List of Bristol Rovers F.C. players

The following article is a list of footballers past and present who have played for Bristol Rovers Football Club.

A middle aged man wearing shirt, grey pullover and light grey anorak, holding a trophy cup. other people behind him, all standing on grass. Bottom right of picture cut off by a wall.
Bristol Rovers record scorer, Geoff Bradford, who scored 355 goals for the club, 242 of which were in the Football League.

In the club's early history the appearance record was held by goalkeeper Arthur Cartlidge,[1] who played in 258 Southern League games between 1901 and 1909.[2] His record stood until it was broken by another goalkeeper, Jesse Whatley, who played 14 times in the Southern League and a further 372 in The Football League, making a total of 386 overall.[3] Following the Second World War the Bristol Rovers board introduced a no-buy/no-sell policy, which remained in force until the abolition of the maximum wage in football in 1961; as a result some players in that era had a high number of appearances for the club.[4] Eight of the top nine most-used players played during this time, each making over 400 appearances. These eight were Bobby Jones (421 appearances), Alfie Biggs (424), Ray Warren (450), Harold Jarman (452), George Petherbridge (457), Geoff Bradford (462), Jack Pitt (466), and Harry Bamford (486).[5] The club's all-time leading appearance maker, Stuart Taylor, played in 546 League games between 1965 and 1980.[6] The club's highest scorer by a wide margin is Geoff Bradford, who scored 242 times in The Football League,[7] exceeding the next-highest scorer Alfie Biggs by 64 goals.[8]

Players

Forward Alfie Biggs made 424 appearances for Rovers in two spells between 1953 and 1961 and again between 1962 and 1968. With 178 goals, he is the club's second highest goalscorer.
Ian Holloway, who played 397 league games in three spells with the club.
England international Gary Mabbutt, who played 131 league games between 1977 and 1982.
Tony Pulis made 130 Rovers appearances in two spells from 1975 to 1981 and 1982 to 1984.
Rovers' most capped player Vitālijs Astafjevs, who played 167 times for Latvia.
Chris Lines made 314 appearances for Rovers in three spells between 2004 and 2019. He achieved three promotions at the club and is the highest appearance maker of the 21st century.

The list of players below includes all team members who have played in at least 100 professional league games for Bristol Rovers, which includes games played in the Southern League (1899–1920), Football League (1920–2014 and 2015–) and Football Conference (2014–15), and also includes substitute appearances.

Statistics are correct as of match played 27 April 2024

Position key:GKGoalkeeper; DFDefender;MFMidfielder;FWForward

  † Current Bristol Rovers player, as at 10 March 2024
  ‡ Capped at full international level[a]
Table of players, including nationality, playing position and club statistics
PlayerNationality[b]Pos[c]Club careerApps[d]Goals[e]Ref[f]
Junior Agogo  GhanaFW2003–200612641[9]
Peter Aitken  WalesMF1972–19802343
Ian Alexander  ScotlandDF1986–19942916
Byron Anthony  WalesDF2006–20121637[10]
Ben Appleby  EnglandMF1903–19081809
Lee Archer  EnglandMF1991–199712613
Harry Armitage  EnglandDF1922–19261220
Vitālijs Astafjevs  LatviaMF2000–200311016
Harry Bamford  EnglandDF1946–19584865
Bruce Bannister  EnglandFW1971–197720680
Mike Barrett  EnglandMF1979–198412818
Phil Bater  WalesDF1974–1981
1983–1986
3103
Peter Beadle  EnglandFW1995–199810939
Bert Bennett  EnglandDF1911–19151010
Fred Bennett  EnglandDF1925–19301292
Alfie Biggs  EnglandFW1953–1961
1962–1968
424178
Geoff Bradford  EnglandFW1949–1964462242
James Brogan  ScotlandFW1910–191510624
John Brown  EnglandFW1963–196815632
Lee Brown  EnglandDF2011–201828521[11]
Marcus Browning  WalesMF1989–199717411
Bryan Bush  EnglandMF/FW1947–195511319
Stuart Campbell  ScotlandMF2004–20112913[12]
Chris Carruthers  EnglandDF2005 (loan)
2005–2008
1001[13]
Arthur Cartlidge  EnglandGK1901–19092580
Trevor Challis  EnglandDF1998–20031461
Justin Channing  EnglandMF1992–199613010
Billy Clark  ScotlandFW1904–190813335
Billy Clark  EnglandDF1987–199724812
James Clarke  EnglandDF2015–20191122[14]
Ollie Clarke  EnglandMF2011–202023520[15]
Danny Coles  EnglandDF2007–20111023[16]
Andy Collett  EnglandGK1994–19991070
Aaron Collins  WalesFW2021–202411735[17]
Fred Corbett  EnglandFW1901–1903
1904–1905
1908–1911
13952
Ellis Crompton  EnglandFW1913–192115036
Jamie Cureton  EnglandFW1996–200017472
Joe Davis  EnglandDF1960–19672114
Graham Day  EnglandDF1973–19791301
Craig Disley  EnglandMF2004–200920325[18]
Ronnie Dix  EnglandFW1928–193210033
Alec Donald  ScotlandDF1932–19361360
Hughie Dunn  ScotlandDF1901–19061551
Jim Eadie  ScotlandGK1973–19771830
Nathan Ellington  EnglandFW1999–200211635
Steve Elliott  EnglandDF2004–201021817[19]
Antony Evans  EnglandMF2021–12121[20]
Gordon Fearnley  EnglandFW1970–197712021
Sam Finley  EnglandMF2021–1055[21]
Steve Foster  EnglandDF1997–20021977
Geoff Fox  EnglandDF1947–19552762
Rory Gaffney  Republic of IrelandFW2015–2016 (loan)
2016–2018
10021[22]
Ray Graydon  EnglandMF1965–197113333
Arthur Griffiths  EnglandDF1897–19041051
Andy Gurney  EnglandDF1992–19971089
Lewis Haldane  WalesMF/FW2002–201014715[23]
Denzil Hale  EnglandMF/FW1952–195912012
Bernard Hall  EnglandGK1959–19671630
Ian Hamilton  EnglandFW1958–196814960
Ellis Harrison  WalesMF/FW2011–201818544[24]
David Harvie  ScotlandDF1910–19202191
Jimmy Haydon  EnglandDF1921–19312905
Doug Hillard  EnglandDF1957–196831812
Craig Hinton  EnglandDF2004–20091533[25]
Len Hodges  EnglandFW1946–195011820
Ian Holloway  EnglandMF1981–1985
1987–1991
1996–1999
39742
Peter Hooper  KenyaFW1953–1962297101
Bert Hoyle  EnglandGK1950–19531040
Jeff Hughes  Northern IrelandMF2008–201112928[26]
Harold Jarman  EnglandMF1959–1973452127
Bobby Jones  EnglandFW1956–1966
1967–1973
421101
Glyn Jones  WalesDF1962–19661530
Vaughan Jones  WalesDF1976–1982
1984 (loan)
1985–1993
38112
Wayne Jones  WalesMF1966–197222428
Jo Kuffour  GhanaFW2008–201213032[27]
Vic Lambden  EnglandFW1945–1955268117
Rickie Lambert  EnglandFW2006–200912851[28]
Daniel Leadbitter  EnglandDF2014–20191151[29]
Aaron Lescott  EnglandDF2004 (loan)
2004–2010
2075[30]
Chris Lines  EnglandMF2004–2011
2015 (loan)
2015–2019
31430[31]
Tom Lockyer  WalesDF2012–20192556[32]
James Lofthouse  EnglandFW1923–192610515
Gary Mabbutt  EnglandDF1977–198213110
Ray Mabbutt  EnglandMF1956–196939527
Nigel Martyn  EnglandGK1987–19891010
Wally McArthur  EnglandMF1933–195026114
Aidan McCaffrey  EnglandDF1980–198518411
Mark McChrystal  Northern IrelandDF2013–20171140[33]
Jock McLean  ScotlandMF1933–19381341
George McNestry  EnglandFW1932–193511342
David Mehew  EnglandMF1985–199422263
Barrie Meyer  EnglandFW1953–195813960
Steve Mildenhall  EnglandGK2013 (loan)
2013–2017
1270[34]
Paul Miller  EnglandFW1994–199711020
Jerry Morgan  EnglandFW1920–192511425
Jimmy Morgan  EnglandFW1946–195210424
Alex Munro  ScotlandDF/MF/FW1962–197116911
Joe Nicholls  EnglandGK1936–19391120
Matt O'Mahoney  Ireland[g]DF1936–19391016
Terry Oldfield  EnglandMF/FW1958–196613211
Billy Palmer  EnglandFW1912–1913
1919–1922
10214
Tom Parkes  EnglandDF2012 (loan)
2012–2016
1757[35]
Brian Parkin  EnglandGK1989–1996
1999–2000
2460
Tim Parkin  EnglandDF1981–198620612
Lindsay Parsons  EnglandDF1963–19773600
Gary Penrice  EnglandMF/FW1983–1989
1997–2002
25760
Billy Peplow  EnglandFW1908–191521642
George Petherbridge  EnglandFW1945–196245785
Steve Phillips  EnglandGK2006–20101360[36]
Bill Pickering  EnglandDF1931–19372151
Jack Pitt  EnglandMF1946–196046616
Tony Pounder  EnglandMF1990–199411310
Frankie Prince  WalesMF1967–198036222
David Pritchard  EnglandDF1994–20011631
Dick Pudan  EnglandDF1902–19071160
Tony Pulis  WalesDF/MF1975–1981
1982–1984
1305
Phil Purnell  EnglandMF1985–199215322
David Pyle  EnglandDF1955–19621390
Howard Radford  WalesGK1951–19622450
Paul Randall  EnglandFW1977–1978
1981–1986
277107wiki
Andy Reece  EnglandMF1987–199323917
Eliot Richards  WalesMF/FW2009–201412015[37][38]
Phil Roberts  WalesDF/MF1968–19731756
Thomas Roberts  EnglandMF/FW1925–19301206
Peter Roney  ScotlandGK1909–19151781
Bill Roost  EnglandFW1948–195717849
Peter Sampson  EnglandMF1948–19613404
Carl Saunders  EnglandFW1990–199314242
Liam Sercombe  EnglandMF2017–202010313[39]
Bill Shaw  ScotlandMF1909–19121036
Dick Sheppard  EnglandGK1969–19751510
Stephen Sims  EnglandDF1919–1922
1926–1927
11118
Stuart Sinclair  EnglandMF2014–20191427[40]
Justin Skinner  EnglandMF1991–199818711
Neil Slatter  WalesDF1980–19851484
Jack Smart  EnglandMF1905–19101053
Michael Smith  Northern IrelandDF2011–20141011[41]
David Staniforth  EnglandFW1974–197915332
Tom Stanton  ScotlandDF/MF1968–19761727
Archie Stephens  EnglandFW1981–198512740
Kenny Stephens  EnglandMF1970–197722311
Worrell Sterling  EnglandMF1993–19961196
Marcus Stewart  EnglandFW1991–199617157
David Stone  EnglandDF1960–19681486
Norman Sykes  EnglandMF1952–19642145
Nick Tanner  EnglandDF1985–19881073
Matty Taylor  EnglandFW2014–201711861[42]
Stuart Taylor  EnglandDF1965–198054628
Martin Thomas  WalesGK1977–19831620
Andy Thomson  EnglandDF1999–20021276
Andy Tillson  EnglandDF1992–200025311
Geoff Twentyman  EnglandDF1986–19932526
Bobbie Walker  EnglandMF1912–191510712
Richard Walker  EnglandFW2004–200914346[43]
Joe Walter  EnglandMF1919–1922
1928–1929
1249
Alan Warboys  EnglandFW1973–197714453
Dai Ward  WalesFW1954–196117590
Ray Warren  EnglandMF1936–195645028
Barry Watkins  WalesDF/FW1945–19571157
Josser Watling  EnglandDF/FW1947–196332319
Arthur Weare  WalesGK1945–19511410
Jesse Whatley  EnglandGK1919–19303860
Ernie Whatmore  EnglandFW1923–192813440
Devon White  EnglandFW1987–199220252
Steve White  EnglandFW1977–1979
1983–1986
15044
Brian Williams  EnglandDF1981–198516320
David Williams  WalesMF1975–198535266
Geraint Williams  WalesMF1980–19851418
Louis Williams  EnglandMF1909–19121061
Steve Yates  EnglandDF1986–19931970

Footnotes

  • a Unless otherwise stated, all international caps are taken from Byrne & Jay (2003).[44]
  • b A player's nationality is defined as the country they have represented at the international level if they have done so; otherwise it is their country of birth.
  • c Playing positions are taken from Byrne & Jay (2003) unless otherwise stated.
  • d Number of league appearances for Bristol Rovers
  • e Number of league goals scored for Bristol Rovers
  • f Unless otherwise stated, player statistics are taken from Byrne & Jay (2003).[45]
  • g Matt O'Mahoney was a dual Irish international, having played for both the FAI and IFA national teams.

See also

References

Bibliography

  • Byrne, Stephen; Jay, Mike (2003). Bristol Rovers Football Club: The Definitive History 1883–2003. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7524-2717-1.
  • Giles, Edward (2007). Bristol Rovers, The Bert Tann Era: A Personal Memoir. Southend-on-Sea: Desert Island Books. ISBN 978-1-905328-37-6.
  • Jay, Mike; Byrne, Stephen (1994). Pirates in Profile: A Who's Who of Bristol Rovers Players. Bristol: Potten, Baber & Murray. ISBN 978-0-9524835-0-2.
  • Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (2007). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2007–2008. London: Headline Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-7553-1664-9.
  • Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (2009). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2009–2010. London: Headline Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-7553-1948-0.