Joey Barton was two signings short of having the ideal transfer window, admitting he wanted another winger and a centre-back, but he believes Bristol Rovers faced a series of challenges in the market.
Stepping up to League One, Rovers have naturally faced stiffer competition for players from big-spending clubs, but the manager says that has been compounded by other factors, namely the cost of living in Bristol and its geography in relation to typical football "hotbeds" such as London and the North West.
The Gas made 10 permanent signings this summer as well as agreeing new deals for out-of-contract trio Antony Evans, Glenn Whelan and Trevor Clarke, and Barton is satisfied with the business, but he agreed with the assessment that live for the club in League One is markedly different to in League Two, where it possesses greater allure and spending power.
