The 2026–27 season is the 144th season in the history of Bristol Rovers Football Club and their second consecutive season in League Two. In addition to the domestic league, the club would also participate in the FA Cup, the EFL Cup, and the EFL Trophy.
Current squad
No. Name Position Nationality Date of birth (age) Previous club Date signed Fee Contract end Goalkeepers 1 Brad Young GK Leicester City 1 July 2025 Free 30 June 2030 32 Charlie Binns GK Bath City 5 August 2026 Free 30 June 2027 Defenders 2 Tom James RB Leyton Orient 1 July 2026 Free 30 June 2028 3 Jack Sparkes LB Peterborough United 23 June 2025 Free 30 June 2027 4 Kofi Balmer CB Motherwell 1 July 2026 Free 30 June 2028 5 Alfie Kilgour CB Mansfield Town 1 July 2025 Free 30 June 2027 14 Ben Purrington LB Cambridge United 1 July 2026 Free 30 June 2027 17 Ciarán Kelly CB Bradford City 1 July 2026 Free 30 July 2028 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 6 Clinton Mola LB Reading 1 July 2024 Free 30 June 2027 8 Reiss-Alexander Russell-Denny CM Tottenham Hotspur 7 August 2026 Loan 31 May 2027 11 Jack Aitchison AM Exeter City 1 July 2026 Free 30 June 2028 21 Richard Smallwood CM Tranmere Rovers 1 July 2026 Free 30 June 2027 22 Keenan Gough DM Charlton Athletic 7 August 2026 Loan 31 May 2027 24 Tommy Leigh CM Bradford City 17 June 2026 Loan 31 May 2027 33 Ryan de Havilland CM Peterborough United 3 January 2026 Undisclosed 30 June 2028 Forwards 7 Shaq Forde RW Watford 30 August 2024 Undisclosed 30 June 2027 9 Joe Quigley CF Oldham Athletic 2 February 2026 Undisclosed 30 June 2028 10 Bobby Kamwa LW Newport County 1 July 2026 Free 30 June 2028 18 Mees Rijks CF Vålerenga 27 January 2026 Undisclosed 30 June 2028 19 Ellis Harrison CF Milton Keynes Dons 29 July 2025 Free 30 June 2027 27 Philip Sanyaolu RW Queens Park Rangers 24 August 2026 Loan 31 May 2027 29 Fabrizio Cavegn CF Vaduz 1 August 2025 Undisclosed 30 June 2028 30 Ollie Dewsbury CF Academy 1 July 2023 Trainee 30 June 2027 Out on loan 20 Promise Omochere RW Fleetwood Town 19 July 2024 £500,000 30 June 2027 25 Ryan Howley CM Coventry City 8 July 2025 Free 30 June 2027
Transfers and contracts In DatePos.PlayerFromFeeRef. 1 July 2026 CAM Jack Aitchison Exeter City Free 1 July 2026 CB Kofi Balmer Motherwell 1 July 2026 RB Tom James Leyton Orient 1 July 2026 LW Bobby Kamwa Newport County 1 July 2026 CB Ciarán Kelly Bradford City 1 July 2026 LB Ben Purrington Cambridge United 1 July 2026 CDM Richard Smallwood Tranmere Rovers 5 August 2026 GK Charlie Binns Bath City 6 October 2026 LW Arvin Appiah Almería
Loaned in DatePos.PlayerFromLoaned untilRef. 17 June 2026 CAM Tommy Leigh Bradford City End of Season 7 August 2026 CDM Keenan Gough Charlton Athletic CM Reiss-Alexander Russell-Denny Tottenham Hotspur 24 August 2026 RW Philip Sanyaolu Queens Park Rangers
Loaned out DatePos.PlayerToLoaned untilRef. 5 August 2026 GK Charlie Binns Malvern Town 13 August 2026 15 August 2026 CB Henry De-Long Bristol Manor Farm 12 September 2026 18 August 2026 CAM Jay Horgan Didcot Town 15 September 2026 2 September 2026 CF Promise Omochere Southend United End of Season 4 September 2026 CM Ryan Howley Tamworth 4 December 2026 18 September 2026 CDM Kian Hill Gloucester City 17 October 2026 CF Mees Rijks Forest Green Rovers 12 December 2026
Out DatePos.PlayerToFeeRef. 9 July 2026 CM Kamil Conteh Bromley Undisclosed 10 July 2026 GK Jed Ward Walsall 20 July 2026 CAM Isaac Hutchinson Doncaster Rovers 11 August 2026 GK Luke Southwood Blackpool
Released / out of contract DatePos.PlayerSubsequent clubJoined dateRef. 19 June 2026 RB Joel Senior Tranmere Rovers 1 July 2026 30 June 2026 CB Tom Lockyer Melbourne Victory 11 July 2026 RW Luke Thomas St Mirren 1 August 2026 5 August 2026 CM Josh McEachran 21 August 2026 CB Taylor Moore FC Košice 5 September 2026
New contract DatePos.PlayerContract untilRef. 29 May 2026 CF Ellis Harrison 30 June 2027 1 June 2026 GK Brad Young 30 June 2030 22 July 2026 CDM Kian Hill Undisclosed
Pre-season and friendlies On 20 May, Rovers announced four pre-season friendlies, against Salisbury, Yeovil Town, Forest Green Rovers and Yate Town. On 3 June, the club confirmed a training camp at St Andrews between 29 July – 3 August. A home friendly against Leicester City was added. On 22 June, a further two friendlies were added against Weston-super-Mare and Portsmouth. On 27 July, two behind-closed-doors matches against Dundee and Burnley U21.
Competitions League Two
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Matches On 25 June, the League Two fixtures were revealed.
FA Cup
EFL Cup
The draw for the first round was conducted on 25 June.
EFL Trophy
Group stage
Rovers were drawn against Reading, Wycombe Wanderers and a Chelsea U21 into Southern Group C.
Statistics Appearances and goals
Players with no appearances are not included on the list; italics indicate loaned in player
Disciplinary record
Rank No. Nat. Po. Name League Two FA Cup EFL Cup EFL Trophy Total 124CAMTommy Leigh20100000010030122RBTom James3000000000003004CBKofi Balmer3000000000003006CDMClinton Mola30000000000030057RWShaq Forde10000010000020019CFEllis Harrison20000000000020073LBJack Sparkes0000000001001009CFJoe Quigley00000000010010010LWBobby Kamwa10000000000010014LBBen Purrington10000000000010017CBCiarán Kelly10000000000010021CDMRichard Smallwood10000000000010022CBKeenan Gough10000000000010026CBRiley Harbottle100000000000100Total20010001003002401
Awards Player Awards EFL League Two Goal of the Month MonthPlayerOppositionResultRef.August Tom Jamesv. Crawley Town
References