The 2025–26 season is the 143rd season in the history of Bristol Rovers Football Club and their first season back in League Two since the 2021–22 season following relegation from League One in the preceding season. In addition to the domestic league, the club would also participate in the FA Cup, the EFL Cup, and the EFL Trophy.
Managerial changes Prior to the season starting, Darrell Clarke was announced as the clubs new head coach, signing a three year deal. It would be his second spell at the club, having previously been in charge between 2014–2018. However he only lasted seven months in charge as he was sacked on 13 December after twenty-seven games in charge and a win ratio of 29.6%. Three days later, Steve Evans was appointed as head coach until the end of the season. Evans signed a new two-year deal on 11 April 2026.
Current squad
No. Name Position Nationality Date of birth (age) Previous club Date signed Fee Contract end Goalkeepers 1 Luke Southwood GK Bolton Wanderers 6 July 2025 Undisclosed 30 June 2027 13 Brad Young GK Leicester City 1 July 2025 Free 30 June 2027 Defenders 2 Joel Senior RB Morecambe 1 July 2024 Free 30 June 2026 3 Jack Sparkes LB Peterborough United 23 June 2025 Free 30 June 2027 4 Taylor Moore CB Valenciennes 1 July 2024 Free 30 June 2027 5 Alfie Kilgour CB Mansfield Town 1 July 2025 Free 30 June 2027 6 Clinton Mola LB Reading 1 July 2024 Free 30 June 2027 12 Tom Lockyer CB Luton Town 23 October 2025 Free 30 June 2026 17 Kofi Balmer CB Motherwell 12 January 2026 Loan 31 May 2026 23 Macauley Southam-Hales RB Stockport County 1 July 2025 Free 30 June 2027 26 Riley Harbottle CB AFC Wimbledon 16 January 2026 Free 30 June 2028 Midfielders 14 Kane Thompson-Sommers CM Milton Keynes Dons 16 January 2026 Loan 31 May 2026 15 Ryan de Havilland CM Peterborough United 3 January 2026 Undisclosed 30 June 2028 20 Josh McEachran CM Oxford United 1 July 2025 Free 30 June 2027 24 Tommy Leigh CM Bradford City 2 February 2026 Loan 31 May 2026 25 Ryan Howley CM Coventry City 8 July 2025 Free 30 June 2027 36 Richard Smallwood CM Tranmere Rovers 2 February 2026 Loan 31 May 2026 Forwards 7 Shaq Forde CF Watford 30 August 2024 Undisclosed 30 June 2027 9 Promise Omochere RW Fleetwood Town 19 July 2024 £500,000 30 June 2027 10 Yusuf Akhamrich LW Tottenham Hotspur 22 January 2026 Loan 31 May 2026 11 Luke Thomas RW Barnsley 1 July 2023 Free 30 June 2026 19 Ellis Harrison CF Milton Keynes Dons 29 July 2025 Free 30 June 2026 27 Joe Quigley CF Oldham Athletic 2 February 2026 Undisclosed 30 June 2028 29 Fabrizio Cavegn CF Vaduz 1 August 2025 Undisclosed 30 June 2028 35 Mees Rijks CF Vålerenga 27 January 2026 Undisclosed 30 June 2028 Out on loan 8 Isaac Hutchinson AM Walsall 20 June 2024 Undisclosed 30 June 2027 22 Kamil Conteh DM Grimsby Town 26 January 2024 £300,000 30 June 2027 31 Jed Ward GK Academy 1 July 2023 Trainee 30 June 2028 43 Ollie Dewsbury CF Academy 1 July 2023 Trainee 30 June 2027
Transfers and contracts In DatePos.PlayerFromFeeRef. 23 June 2025 LB Jack Sparkes Peterborough United Free transfer 1 July 2025 CB Alfie Kilgour Mansfield Town Free 1 July 2025 CM Josh McEachran Oxford United 1 July 2025 RB Macauley Southam-Hales Stockport County 1 July 2025 GK Brad Young Leicester City 6 July 2025 Luke Southwood Bolton Wanderers Undisclosed 8 July 2025 CM Ryan Howley Coventry City Free 29 July 2025 CF Ellis Harrison Milton Keynes Dons 1 August 2025 CF Fabrizio Cavegn Vaduz Undisclosed 23 October 2025 CB Tom Lockyer Luton Town Free 28 November 2025 CF Callum Morton Salford City 3 January 2026 CM Ryan de Havilland Peterborough United Undisclosed 16 January 2026 CB Riley Harbottle AFC Wimbledon 27 January 2026 CF Mees Rijks Vålerenga 2 February 2026 CF Joe Quigley Oldham Athletic
Out DatePos.PlayerToFeeRef. 1 August 2025 CAM Kofi Shaw Brighton & Hove Albion Undisclosed 6 August 2025 CB Connor Taylor Wycombe Wanderers 24 October 2025 CB Dan Ellison Yeovil Town 15 January 2026 LB Bryant Bilongo Rochdale 21 January 2026 CF Ruel Sotiriou Hapoel Jerusalem
Loaned in DatePos.PlayerFromDate untilRef. 14 August 2025 CB Kacper Łopata Barnsley 6 January 2026 1 September 2025 CDM Alfie Chang Birmingham City CM Joel Cotterill Swansea City LW Freddie Issaka Plymouth Argyle CB Stephan Negru Oxford United 12 January 2026 CB Kofi Balmer Motherwell 31 May 2026 16 January 2026 CM Kane Thompson-Sommers Milton Keynes Dons 22 January 2026 LW Yusuf Akhamrich Tottenham Hotspur 2 February 2026 CAM Tommy Leigh Bradford City CDM Richard Smallwood Tranmere Rovers
Loaned out DatePos.PlayerToDate untilRef.1 August 2025 CM Charlie Moody Yate Town GK Jed Ward Yeovil Town 31 May 2026 CB Charlie White Yate Town 1 September 2025 CM Isaac Hutchinson Cheltenham Town 6 January 2026 19 September 2025 LW Micah Anthony Kettering Town 2 November 2025 CB Dan Ellison Chippenham Town 23 October 2025 21 November 2025 CB Rocco Sughayer Didcot Town 20 March 2026 28 November 2025 CM Tom English Taunton Town 27 December 2025 9 January 2026 CF Ollie Dewsbury Weston-super-Mare 31 May 2026 2 February 2026 CM Kamil Conteh Lincoln City CM Isaac Hutchinson Cheltenham Town 6 February 2026 CM Ryan Howley Tamworth
Released / out of contract DatePos.PlayerSubsequent clubJoin dateRef. 8 June 2025 CM Jamie Lindsay Ross County 18 July 2025 25 June 2025 CB James Wilson Cheltenham Town 28 July 2025 30 June 2025 CM Jerry Lawrence Corsham Town 1 July 2025 AM Jevani Brown Hemel Hempstead Town 12 September 2025 GK Matt Hall AFC Totton 25 October 2025 RB Jack Hunt Stockport County 18 November 2025 CM Luke McCormick Yeovil Town 4 August 2025 RM Grant Ward Port Vale 9 February 2026 CM Romaine Sawyers LW Scott Sinclair 4 February 2026 LW Micah Anthony Farnborough 28 February 2026 7 February 2026 CF Callum Morton Worthing 6 March 2026
New contract DatePos.PlayerContract untilRef. 18 July 2025 LW Ollie Dewsbury Undisclosed 23 July 2025 CM Charlie Moody
Pre-season and friendlies On 19 May, Bristol Rovers announced their first two pre-season friendlies, against Chippenham Town and Bath City. Two days later, a third fixture was confirmed against Yeovil Town. A warm-weather training camp in Murcia was next to be added, which included a clash against Stockport County. On 3 June, a home friendly against Coventry City was announced. A sixth pre-season fixture was later confirmed, against Oxford United.
Competitions
League Two
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Matches On 26 June, the League Two fixtures were announced.
FA Cup
Bristol Rovers were drawn away to Bromley in the first round and to Port Vale in the second round.
EFL Cup
Bristol Rovers were drawn at home to Cambridge United in the first round.
EFL Trophy
Bristol Rovers were drawn against Cheltenham Town, Plymouth Argyle and Tottenham Hotspur U21 in the group stage. After winning the group, they were then draw at home to Cambridge United in the round of 32. and to Plymouth Argyle in the round of 16.
Statistics Players with names in italics were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Bristol Rovers.
Appearances and goals
Players with no appearances are not included on the list; italics indicate loaned in player
|colspan="14"|Players who featured but departed the club during the season:
Goals Record
Rank No. Nat. Po. Name League Two FA Cup EFL Cup EFL Trophy Total129CFFabrizio Cavegn1110315219CFEllis Harrison1100314310RWYusuf Akhamrich6000647RWShaq Forde40015511AMLuke Thomas2002424CAMTommy Leigh40004727CFJoe Quigley3000383LBJack Sparkes200028CMIsaac Hutchinson100129CFPromise Omochere2000217CBKofi Balmer2000222CMKamil Conteh10012135CBAlfie Kilgour1000114CMJoel Cotterill0100114CMKane Thompson-Sommers1000120CMJosh McEachran1000123RBMacauley Southam-Hales1000126CBRiley Harbottle1000135CFMees Rijks1000139CFCallum Morton10001Total 56201169
Disciplinary record
Rank No. Nat. Po. Name League Two FA Cup EFL Cup EFL Trophy Total 13LBJack Sparkes1101000000000110126CBClinton Mola1000000000100110035CBAlfie Kilgour8000000000008007RWShaq Forde520000000000520512CBTom Lockyer30110000010060119CFEllis Harrison700000000000700717CBKofi Balmer50000000010060035CBKacper Łopata30100000000030191GKLuke Southwood3001000001005002RBJoel Senior20100000000020111RWLuke Thomas40000000010050020CMJosh McEachran50000000000050022CMKamil Conteh20010010010050026CBRiley Harbottle5000000000005001510CFRuel Sotiriou30000000010040023RBMacauley Southam-Hales40000000000040024AMTommy Leigh400000000000400184 CBTaylor Moore1002000000003008CMIsaac Hutchinson1000000002003009CFPromise Omochere30000000000030013GKBrad Young30000000000030024CMAlfie Chang20000000010030029CFFabrizio Cavegn10010000010030036CMRichie Smallwood3000000000003002414CMJoel Cotterill20000000000020025CMRyan Howley0000000002002002610RWYusuf Akhamrich10000000000010014CMKane Thompson-Sommers10000000000010027LBBryant Bilongo10000000000010027CFJoe Quigley10000000000010028CBStephan Negru00010000000010035CFMees Rijks10000000000010043CFOllie Dewsbury100000000000100Total10824700100130012924
Monthly awards MonthPlayer of the MonthReferenceAugust Alfie KilgourSeptember Fabrizio CavegnOctoberNot awardedNovemberDecemberJanuaryFebruary Yusuf AkhamrichMarch Tommy LeighApril Ellis Harrison
References