Athletic for the upcoming campaign.
Joe Ledley
Unlike the others on this list, former Wales international Joe Ledley was a late-season trialist. The former Celtic and Crystal Palace utility man was available on a free after curtailing a spell in Australia.
Ledley trained with then-League One Rovers for a few weeks and played 60 minutes in a development squad game against Bournemouth as he tried to earn a contract.
Joey Barton was impressed, but not enough to offer the Welshman a contract. “My opinion is he needs a pre-season,” he explained. “He’s missed a lot of time, coming out of Australia before the pandemic and at his age you need to be training every day."
Ledley would sign for League Two Newport County and made four appearances for the Exiles before calling time on his playing career at the age of 34.
David Tutonda
The "Announce trialist" vibes were strong with this one. After his exit from Barnet in the summer of 2020, wing-back Tutonda joined the Gas on trial and took his chance to impress in a pre-season outing at Cheltenham Town.
He scored and performed solidly enough to win a two-year deal, and the Democratic Republic of Congo-born defender made a flying start to the season, making himself a cult hero for a short period of time with some eye-catching performances before the team's form nosedived.
He made 22 appearances for the Gas, drifting in and out of contention amid the turbulence of a three-manager season, and at the end of it he was cut loose from his contract to allow him to join Gillingham.
It was a disappointing season again for the 26-year-old, with Gills suffering relegation to League Two.
Jack Bridge
Former Carlisle United and Northampton Town player Bridge was a midfielder Ben Garner looked at in 2020 as he looked to fill a vacancy in the centre of the park.
The Southend United product spent a couple of weeks training with the Gas but did not do enough to lengthen his stay in BS7. He did not feature in a game.
The 26-year-old would play for Essex club Concord Rangers in the sixth tier before climbing a level to join National League Bromley in January 2021. At the end of last season, he rejoined hometown club Southend, making 27 appearances for ex-Gas coach Kevin Maher's side.
Adam May
With Bridge out of the building, the Gas took a look at former Portsmouth man Adam May. The tall central midfielder was available on a free after leaving Fratton Park and Garner wanted to bolster his midfield ranks after signing Zain Westbrooke and Josh Grant but missing out on now-Cardiff City man Ebou Adams.
May featured for the Gas in a friendly against Exeter City at the Mem, but a contract offer would not be forthcoming.
On the eve of the season, he would be signed up by Cambridge United and he has had an excellent spell at the Abbey Stadium. He was a pivotal player in Cambridge's promotion to League One a year ago and he scored five goals in 38 appearances as they comfortably retained their third-tier status last season.
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