Joey Barton believes a stint out of the firing line for Bristol Rovers James Connolly will do him the world of good after a chastening start to 2023.
Connolly has been hugely impressive in a Rovers shirt since arriving as an unheralded loan signing from Cardiff City in January 2022, going on to play a pivotal part in the promotion to League One and earning a permanent move to the Mem. He followed that up with an injury-hit start to life in League One, but since returning to action in October after a back issue, he was an ever-present part of Barton's XI.
That was until last month, when Connolly was replaced by fit-again Lewis Gibson as Barton tried to solidify a team which had endured a six-game winless run in the league. With Gibson and Liverpool loanee Jarell Quansah at the heart of the back four, Rovers have taken four points from games against Oxford United and Barnsley.
