Joey Barton gathered his senior staff for a season debrief earlier this week with the overarching theme of the discussions being what Bristol Rovers need to do to get better in 2023/24.
Having successfully navigated their way through a return to League One, while a 17th-placed finish was viewed internally as slightly below-par, ultimately, they were never really in any danger of relegation and after such a tumultuous few years post-Darrell Clarke sometimes there’s nothing wrong with being a bit boring.
But, as you’ve probably guessed, Barton isn't a man for sitting still and often the moment when clubs settle for consolidation is how they are caught cold by their rivals. Subsequently, the bar will need to be set much higher for next season.
Another big summer of recruitment awaits, albeit without the major surgery of past summers required, while there will also be hope that certain individuals can either continue on an upward trajectory or rediscover more consistency, whether that be in terms of their form and/or availability.
When Rovers line up for their season opener on August 5, some members of the current Gas squad are almost certain to stay, while there are a few exits you can forecast right now, but there’s also a reasonable number with various questions around the future and we’ve taken an overview of the first-team group and what their current status is…
Almost definitely staying
- Antony Evans
- Sam Finley
- James Gibbons
- Lewis Gordon
- Luca Hoole
- John Marquis
- Jordan Rossiter
- Scott Sinclair
- Jed Ward
It’s a fairly common sense group here of players who have all enjoyed good to great seasons, although some of it is also dictated by contracts. You can, for example, make the case that Evans hasn’t been able to transfer his brilliance from League Two into the third tier, and certainly had some patchy moments, but it was his first proper campaign, playing regularly at such a level and there will be a feeling he should improve for 2023/24, plus the fact the deal he signed last summer makes him a hard individual for the club to move on, should that be their desire.
Elsewhere, Marquis made a solid contribution and his performances probably justified more than the 18 league starts he earned, while the “is like a new signing” cliche will be deployed around Jordan Rossiter when he returns from his knee injury because him alongside Finley at the base of the midfield makes a world of difference.
Sinclair proved a smart pick-up and has added much more than just his craft on the field, bringing a sense of identity and history to what too often can seem a transient group of players. Under contract for another 12 months, it will be interesting to see if he maintains his levels across another campaign to extend that agreement.
Gibbons wasn’t exactly a standout performer in his first season for the Gas but is just a useful player to have in the squad as a kind of Swiss Army Knife, especially with Harry Anderson moving on.
Finally, there’s the talented trio of Luca Hoole, Lewis Gordon and Jed Ward - all three the Gas will hope can be assets in the immediate to short-term future and potentially beyond and all can kick on further into next season. Ward being the slight exception, of course, as the teenage goalkeeper may well require another season away on loan before he hopefully becomes a first-team fixture.
Questions remain
- James Belshaw
- Aaron Collins
- James Connolly
- Josh Grant
- Ryan Loft
- Luke McCormick
- Grant Ward
As much as we’d love to include Collins in the previous section, it quite simply wouldn’t be truthful to do so. As it stands, he remains a Rovers player and there’s every reason to suggest that sentence will be reinforced at the end of August. For all the talk of “interest” that will likely transpire over the summer - and, sorry in advance, we’ll be guilty of some of that - until someone puts a credible offer to Rovers, it will remain outside noise. That being said, who wants him and how much they’re willing to pay is, to an extent, out of the Gas’ hands, hence why so many questions remain.
Collins succeeded Belshaw this week as Rovers’ Player of the Season and it’s been a strange campaign for the No1 who’s had some very good performances, some iffy ones and, for the first time at the club, an extended period out of the side following the loan arrival of Ellery Balcombe.
Belshaw is now Rovers’ only full-time senior goalkeeper again but the doubts still remain over whether his manager truly views him as his first-choice moving forward. Especially when he keeps talking about “fan favourites” possibly moving on this summer. It’s certainly a situation to keep an eye on but, at the same time, should Rovers and Belshaw decide to part ways, having to sign two goalkeepers in an already-busy summer window does seem a slightly unnecessary stress, given who was in the building.
Connolly probably fits into the “fan favourite under threat” category but not in such a definitive way as Belshaw because there appears an awareness from Barton and his staff that the defender needs a bit more nurturing than perhaps was first thought.
The Scouser was, in many ways, a victim of his own success in League Two as he by far exceeded expectations, rightfully earned a permanent move, for a low six-figure fee, and then the realities and extra physical challenges of League One struck. Still only 21, it would still be a major surprise to see him moved on but he needs to make significant improvements to keep the project going.
Loft had some rotten luck with injuries, plus that unfortunate red card at Lincoln City further disrupted his campaign but his impact in 2023 was minimal, to say the least - no goals in 24 appearances from mid-October. However, Barton remains an admirer of the targetman who brings something to the side that no one else really possesses. Plus the fact there will be the consideration that his form in September-October wasn’t a fluke and if they can bring that back out of him they’ll have quite the striker.
That said, he is out of contract next summer and could be considered as a realistic saleable asset to an ambitious League Two club, if that’s what Rovers want to do.
Maybe the same will be also true of McCormick who was the Gas’ major marquee signing - outside of those returning from the promotion campaign - but flattered to deceive is putting it mildly. There never seemed to be a place in the team for the midfielder and he experienced piecemeal minutes throughout.
Having invested so much time and money in the 24-year-old last summer, logic dictates Rovers will maintain patience and hope a full summer break and pre-season (something he didn’t get last year) can bring the best out of McCormick but the last nine months have surely altered perceptions about him.
We know Barton wants to keep Grant and Ward (both central midfielders that is, not a typo) and contracts have been offered but until they’re signed, and you’d imagine the latter has interest elsewhere, then doubts over their futures will continue to exist.
Probable departures
- Paul Coutts
- Anssi Jaakkola
- Calum Macdonald
Now, Coutts isn’t departing as such, with Barton revealing he’s taking a coaching position but we’re not yet quite sure of what his role will be and whether that will also encompass playing duties. Should he retire and move into the backroom staff full-time, then that leaves Rovers a player short in midfield as, for all his injury issues, the Scott still made 22 league appearances, 17 as a starter, so that clearly takes something away and will need to be replaced.
Jaakkola is another who’s out of contract and who has been taking on coaching duties, working with the goalkeepers as David Coles oversees the whole department. He did make six starts last season, all in the EFL Trophy, an avenue Barton may want to explore with Ward, should he not be loaned out.
You’d imagine the Finn has the opportunity to stay and focus more on his position of goalkeeper coach but it’s far from certain given it was something of a stop-gap measure originally.
Macdonald was a late, and surprise, addition on deadline day as cover on the left-hand side of defence and although he only made four appearances so therefore arguing he was a success is a difficult argument to make. However, it may be coincidental but Gordon’s form in the second half of the campaign definitely improved with greater competition in the position. That said, given his comparative lack of impact, unless he’s willing to accept a true value contract, and he’ll surely feel he can get better elsewhere, it’s hard to see him relocating from the north to the West Country for a sustained period of time.
Moving on
- Harry Anderson
- Ellery Balcombe
- Lamare Bogarde
- Josh Coburn
- Lewis Gibson
- Jarell Quansah
- Glenn Whelan
There’s not a great deal to discuss here because it’s mostly established already with the five loanees returning to their parent clubs, Whelan retiring (and moving into coaching full-time) and Barton admitting that he can’t justify offering Anderson a new deal due to his injury problems, with the opportunity for him to potentially come back in pre-season as a free agent.
But it is worth considering which of the quintet of loanees are likely to return, although we’re probably not going to get into Connor Taylor/Elliot Anderson saga territory because none have had quite the same seismic impact.
Barton has already stated he’d love to sign Gibson but Rovers are some way down a queue. Coburn was named Young Player of the Year on Monday night as a sign of how well-regarded he is in BS7 and another season with the young striker is an exciting prospect, but it probably hinges on what happens with Middlesbrough over the next few weeks.
Should Boro prove successful in the play-offs and become a Premier League outfit once again then it’s hard to see Coburn making an instant breakthrough. But should they remain in the Championship then, even with the raft of strikers at his disposal, at the very least Michael Carrick would like to get him back for a proper look over pre-season.
Aston Villa already hold Premier League status so Bogarde is likely to be primed for another loan but there will likely be another waiting game there as the top-flight club’s preference will be for some time in the Championship, but if that’s not forthcoming then the Gas are in a great position.
Both Balcombe and Quansah should be better for their stints at the Mem but, in the case of the former, Barton may well look elsewhere if he wants a temporary goalkeeper plus there’s the consideration that it may stymy Ward’s development.
Quansah is a tough one because the 20-year-old probably wasn’t as good as his attributes and reputation suggested but, at the same time, that was to be expected in unforgiving realms of League One. At base level, while still inexperienced, he has the precise profile of what Barton wants from a centre-back and should the opportunity present itself, it’ll be hard to see the Rovers manager delivering a firm “no” to the prospect of him returning for a full season.
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