The 2013–14 season was the 131st season in Bristol Rovers' history and their 87th in the Football League. For the third season in a row, Rovers competed in the basement division of the Football League, League Two, having finished 14th in the 2012–13 season.
During the season, Rovers played their first competitive fixture against Newport County since their reformation and their first against Portsmouth in 20 years. They also competed in the first competitive Bristol derby since 2007, losing to Bristol City in the first round of the Football League Trophy at Ashton Gate Stadium.
The season ultimately finished in disappointment as Rovers were relegated out of the Football League for the first time since their admission in 1920. Despite Rovers only ever occupying one of the two relegation places following the final game of the season, the threat of relegation surrounded the club for the entire season.
Season events
Pre-season
April – Defender Michael Smith signed a new two-year deal with Rovers. – Striker Matt Harrold agreed a new one-year deal at Rovers with the option of a further year extension. – John Ward agreed to a new one year rolling contract. Eurocams were announced as new home shirt sponsors and Highspec Travel Services as new away shirt sponsors. Second-year scholars Josh Southway and Pat Keary signed one-year contracts while first-year scholar Jamie Lucas signed a two-year contract. – Alefe Santos signed his first professional deal with Rovers. – Jim Paterson signed a one-year contract extension having triggered a clause in his previous contract. – It was confirmed that winger Joe Anyinsah would be released upon completion of his contract. – Defender Mark McChrystal agreed a two-year contract with Rovers.
May – Rovers retained list confirmed that Scott Bevan, Adam Virgo, Ross Staley and Oumare Tounkara would leave the club on completion of their contracts. A number of players were offered contract extensions. – Tom Lockyer agreed a two-year contract with Rovers, his first professional contract. – Midfielder Ollie Clarke signed a one-year contract extension. – Goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall agreed a two-year deal with Rovers with an option of a third year. Mildenhall had spent time on loan with Rovers during the previous season.
June – Midfielders Fabian Broghammer and Jordan Goddard agreed new one-year contracts. – Winger Ellis Harrison agreed a three-year contract with Rovers. – Salisbury City manager Darrell Clarke was appointed as Rovers' new Assistant Manager, taking on the role vacated since Shaun North left the club in April. Seanan Clucas agreed a one-year contract extension. – Oliver Norburn signed a one-year contract extension.
July – John-Joe O'Toole re-joined Rovers on a permanent three-year contract for an undisclosed fee from Colchester United. O'Toole played a major part in Rovers' upturn in form the previous season.
August – For the second season in succession, Rovers are knocked out of the League Cup first round by Championship opposition, losing 3–1 at home to Watford. – Danny Woodards signed a new one-year deal with Rovers.
September – The first Bristol derby in over six years ends in defeat for Rovers, losing 2–1 to local rivals Bristol City in the Football League Trophy first round. The match, which was broadcast live on Sky Sports, was overshadowed by a post match pitch invasion by a number of supporters, leading to more than 60 arrests being made and three police officers injured. – Rovers captain Tom Parkes agreed a one-year contract extension to keep him at the club until 2016. – Midfielder Andy Bond joined on a one-month loan deal from Colchester United.
October – Rovers sign defender Will Packwood and winger Alex Henshall on one-month loans from Birmingham City and Manchester City respectively. – Midfielder and former captain Matthew Gill joined former club Exeter City on loan until the end of 2013. – Former youth team Goalkeeper Matt Macey joined Arsenal. Though Macey was out of contract at Rovers, the club will receive a compensation fee believed to be around £100,000. – Striker Chris Beardsley joined on a one-month loan deal from Preston North End.
November – Jordan Goddard joined Gloucester City on loan for one month. – Will Packwood's loan from Birmingham City was extended by two further months. – Striker Chris Beardsley agreed a loan extension with Rovers, keeping him at the club until 5 January.
December – Defender Will Packwood was recalled by parent club Birmingham City. – Garry Kenneth's contract with Rovers was terminated by mutual consent. – Rovers' FA Cup second round replay with Crawley Town is abandoned after 75 minutes. – It was announced that midfielder and former club captain Matthew Gill's contract would be terminated to allow him to join Exeter City permanently.
January – Forward Chris Beardsley's loan from Preston North End was extended to the end of the season. – Defender Jim Paterson joined Celtic Nation on loan until the end of the season. – Rovers are eliminated from the FA Cup by Championship side Birmingham City in the third round. – Shaquille Hunter's agent confirmed that the winger's contract with Rovers was terminated just before Christmas following a series of disciplinary issues. Port Vale winger Kaid Mohamed joined Rovers on loan until the end of the season.
February – Steven Gillespie signed for Rovers until the end of the season, having been released from his Fleetwood Town contract in January. – Exeter City midfielder Alan Gow joined Rovers on loan for the remainder of the season with Rovers forward Eliot Richards moving in the opposite direction.
March – Tom Lockyer signed a contract extension, keeping him at Rovers until the summer of 2016. – Ollie Clarke agreed a contract extension at Rovers, committing to the club until 2016. – John Ward was replaced as manager by assistant Darrell Clarke. Ward became the club's new Director of Football.
April – Midfielder Oliver Norburn left Rovers by mutual consent. – Michael Smith and John-Joe O'Toole were selected in the 2013–14 PFA Team of the Year for League Two.
May – Rovers' final game of the season ended in a 1–0 defeat to Mansfield Town. Coupled with wins for Northampton Town and Wycombe Wanderers, the result meant that Rovers were relegated to the Conference Premier. – Rovers' retained list confirmed that 12 players, Fabian Broghammer, David Clarkson, Seanan Clucas, Steven Gillespie, Jordan Goddard, Conor Gough, Mitch Harding, Pat Keary, Jim Paterson, Eliot Richards, Josh Southway and Danny Woodards, were to be released on completion of their contracts. Ellis Harrison was placed on the transfer list. Lee Brown and Alefe Santos were offered new contracts and Michael Smith was offered a contract extension. – John Ward was sacked as the club's Director of Football, just 41 days after taking up the role.
First team As of 3 May 2014. No. Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Club caps Club goals Int. caps Int. goals Previous club Notes Goalkeepers 1 Steve Mildenhall GK Swindon 13 May 1979 68 0 0 0 Millwall 20 Conor Gough GK Ilford 9 August 1993 2 0 0 0 Charlton Athletic Defenders 2 Michael Smith RB Ballyclare 4 September 1988 101 1 0 0 Ballymena United 3 Jim Paterson LB Bellshill 25 September 1979 43 1 0 0 Shamrock Rovers On loan at Celtic Nation 4 Danny Woodards RB Forest Gate 8 October 1983 70 4 0 0 Milton Keynes Dons 6 Tom Parkes CB Sutton-in-Ashfield 15 January 1992 98 2 0 0 Leicester City Club captain 14 Lee Brown LB Farnborough 10 August 1990 122 12 0 0 Queens Park Rangers 29 Mark McChrystal CB Derry 26 June 1984 56 0 0 0 Tranmere Rovers Vice Captain 30 Tom Lockyer CB Cardiff 3 December 1994 45 1 0 0 Youth team graduate 34 Pat Keary CB Patchway 22 November 1992 1 0 0 0 Youth team graduate 35 Josh Southway RB 0 0 0 0 Youth team graduate Midfielders 11 Fabian Broghammer LM Heppenheim 14 January 1990 40 3 0 0 FC Bayern Alzenau 16 Alan Gow AM Clydebank 9 October 1982 4 0 0 0 On loan from Exeter City 17 Ellis Harrison LM/FW Newport 29 January 1994 39 4 0 0 Youth team graduate 21 Jake Green CM Keynsham 12 March 1994 0 0 0 0 Mansfield Town On loan at Weymouth 23 Jordan Goddard CM Wolverhampton 22 March 1993 0 0 0 0 Youth team graduate On loan at Gloucester City 24 Ollie Clarke CM Bristol 29 June 1992 38 2 0 0 Youth team graduate 25 Seanan Clucas CM Dungannon 8 November 1992 36 0 0 0 Preston North End 32 John-Joe O'Toole CM Harrow 30 September 1988 59 16 0 0 Colchester United 33 Alefe Santos RM São Paulo 1 March 1995 24 1 0 0 Youth team graduate 39 Kaid Mohamed MF Cardiff 23 July 1984 21 4 0 0 On loan from Port Vale Forwards 7 David Clarkson CF/CM Bellshill 10 September 1985 60 12 2 1 Bristol City 8 Steven Gillespie CF Liverpool 4 June 1985 13 1 0 0 Fleetwood Town 9 Matt Harrold CF Leyton 25 July 1984 76 24 0 0 Shrewsbury Town 10 Eliot Richards CF New Tredegar 10 September 1991 115 25 0 0 Youth team graduate On loan at Exeter City 18 Mitch Harding CF Weston-super-Mare 27 January 1994 17 0 0 0 Youth team graduate 19 Chris Beardsley CF Derby 28 February 1984 24 1 0 0 On loan from Preston North End 26 Ryan Brunt CF Birmingham 26 May 1993 29 5 0 0 Stoke City 36 Jamie Lucas CF Pontypridd 7 December 1995 1 0 0 0 Youth team graduate
Transfers
In DatePlayerPositionTransferred fromFeeRef.1 July 2013Steve MildenhallGKMillwallFree1 July 2013Pat KearyDF Youth team graduate1 July 2013Jamie LucasFW Youth team graduate1 July 2013Josh SouthwayDF Youth team graduate24 July 2013John-Joe O'TooleMFColchester UnitedUndisclosed6 February 2014Steven GillespieFWFleetwood TownFree
Loans in Date fromPlayerPositionTransferred fromDate untilRef.12 September 2013Andy BondMFColchester United12 October 201317 October 2013Alex HenshallMFManchester City17 November 201317 October 2013Will PackwoodDFBirmingham City11 December 201331 October 2013Chris BeardsleyFWPreston North EndEnd of season23 January 2014Kaid MohamedMFPort ValeEnd of season8 February 2014Alan GowMFExeter CityEnd of season
Out DatePlayerPositionTransferred toFeeRef.30 June 2013Joe AnyinsahFWWrexhamFree30 June 2013Scott BevanGKHavant & WaterloovilleFree30 June 2013Ross StaleyMFYate TownFree30 June 2013Oumare TounkaraFWStevenageFree30 June 2013Adam VirgoDFRetired17 December 2013Garry KennethDFBrechin CityFreeLate December 2013Shaquille HunterMFMangotsfield UnitedFree2 January 2014Matthew GillMFExeter CityFree4 April 2014Oliver NorburnMFPlymouth ArgyleFree
Loans out Date fromPlayerPositionTransferred toDate untilRef.18 October 2013Matthew GillMFExeter City1 January 20141 November 2013Jordan GoddardMFGloucester City1 December 201321 December 2013Jake GreenMFWeymouth9 January 2014Jim PatersonDFCeltic NationEnd of season16 January 2014Jordan GoddardMFGloucester City7 February 2014Eliot RichardsFWExeter CityEnd of season
Squad statistics
Appearances, goals and cards