Rovers New Arrivals

With the season well underway we’ll take a look at some of the new faces around Bristol Rovers this summer. Showing you their career matches played, goal tally and any previous clubs they have played for.

Harry Pell
Position: Midfield
Former Clubs: Charlton
Career Appearances: 0
Career Goals: 0

Harry Pell will come to Rovers as something of an unknown quantity, having made no appearances for Charlton before being released by the club. He started off at Charlton, growing up as part of their youth academy before a loan spell at Hastings United towards the end of last season. Pell impressed during his time at the Ryman League club and was handed a chance by the gas in an end of season reserve game against Hereford, impressing enough to be offered a contract. The tall central midfielder will be looking to make a few good substitute appearances to get Rovers fans licking their lips about the possible future this boy has at the club. Yet to make a competitive first team appearance for the Gas Pell impressed in the pre-season match against Stoke, but has a fair few players to get ahead of in the queue.

Wayne Brown
Position: Midfield
Former Clubs: Fulham, loan spells at Brentford and TPS of Finland
Career Appearances: 42
Career Goals: 10

Paul Trollope has already admitted that the signing of Wayne Brown on a two year contract was a massive coup. He had a short loan spell at the end of last season with Rovers, making a good impression on fans and the management alike before injury halted his time with the gas. Preferring to play in a Gerrard-esque role just of the striker Wayne’s best spell came at TPS in Finland, scoring 9 goals and creating a further 8 assists, a video of which is shown below. Used mainly in the wide areas during his previous loan spell at Rovers he will be hoping to get his scoring boots back and help the gas towards a promotion push. Most of Brown’s time has been spent on the right hand side of midfield, a position that Brown is unable to influence matches as much as he would than from the centre, but he has already shown his ability on the ball.

Will Hoskins
Position: Striker
Former Clubs: Rotherham and Watford, loan spells at Millwall and Notts Forest
Career Appearances: 165
Career Goals: 38

The first part of the top part of Rovers puzzle to join Will Hoskins is hoping to make a big impact. In his first interview with the club he came across as a confident young man, talking about his belief he can score goals at The Mem and reach a personal target for the season. After an electric start to his career at Rotherham, scoring 25 goals in 81 games he moved on to Watford, who had then just been promoted to the premier league. Hoskins had a slow start with the hornets and scored his first goal for them in a league cup tie, ironically an 88th minute winner against Bristol Rovers. He has also had short spells on loan at Millwall and his home town club Notts Forest. With a large amount of self belief behind him, as well as the support of loyal gasheads Hoskins should make a big impact on our league position this season. Will opened his account against Exeter and has shown signs that there is more to come, his first touch has been excellent.

Gary Sawyer
Position: Left Back
Former Clubs: Plymouth, loan spells with Exeter and Bristol City
Career Appearances: 180
Career Goals: 7

A west country boy by birth Gary Sawyer should prove to be a top quality left back, as well as adequate cover in the centre of defence for League 1 level. Plymouth Argyle are the team that Gary has made most appearances for, participating in 95 league matches for the Pilgrims and scoring five goals in the process. Sawyer has also spent time on loan at Exeter City, staying there for two seasons while the club were still in the Conference. Standing at 6 foot tall he should make a big physical impression on games as Rovers look to have a much better defensive campaign than last season. It is rumoured that Sawyer turned down a new contract at Argyle to play for the gas and goes to show how well Paul Trollope has done so far in this summer transfer window. Sawyer has been the best of the defenders thus far, putting in some tidy performances, although he has been caught for pace on a couple of occasions.

James Tunnicliffe
Position: Centre Back
Parent Club: Brighton & Hove Albion
Former Clubs: Stockport County, Loan spells at Northwich and MK Dons
Career Appearances: 82
Career Goals: 3

A season long loan signing Tunnicliffe is likely to get more than his fair share of match time, given he is one of only three central defenders at the club. Early in his career he turned down the chance to join Southampton, while also unsuccessfully trialling for Liverpool but following injuries to team-mates the young defender was handed a chance in the Stockport first team, which he grabbed by the horns. He did so well that a move to Brighton followed, however he was sent out on loan to the MK Dons when new manager Gus Poyet took over at the Withdean. Now due to spend the season with the Gas Tunnicliffe will add some much needed height to the Rovers side, standing as he does at 6’4”. It has been a nervy start to a Rovers career for the loanee, being part of a defence that has leaked 16 goals already.

Mikkel Andersen
Position: Goalkeeper
Parent Club: Reading
Former Clubs: AB of Denmark, loan spells at Torquay, Rushden & Diamonds, Brentford and Brighton
Career Appearances: 59
Career Goals: 0

Returning for a second bite at the Rovers Mikkel ended last season as a firm fans favourite, not only for his interaction with the crowd but thanks to some fine goalkeeping displays. He started his career at AB Copenhagen, becoming the youngest goalkeeper to play in at the senior level of Danish football before catching the eye of Reading. Having never played a first team game at the Madejski the youngster has been on loan to clubs at various levels of the English game but never made more than five appearances until his spell with the Gas last term. Also a Danish youth international he won the golden glove award at this summers Toulon tournament. He will be with Rovers until January 2011 before Reading take another look at their goalkeeping situation. So far this season Andersen has not had the best of starts, conceding 10 goals in four games and not having the same aura that surrounded him last year.

John Akinde
Position: Striker
Parent Club: Bristol City
Former Clubs: Ebbsfleet United, loan spells at Wycombe Wanderers and Brentford
Career Appearances: 72
Career Goals: 19

Rovers have finally found someone to fill the number nine shirt left by Rickie Lambert, John Akinde can certainly do a job that the Gas have needed for over a season now. Born in Gravesend Akinde found fame at his home town club, scoring 10 goals in 32 games as a youngster at Ebbsfleet, a spell that also saw him win the FA Trophy. He then joined Bristol City for £140,000, scoring on his debut before being shipped out for a loan spell at League 2 Wycombe Wanderers where he scored 7 goals including another debut goal. At 6’ 2” Akinde adds the height that Rovers have missed for a long time and should prove pivotal in his ability to change the gameplan for his new team. Likely to make his debut from the subs bench last Saturday Akinde suffered a recurrence of an injury picked up from a City reserves game and was unable to make the substitute list but hopefully Rovers fans shouldn’t have to wait too long to see their new front man in action.


Aside from players being brought in there have also been changes behind the scenes. Following Lennie Lawrence’s departure Darren Patterson will step up to assistant manager, a role he has been previously employed in at Oxford United. Former Cheltenham and Forest Green player Jerry Gill will take his place as youth team coach while Len Bond, formerly goalkeeping coach at the Bristol City youth academy will step into the same senior role at Rovers. Ken Oram has also been headhunted from Cheltenham Town to take over Stuart Naughton’s place at the head of the Centre of Excellence.