Football Season Review

Having only won promotion to League One last year, Bristol Rovers' main goal going into the new season was to stay clear of danger, and they managed to achieve that rather easily, as they spent the entire campaign in the top half of the table. Unlike some of the other newly-promoted sides, such as Wimbledon and Oxford, the Pirates did not really need any time to get going, as they were competitive from the get-go and endeared themselves to the neutrals with their open approach, as they were looking to attack against pretty much any opponent and were one of the most highest-scoring teams in the league as a consequence. Despite seeing his side do reasonably well all season, Darrell Clarke rarely sounded pleased with what he was seeing, with the Pirates' manager transfer-listing several players who played fairly regularly until then midway through the season, while he also publicly criticised his players on numerous occasions. However, this was probably the case of the Pirates' boss simply expecting too much from his side, as Bristol Rovers have had what can, by all accounts, be considered a respectable season, having easily stayed up and having been in with a chance of a play-off finish until the penultimate round. Clarke will be hoping to keep hold of his attacking players but is likely to be looking to bring in a few new defenders during the summer, as he chopped and changed his back lines often during the season and his men ended the season with the sixth-worst defensive record in the league and were the only team in the top half with a negative goal-difference.

Player of the Season: Ollie Clarke