The following article is a list of footballers past and present who have played for Bristol Rovers Football Club.

In the club's early history the appearance record was held by goalkeeper Arthur Cartlidge,Byrne & Jay (2003), p. 82 who played in 258 Southern League games between 1901 and 1909.Byrne & Jay (2003), p. 88 His record stood until it was broken by another goalkeeper, Jesse Whatley, who played 14 times in the Southern League and a further 372 in The Football League, making a total of 386 overall.Jay & Byrne (1994), pp. 286–287 Following the Second World War the Bristol Rovers board introduced a no-buy/no-sell policy, which remained in force until the abolition of the maximum wage in football in 1961; as a result some players in that era had a high number of appearances for the club.Giles (2007), p. 22 Eight of the top nine most-used players played during this time, each making over 400 appearances. These eight were Bobby Jones (421 appearances), Alfie Biggs (424), Ray Warren (450), Harold Jarman (452), George Petherbridge (457), Geoff Bradford (462), Jack Pitt (466), and Harry Bamford (486).Jay & Byrne (1994), p. 95 The club's all-time leading appearance maker, Stuart Taylor, played in 546 League games between 1965 and 1980.Jay & Byrne (1994), p. 264 The club's highest scorer by a wide margin is Geoff Bradford, who scored 242 times in The Football League,Rollin & Rollin (2009), p. 115 exceeding the next-highest scorer Alfie Biggs by 64 goals.Jay & Byrne (1994), p. 72

Players

The list of players below includes all team members who have played in at least 100 professional league games for Bristol Rovers, which includes games played in the Southern League (1899–1920), Football League (1920–2014 and 2015–) and Football Conference (2014–15), and also includes substitute appearances.

Statistics are correct as of match played 26 September 2026

Position key: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward

+ Table of players, including nationality, playing position and club statisticsPlayerNationalityClub careerGoals ‡FW2003–200612641 MF1972–19802343 DF1986–19942916 DF2006–20121637 MF1903–19081809 MF1991–199712613 DF1922–19261220 ‡MF2000–200311016 DF1946–19584865 FW1971–197720680 MF1979–198412818 DF1974–19811983–19863103 FW1995–199810939 DF1911–19151010 DF1925–19301292 FW1953–19611962–1968424178 ‡FW1949–1964462242 FW1910–191510624 FW1963–196815632 DF2011–201828521 ‡MF1989–199717411 MF/FW1947–195511319 MF2004–20112913 DF2005 (loan)2005–20081001 GK1901–19092580 DF1998–20031461 MF1992–199613010 FW1904–190813335 DF1987–199724812 DF2015–20191122 MF2011–202023520 DF2007–20111023 GK1994–19991070 FW2021–202411735 FW1901–19031904–19051908–191113952 FW1913–192115036 FW1996–200017472 DF1960–19672114 DF1973–19791301 MF2004–200920325 ‡FW1928–193210033 DF1932–19361360 DF1901–19061551 GK1973–19771830 FW1999–200211635 DF2004–201021817 MF2021–202412121 FW1970–197712021 MF2021–20241045 DF1997–20021977 DF1947–19552762 FW2015–2016 (loan)2016–201810021 MF1965–197113333 DF1897–19041051 DF1992–19971089 MF/FW2002–201014715 MF/FW1952–195912012 GK1959–19671630 FW1958–196814960 † MF/FW2011–20182025–23056 DF1910–19202191 DF1921–19312905 DF1957–196831812 DF2004–20091533 FW1946–195011820 MF1981–19851987–19911996–199939742 ‡FW1953–1962297101 GK1950–19531040 ‡MF2008–201112928 MF1959–1973452127 FW1956–19661967–1973421101 DF1962–19661530 DF1976–19821984 (loan)1985–199338112 ‡MF1966–197222428 † DF2019–20232025–1285 FW2008–201213032 FW1945–1955268117 ‡FW2006–200912851 DF2014–20191151 DF2004 (loan)2004–20102075 MF2004–20112015 (loan)2015–201931430 ‡DF2012–20192025–20262716 FW1923–192610515 ‡DF1977–198213110 MF1956–196939527 ‡GK1987–19891010 MF1933–195026114 DF1980–198518411 DF2013–20171140 MF1933–19381341 FW1932–193511342 MF1985–199422263 FW1953–195813960 GK2013 (loan)2013–20171270 FW1994–199712729 FW1920–192511425 FW1946–195210424 DF/MF/FW1962–197116911 GK1936–19391120 ‡DF1936–19391016 MF/FW1958–196613211 FW1912–19131919–192210214 DF2012 (loan)2012–20161757 GK1989–19961999–20002460 DF1981–198620612 DF1963–19773600 MF/FW1983–19891997–200225760 FW1908–191521642 FW1945–196245785 GK2006–20101360 DF1931–19372151 MF1946–196046616 MF1990–199411310 MF1967–198036222 DF1994–20011631 DF1902–19071160 DF/MF1975–19811982–19841305 MF1985–199215322 DF1955–19621390 GK1951–19622450 FW1977–19781981–1986277107wiki MF1987–199323917 MF/FW2009–201412015 ‡DF/MF1968–19731756 MF/FW1925–19301206 GK1909–19151781 FW1948–195717849 MF1948–19613404 FW1990–199314242 MF2017–202010313 MF1909–19121036 GK1969–19751510 DF1919–19221926–192711118 MF20052022–202510012 MF2014–20191427 MF1991–199818711 ‡DF1980–19851484 MF1905–19101053 ‡DF2011–20141011 FW1974–197915332 DF/MF1968–19761727 FW1981–198512740 MF1970–197722311 MF1993–19961196 FW1991–199617157 DF1960–19681486 MF1952–19642145 DF1985–19881073 DF2021–22 (loan)2023–20251174 FW2014–201711861 DF1965–198054628 MF2021–2022 (loan) 2023–20261329 ‡GK1977–19831620 DF1999–20021276 DF1992–200025311 DF1986–19932526 MF1912–191510712 FW2004–200914346 MF1919–19221928–19291249 FW1973–197714453 ‡FW1954–196117590 MF1936–195645028 DF/FW1945–19571157 DF/FW1947–196332319 GK1945–19511410 GK1919–19303860 FW1923–192813440 FW1987–199220252 FW1977–19791983–198615044 DF1981–198516320 ‡MF1975–198535266 ‡MF1980–19851418 MF1909–19121061 DF1986–19931970

Footnotes Unless otherwise stated, all international caps are taken from Byrne & Jay (2003).Byrne & Jay (2003), pp. 486–487 A player's nationality is defined as the country they have represented at the international level if they have done so; otherwise it is their country of birth. Playing positions are taken from Byrne & Jay (2003) unless otherwise stated. Number of league appearances for Bristol Rovers Number of league goals scored for Bristol Rovers Unless otherwise stated, player statistics are taken from Byrne & Jay (2003).Byrne & Jay (2003), pp. 489–508 Matt O'Mahoney was a dual Irish international, having played for both the FAI and IFA national teams.

See also List of Bristol Rovers F.C. international players List of Bristol Rovers F.C. players (25–99 appearances) :Category:Bristol Rovers F.C. players Bristol Rovers F.C.#Current squad

References

Bibliography