Football Season Review

Bristol Rovers missed out on a top six place only narrowly last season and the Gas entered this campaign hoping to continue punching above their weight and post another promotion challenge. Well known for their attacking style, the Gas were extremely erratic from the very beginning of the season and had no lengthy runs of either good or bad results and did not record their first draw of the season until Boxing Day. The fact that they were not drawing any games kept Darrell Clarke's men inside the top half in the opening third of the season but they endured a tough run of form in October and November which saw them lose six out of seven games, with an injury suffered by key winger Billy Bodin being the catalyst of this decline. Bodin eventually left the club during the winter transfer window but the Gas learned how to play without him. Players like Ellis Harrison and Liam Sercombe were among those who stepped up, as the Rovers improved in the second half of the season. They performed particularly well in January and February but ended the season with a run of 13 games out of which they managed to win only 2. They as many as 8 draws in the process, with this being a consequence of Clarke trading his all-attack approach for a more attacking one. Despite not fulfilling their initial goal, the Gas should be pleased with where they finished this season, given the funds that Clarke had available and the overall size of the club.

Player of the Season: Liam Sercombe