Jordan Rossiter and Joey Barton are well known to each other and the former Liverpool midfielder is delighted to join forces again at Bristol Rovers.
The Liverpudlians briefly played together at Rangers in 2016 before Barton signed the midfielder twice for Fleetwood Town, first on loan before sealing a permanent deal six months later in the in 2020.
The former England youth international would be an impressive contributor in the heart of the Cods' midfield and he made 65 appearances across two and a half seasons, earning the captain's armband ahead of the start of last season.
Rossiter was Rovers first signing of the summer, joining on June 21 and it is a move that adds to an area of strength. The Gas have enviable quality in central midfield with Paul Coutts, Sam Finley and Antony Evans in the ranks. Rossiter has played with Coutts and Finley before at Fleetwood and excited to work with them and the manager again in BS7.
"I really enjoyed my time at Fleetwood and I’ve got a lot to be thankful for, but I’ve got a fresh start here and I’m looking forward to seeing a few faces down here," Rossiter told the club's website. "I worked with the gaffer before at Fleetwood and he was someone who helped me a lot as a player. He improved me daily and every day I was learning something new.
"Obviously, I play in a similar position to the gaffer when he played and I’m looking forward to learning every day off the gaffer, getting involved and having a successful season."
In addition to a handful of appearances at Liverpool and his experiences with Rangers, Rossiter knows his way around League One and the challenges it presents. But the 25-year-old knows he has joined Rovers at a great time after promotion last term and he believes the momentum behind the club will drive them forward.
"It’s a tough league," he acknowledged. "It’s very competitive with a lot of good teams, but the team is on a bit of a roll from last season and the momentum they’re carrying in from the promotion, I think we’re going to have a very successful season.
"The lads seem like a great group of boys with the signings the gaffer has made so far and everything seems positive, so I’m looking forward to it and putting a shirt on for the first time."
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