Joey Barton has labelled George Friend a “class act” with the veteran defender signing a one-year contract at Bristol Rovers following a brief trial period at the start of pre-season.
Friend becomes Rovers’ fourth summer signing after James Wilson, Luke Thomas and Jevani Brown and will add further experience, leadership and EFL nous to the Gas squad after an extensive 17-year playing career.
The 35-year-old was part of the group that reported back for pre-season training at The Quarters last Monday with Barton and his coaching staff wanting to assess his fitness after a 2022/23 campaign in which he made just six league appearances for Birmingham City in an unofficial player/coach capacity.
The Rovers manager has been suitably impressed by the former Exeter City defender and after he sat out Friday’s 9-0 victory at Melksham Town, as negotiations were still ongoing, should be involved for Saturday’s second friendly of the summer at National League Eastleigh.
"George is a class act and his experience speaks for itself,” Barton said. “He will make a great addition to our defensive line and I look forward to working with him."
That experience encompasses 498 career appearances for Birmingham, Middlesbrough, Doncaster, Wolves and Exeter as his permanent clubs with loan stints also at Scunthorpe United, Millwall and Southend United.
He can operate at centre-back or as a left-back, boosting Barton’s options in the middle of defence following the loan return of Lewis Gibson and also giving Lewis Gordon, who is currently sidelined with a calf strain, competition on the flank.
The Barnstaple-born defender also continues Rovers’ transfer policy for this summer of recruiting ready-made EFL players who can hit the ground running and mentally-strengthen a young and talented but at times vulnerable dressing room during times of adversity last season.
Although in the twilight of his career, given he’s spent the vast majority of his career competing in the Championship or above, they will feel they’ve once again recruited “above the level” relative to League One.
With Wilson, who was promoted with Plymouth Argyle last season; Thomas, whose been a Championship-standard talent at Derby County and Barnsley before suffering with his mental health in his early 20s; and Brown, among the best individual performers in the third tier last season prior to his arrest for assault, the Gas are confident all their additions subscribe to the same theory.
They could also be followed by Cheltenham Town’s Alfie May, with positive talks said to have been conducted between both League One clubs and the player's representative over the prospect of the 30-year-old moving to the Mem. Although the biggest hurdle could be agreeing a transfer fee that both satisfies the Robins and is financially viable for the Gas.
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