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Bristol Rovers

Bristol Rovers are a professional football team based in Bristol, England. They currently play in Football League Two. more...

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The club's official nickname is \"The Pirates\" - reflecting the maritime history of Bristol. A pirate features on both the club badge and the badge of the supporters club. The local nickname of the club is \"The Gas\", (from the gasworks next to the old Eastville Stadium).

It's colours are blue and white quartered shirts, white shorts and blue socks. Away colours for the season 2002/03 were black shirts with a diagonal gold sash and black shorts - designed by a Rovers fan and reflecting the original Black Arab kit of 1883. This marked the club's 120 year existence.

Their main rivals are Bristol City although there is also some animosity with teams such as Swindon Town, Yeovil Town, Cheltenham Town, Cardiff City and Swansea City.

History

Early years

The club was formed in 1883 as The Black Arabs (taking the name the Arabs from a rugby team that played on an adjoining pitch and adding black because of their kit colour), and renamed Bristol Rovers in 1897 after briefly being called Eastville Rovers and Bristol Eastville Rovers. The club joined the Southern League in 1899, and were founder members of the Football League Third Division in 1920.

Modern times

Bobby Gould was Bristol Rovers manager until the summer of 1987, when he moved on to Wimbledon and won the FA Cup in his first season as manager. He was replaced by Gerry Francis, the former QPR and England star. Under Francis, Bristol Rovers won the Third Division title in 1990 and the following year finished 7th in the old Second Division, their highest ever league finish to date. Francis then returned to QPR as manager and was briefly succeeded by Martin Dobson, who made way after just four months for Malcolm Allison, who in turn stepped down in March 1993 to make way for John Ward.

Ward was unable to save Bristol Rovers from suffering relegation to the new Football League Second Division in 1992-93, and he quit three seasons later after failing to gain promotion. His successor Ian Holloway lasted four-and-a-half years before being sacked as Rovers found themselves in a relegation battle. The battle was lost under returning manager Gerry Francis, and he resigned in December 2001 with the Pirates struggling near the foot of Division Three. Successor Garry Thompson guided the club to a shock 3-1 away win over Premiership club Derby in the Third Round of the FA Cup, but he was sacked after the club narrowly avoided relegation to Football League Two.