The 1886–87 season was the fourth to be played by the team that are now known as Bristol Rovers, and their third playing under the name Eastville Rovers.
Season review As with each of their previous three seasons, Eastville Rovers continued to play only friendly matches this year, but the "dribbling code" (as it was sometimes called at the time) of football was now gaining in popularity and the club were beginning to play against a wider variety of opposition. New team colours of Oxford and Cambridge blue were adopted, although the precise design of the kit is not documented.Byrne & Jay (2003), p.31
Two Eastville Rovers players took part in an unusual match on New Year's Day, when Clifton Association took on a Rest of Bristol XI in Warmley. The Rest of Bristol team consisted of players from Warmley, St George and Eastville Rovers, and included Rovers pair W. Perrin and H. Horsey in the forward line.
Eastville Rovers were still not particularly well-known at this point, as evidenced by the fact that Weston-super-Mare RFC arranged two matches against them believing them to be a rugby team. Later, when Weston discovered that Rovers were an association football club, the games were cancelled.
Most of the results from this season are not known, but of the games where a result is documented Rovers recorded three wins, two draws and a defeat.
Results First team DateOpponentVenueResultNotes23 October 1886WarmleyThe Downs, BristolWon 1–0Won by one goal and one disputed goal30 October 1886Clifton AssociationThe Downs, Bristol Byrne & Jay (2003), p.296 November 1886ClevedonClevedon, SomersetLost 0–327 November 1886St MathiasThe Downs, Bristol 4 December 1886BridgwaterThe Downs, Bristol 11 December 1886St GeorgeSt George, BristolDrew 1–118 December 1886St AgnesAshley Down, Bristol 8 January 1887St GeorgeSt George, Bristol Won 3-2 see Bristol Mercury 10 Jan 188622 January 1886ClevedonThe Downs, BristolDrew 0-0 see Weston S Mare Gazette 29 Jan 188729 January 1887Clifton AssociationThe Downs, BristolLost 3-25 February 1887ChippenhamChippenham, WiltshireWon 2–112 February 1887St GeorgeThe Downs, BristolWon 2–019 February 1887WarmleyWarmley, GloucestershireDrew 1–15 March 1887BridgwaterBridgwater 12 March 1887St MathiasThe Downs, Bristol 26 March 1887Clifton AssociationClifton2 April 1887Weston-super-MareThe Recreation Grounds, Weston-super-Mare Won 3-1 see Bristol Mercury 5 April 1887
Second team DateOpponentVenueResultNotes13 November 1886Warmley 2nd XIWarmley, Gloucestershire 20 November 1886Warmley 2nd XIThe Downs, Bristol 18 December 1886St MathiasThe Downs, Bristol 1 January 1887Clifton Association 2nd XIClifton, Bristol22 January 1887St MathiasThe Downs, Bristol Won 2-0 see Bristol Mercury 24 Jan 1887
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