During 2011 and 2012, Bristol Rovers Football Club participated in League Two, the fourth level of English football. It was 129th season of football played by Bristol Rovers, and their 85th in the Football League. The previous saw Bristol Rovers end a four-year tenure in League One. Despite initial optimism of an instant return, the campaign proved disappointing as Rovers struggled for much of the season under new manager Paul Buckle before being replaced by Mark McGhee who brought about an upturn in fortunes to finish 13th.
The 2011–12 campaign saw Bristol Rovers play Burton Albion, Crawley Town and Morecambe for the first time, and featured a number of local matches against the likes of Cheltenham Town, Plymouth Argyle, Swindon Town, and Torquay United.
Season events
May – Bristol Rovers announce that 17 players will be released at the end of their contracts at the end of June. Striker Will Hoskins is transferred to Brighton & Hove Albion for an undisclosed fee. – Paul Buckle is appointed manager of Bristol Rovers, after leaving the manager position of Torquay United.
June – Bristol Rovers sign midfielder Matthew Gill and goalkeeper Scott Bevan. – Bristol Rovers sign midfielder Craig Stanley from Morecambe. – Bristol Rovers announce plans to move to a new 20,000 capacity stadium to be based on UWE's Frenchay campus – Bristol Rovers defender Danny Coles leaves transferred to westcountry rivals Exeter City. – Bristol Rovers sign defender Adam Virgo after he rejected a new contract at Yeovil Town. – Bristol Rovers sign Matt Harrold from Shrewsbury Town F.C. for an undisclosed fee. Former QPR defender Lee Brown signs on a two-year deal. – Bristol Rovers sign Mustapha Carayol for an undisclosed fee from Lincoln City. – Bristol Rovers sign 22-year-old defender Michael Smith from Ballymena United in Northern Ireland. – Bristol Rovers complete signing of 25-year-old goalkeeper Lance Cronin and striker Scott McGleish. Dominic Blizzard departs after having his contract terminated. – Harry Pell left the club after rejecting Bristol Rovers' offer of a new contract.
July – Chris Zebroski joins Bristol Rovers for an undisclosed fee from fellow South West outfit Torquay United. – Bristol Rovers sign former Bristol City and Charlton Athletic player Joe Anyinsah. – Bristol Rovers sign striker Kayne McLaggon and re-sign Leicester City defender Cian Bolger on a six-month loan deal. – Defender Michael Boateng joins Bristol Rovers on a one-year deal after impressing on trial.
August – Matt Gill is appointed captain of Bristol Rovers whilst Adam Virgo as vice captain. – Bristol Rovers begin the new season with a 3–2 win away to Football League new boys AFC Wimbledon live on Sky Sports. 11 players made their debuts with Byron Anthony the only non-debutant to start while Chris Lines and Jo Kuffour came off the bench. – The League Cup match against Watford was postponed after a police request. This came as a result of ongoing rioting in Bristol and across England. – Bristol Rovers sell Chris Lines to South Yorkshire team Sheffield Wednesday for a fee believed to be in the region of £50,000. – Torquay United, Paul Buckle's former club, beat Bristol Rovers 2–1 on the first home game of the season. – Bristol Rovers progress through to the League cup second round after a 4–2 penalties win over Championship side Watford. – Defender Danny Woodards joins Bristol Rovers signing a one-year deal. – League One side Leyton Orient knock Bristol Rovers out of the League Cup following a 3–2 win for the London side. – Ben Swallow joined Bath City on a three-month loan deal.
September – Bristol Rovers lose in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy first round to Wycombe Wanderers. – Charlie Clough joined Bath City on a month-long loan. – Bristol Rovers sign Oliver Norburn on a months loan from Leicester City. – Jo Kuffour is loaned to Gillingham for three months.
October – Bristol Rovers sign Wycombe striker Scott Rendell on loan for one month. – Charlie Clough had his loan at Bath City extended by another month. – Kayne McLaggon and Michael Boateng joined Tonbridge Angels on loan, while Charlie Reece joined Gloucester City also on loan. – Oliver Norburn's loan with Bristol Rovers was extended until the end of 2011.
November – Bristol Rovers sign central midfielder Andy Dorman on loan. – Bristol Rovers progress through to the second round of the FA Cup with a 3–1 win against Corby Town. – Charlie Clough had his Bath City extended for a third straight month. – Ben Swallow was recalled from his Bath City loan.
December – Bristol Rovers hammer AFC Totton 6–1 in the FA Cup second-round match screened live on ITV. – Former captain and caretaker manager Stuart Campbell was released by Bristol Rovers. Michael Boateng joined Sutton United on loan for one month.
January – Goalkeeper Michael Poke and defender Aaron Downes joined Bristol Rovers on month long loan deals from Brighton & Hove Albion and Chesterfield respectively. Cian Bolger's loan was extended for another month. – Manager Paul Buckle was sacked as manager of Bristol Rovers with the club 19th in League Two. Buckle left the club having won just six league games out of 24 and winless since October in the league. – Bristol Rovers extend Andy Dorman's loan for another month. – Aston Villa beat Bristol Rovers 3–1 in the third round of the FA Cup in a match broadcast live on ESPN. – Jo Kuffour left Bristol Rovers on a permanent basis, joining Gillingham. – Bristol Rovers appointed Mark McGhee as the club's new manager on a two-and-a-half-year contract. – Aaron Downes, Andy Dorman and Cian Bolger all had their loans at Bristol Rovers extended until the end of the season. Goalkeeper Michael Poke has his loan extended by a further month. – Bristol Rovers signed Stoke City midfielder Matthew Lund on a monthlong loan. Charlie Reece joined Tamworth on loan for one month. – Bristol Rovers terminate Ben Swallow's contract. Jim Paterson joined Bristol Rovers until the end of the season.
February – Tom Parkes joined Bristol Rovers on a month's loan from Leicester City. – Byron Anthony joined Hereford United on loan for one month. – Bristol Rovers goalkeeper Lance Cronin rejoined his former club Ebbsfleet United on loan for a month. – Michael Poke's loan at Bristol Rovers was extended for a third and final month. – Bristol Rovers extend the loan of Matthew Lund from Stoke City until the end of April.
March – Striker Scott McGleish joined Barnet on loan for one month. – Planning permission for Bristol Rovers' new stadium, UWE Stadium, was submitted. Charlie Clough joined AFC Telford United on loan for one month. – Byron Anthony's loan at Hereford United was extended to the end of the season. – Ollie Clarke joined Clevedon Town on loan for the remainder of the season.
April – Scott McGleish's loan with Barnet was extended for the rest of the season. – Bristol Rovers hammer Burton Albion 7–1, the first time Rovers have scored 7 past anyone since 1973. It was also manager Mark McGhee's biggest victory of his managerial career so far. – Youngsters Eliot Richards and Ollie Clarke sign contracts extensions at Bristol Rovers of two years and one year respectively.
May – Conor Gough signed for Bristol Rovers on an emergency seven-day loan from Charlton Athletic. Rovers had already agreed to sign Gough permanently in the summer. – Bristol Rovers' season finished on a disappointing note, losing 4–0 to Dagenham & Redbridge. They finished 13th in the league table having picked up 57 points.
First team As of 5 May 2012. No. Name Nationality Position Date Of Birth (Age) Previous club Notes Goalkeepers 1 Scott Bevan GK Torquay United 20 Conor Gough GK On loan from Charlton Athletic 25 Lance Cronin GK Gillingham 38 Matt Macey GK Youth team graduate Defenders 2 Michael Smith DF Ballymena United 3 Gary Sawyer DF Plymouth Argyle 4 Danny Woodards DF Milton Keynes Dons 5 Cian Bolger DF On loan from Leicester City 14 Lee Brown DF Queens Park Rangers 15 Byron Anthony DF Cardiff City On loan at Hereford United 17 Jim Paterson DF Shamrock Rovers 19 Adam Virgo DF Yeovil Town Vice Captain 22 Charlie Clough DF Youth team graduate 30 Michael Boateng DF Carshalton Athletic 33 Aaron Downes DF On loan from Chesterfield 37 Tom Parkes DF On loan from Leicester City Midfielders 6 Craig Stanley MF Morecambe 8 Matt Gill MF Norwich City Captain 11 Mustapha Carayol MF Lincoln City 16 Joe Anyinsah MF Charlton Athletic 21 Wayne Brown MF Fulham 23 Matthew Lund MF On loan from Stoke City 24 Ollie Clarke MF Youth team graduate On loan at Clevedon Town 29 Darren Jefferies MF Youth team graduate 31 Shaquille Hunter MF Youth team graduate 34 Andy Dorman MF On loan from Crystal Palace 35 Jordan Goddard MF Youth team graduate Strikers 9 Matt Harrold FW Shrewsbury Town 10 Scott McGleish FW Leyton Orient On loan at Barnet 18 Eliot Richards FW Youth team graduate 26 Chris Zebroski FW Torquay United 27 Kayne McLaggon FW Salisbury City 28 Lamar Powell FW Youth team graduate 32 Mitch Harding FW Youth team graduate
Squad statistics
Appearances, goals and cards
As of 5 May 2012. No.Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupJP TrophyTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GK Scott Bevan380202010410002DF Michael Smith200002010240003DF Gary Sawyer240300000270104DF Danny Woodards391311010442405DF Cian Bolger3922010004221116MF Craig Stanley331202010391708MF Matthew Gill330002010360609FW Matt Harrold401620111144186010FW Scott McGleish2772220103191011MF Mustapha Carayol3143220003567014DF Lee Brown4173020104773015DF Byron Anthony1611120102024016MF Joe Anyinsah3142100003252017DF Jim Paterson1710000001712018FW Eliot Richards32732111037104019DF Adam Virgo910020001111020GK Conor Gough10000000100021MF Wayne Brown1200020101501022MF Charlie Clough00000000000023MF Matthew Lund1320000001323024MF Ollie Clarke00000000000025GK Lance Cronin10000000100026FW Chris Zebroski39331210044513027FW Kayne McLaggon10100000200028FW Lamar Powell00000000000029MF Darren Jefferies00100000100030DF Michael Boateng00000010100031MF Shaquille Hunter00000000000032DF Mitch Harding10000000100033MF Aaron Downes80100000901034MF Andy Dorman2523000002824035MF Jordan Goddard00100000100037DF Tom Parkes14000000014011Players appeared for Bristol Rovers who have left:—MF Chris Lines100000001000—FW Scott Rendell500000005000—MF Stuart Campbell11000101013020—MF Oliver Norburn501000006000—FW Jo Kuffour510010006100—MF Ben Swallow001000001001—GK Michael Poke801000009010
Competitions
Overall
League Two
Standings
Results summary
Results by round
Scores Overview OppositionHome ScoreAway ScoreDoubleAccrington Stanley 5–1 1–2 6–3AFC Wimbledon 1–0 3–2 4–2Aldershot Town 0–1 0–1 0–2Barnet 0–2 0–2 0–4Bradford City 2–1 2–2 4–3Burton Albion 7–1 1–2 8–3Cheltenham Town 1–3 2–0 3–3Crawley Town 0–0 1–4 1–4Crewe Alexandra 2–5 0–3 2–8Dagenham & Redbridge 2–0 0–4 2–4Gillingham 2–2 1–4 3–6Hereford United 0–0 2–1 2–1Macclesfield Town 0–0 0–0 0–0Morecambe 2–1 3–2 5–3Northampton Town 2–1 2–3 4–4Oxford United 0–0 0–3 0–3Plymouth Argyle 2–3 1–1 3–4Port Vale 0–3 0–1 0–4Rotherham United 5–2 1–0 6–2Shrewsbury Town 1–0 0–1 1–1Southend United 1–0 1–1 2–1Swindon Town 1–1 0–0 1–1Torquay United 1–2 2–2 3–4
Matches
League Two
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
FA Cup
Football League Cup
Football League Trophy
Pre-season friendlies
Transfers
In