The 2006–07 season was the 124th year of football played by Bristol Rovers, and their 80th season in The Football League, and covers the period from 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007. After finishing sixth in Football League Two, Rovers won the playoff final for the first time in their history, and won promotion for only the fourth time since joining The Football League. The previous promotions were all automatic, and came in the 1952–53, 1973–74 and 1989–90 seasons.
The season began with a subdued atmosphere among fans, caused by six previous seasons of poor performances and a bitter boardroom split, resulting in four directors leaving the club.Turl hits out at Bristol Rovers BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 October 2006Kim Stuckey steps down from board Bristol Rovers Supporters Club website. Retrieved 16 October 2006 However, as the season progressed the team gradually climbed up the league and reached the fourth round of the FA Cup, and the final of the Football League Trophy.
Review and events
The pre-season period was a turbulent one, with a potential take-over of the club by Mike Turl being rejected by then-chairman Geoff Dunford. Directors Kevin Spencer and Colin Williams left the club in protest at the rejection, followed shortly after by the Bristol Rovers Supporters Club representative on the football club's board, Kim Stuckey.
Ryan Green had signed for the club from Hereford United at the end of the previous season, and he was joined by three more new players before the start of the 2006–07 season. Sammy Igoe, who had been on loan at Rovers from Millwall the previous season, joined on a full-time basis, young defender Byron Anthony, who had yet to make an appearance in the Football League, joined from Cardiff City, and experienced goalkeeper Steve Phillips crossed the city to join from local rivals Bristol City.
A number of players left the club following the end of the 2005–06 season. Senior players John Anderson, who had been assistant manager to Paul Trollope during his spell as caretaker manager the previous year, Ali Gibb, Jon Bass and Christian Edwards were released, while Jamie Forrester moved to Lincoln City on a free transfer. Also leaving the club were a number of younger players who had failed to earn extensions to their contracts. These were Mark Preece, Matt Thorne, Ben Willshire and goalkeepers Ryan Clarke and Martin Horsell.
The first game of the season was away to Peterborough United in League Two, and ended in a 4–1 defeat, resulting in the lowest league position, 23rd, that Rovers would occupy all season. As the season progressed, Rovers gradually climbed the league table, eventually clinching a playoff spot after winning their final league match 2–1 against Hartlepool United.
The playoff campaign was high-scoring, with there being an average of goals per game in the three matches played. The semi-final was against Lincoln City, and was played over two legs. The first leg at the Memorial Stadium was won 2–1 by Rovers, thanks to goals by Craig Disley and Richard Walker. The second leg was played at Sincil Bank and ended 5–3, with Stuart Campbell, Rickie Lambert, Richard Walker, Sammy Igoe and Sean Rigg scoring the goals. This gave Rovers a 7–4 aggregate win and a place in the final at Wembley Stadium. A record attendance for a League Two playoff final of 61,589 watched the game, and saw Rovers win the match 3–1 and gain promotion for only the fourth time in the club's history. Richard Walker scored two of the goals and Sammy Igoe scored the other.
The League Cup campaign was a brief one. Rovers were knocked out in the first round by Luton Town on penalty kicks after drawing the match 1–1. The FA Cup was more successful, with the team reaching the fourth round where they were beaten 1–0 by Derby County. The best cup run of the season was in the Football League Trophy, where they reached the final after beating rivals Bristol City 1–0 in the southern area final. The game was played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, but resulted in a 3–2 defeat after extra time, the score being 2–2 after 90 minutes.
Chronological list of events This is a list of the significant events to occur at the club during the 2006–07 season, presented in chronological order. This list does not include transfers, which are listed in the transfers section below, or match results, which are in the results section.
28 July: Played a pre-season friendly against Plymouth Argyle wearing pink shirts. bristolrovers.co.uk. Retrieved 16 October 2006 22 August: Knocked out of the League Cup at the first round by Luton Town on penalties, having drawn the match 1–1. bristolrovers.co.uk. Retrieved 16 October 2006 15 September: The club submit plans for a new 18,000-seat stadium to Bristol City Council.Club submit revised stadium plan BBC News. Retrieved 16 October 2006 27 September: Rovers record their first win in a home midweek evening game for almost two years. The 2–1 win over Hereford United was the first since beating Chester City 4–1 on 7 December 2004. This was also the first game this season where Rovers scored more than one goal in the match.BBC Radio Bristol, 7 October 2006 6 October: Chairman Geoff Dunford announces that he will step down from his position at the end of April 2007, but intends to remain as a director of the club.Rovers chairman to leave position BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 October 2006 7 October: Back to back home wins recorded for the first time since May 2005, thanks to a 1–0 win over Boston United following on from the victory over Hereford United the previous week. 9 October: Kevin Hodges is appointed as head of youth football. He also takes charge of the reserve team as part of his duties. bristolrovers.co.uk. Retrieved 16 October 2006 16 October: Rod King is appointed to the club's board of directors. bristolrovers.co.uk. Retrieved 17 October 2006 17 October: Former player Carl Saunders is appointed as the club's Community Liaison Officer. bristolrovers.co.uk. Retrieved 17 October 2006 11 November: Sean Rigg suffers a broken jaw after being punched by James Cotterill during an FA Cup first round match at Barrow.Barrow launch probe into 'punch' BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 November 2006. 10 January: Rovers receive £50,000 as part of the deal taking Scott Sinclair to ChelseaChelsea compensation figures confirmed The Football League. Retrieved 2 February 2007. after he makes his debut for the London club.Wycombe 1–1 Chelsea BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 February 2007. 17 January: Bristol City Council grant planning permission for a new 18,000 capacity all-seater stadium to be built on the site of the Memorial Stadium.Memorial Stadium given go-ahead BBC News. Retrieved 18 January 2007. 27 January: Rovers knocked out of the FA Cup in the fourth round by Derby County.Derby 1–0 Bristol Rovers BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 January 2007. 27 February: Rovers reach the final of the Football League Trophy by beating rivals Bristol City 1–0 on aggregate over the two legs of the southern area final.Bristol Rovers 1–0 Bristol City BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 February 2007 29 March: Rovers announce that Ron Craig will succeed Geoff Dunford as chairman of the club from 2 April 2007.Rovers appoint Ron Craig as chairman BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 March 2007. 1 April: Rovers are beaten 3–2 (after extra time) by Doncaster Rovers in the final of the Football League Trophy at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.Bristol Rovers 2–3 Doncaster AET BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 April 2007 21 April: Byron Anthony signed a new 2-year contract with Rovers, tying him to the club until the end of the 2008–09 season.Byron gets new two-year deal bristolrovers.co.uk. Retrieved 21 April 2007 30 April: Steve Phillips signs a two-year extension to his contract, which was due to expire in summer 2008. This keeps him at the club until 2010.Phillips signs new deal Sky Sports. Retrieved 2 May 2007 5 May: Rovers finish the season in 6th place, earning a spot in the playoffs. bristolrovers.co.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2007 11 May: Mike Green and James Palmer were offered new contracts. 16 May: Stuart Campbell signs a new two-year contract. 17 May: Rovers beat Lincoln City 5–3 at Sincil Bank to win 7–4 on aggregate and reach their second major final of the season, the League Two play-off final. It was their first appearance at the new Wembley Stadium. Rovers became only the second club to play at both the Millennium Stadium and Wembley in one season behind Chelsea who played the League Cup final at the Millennium Stadium on 25 February 2007 and played the FA Cup final on 19 May 2007. 26 May: Rovers beat Shrewsbury Town 3–1 in the Football League Two play-off final at Wembley Stadium to clinch promotion to League One. Richard Walker scored two goals and Sammy Igoe one after having gone 1–0 down. A record crowd for a League Two playoff final of 61,589 watched the game. 5 June: The club announce that the first team will play their home games at Whaddon Road in Cheltenham while the Memorial Stadium is being redeveloped. The move is due to happen in December 2007. 21 June: Steve Elliott signs a new three-year contract, running until June 2010.
Match results Bristol Rovers played a total of 62 competitive matches during the 2006–07 season, as well as nine pre-season friendlies, making a total of 71 games played. The team finished sixth in Football League Two, reaching the play-offs for the first time since the 1997–98 season.
In the cup competitions, Rovers were knocked out of the League Cup at the first round stage in a penalty shootout, having drawn 1–1 with Championship side Luton Town after extra time. They fared better in the FA Cup however, reaching the fourth round stage where they lost again to a Championship team; this time Derby County. The most successful cup competition for Rovers was the Football League Trophy, in which they reached the final for the first time since the 1989–90 competition. They were beaten by Doncaster Rovers after extra time at the Millennium Stadium.
Legend WinDrawLoss
Football League Two