BRISTOL ROVERS SEASON PLAYER RATINGS: EVANS THE STAND OUT WITH MARTIN AND THOMAS ALSO INTEGRAL

Despite marking progress from last season's 17th place finish in League One in their second campaign back in the third tier, the general feeling in and around Bristol Rovers is that it wasn't the season they wanted and that a lot of points have been left out in the open.

As far as standards go, this year's League One crop has been particularly below par in quality which is certainly a factor in why a 15th place finish with 57 points has been met with disappointment. Furthermore, it's already evident that next season's third tier is going to be extremely more competitive and of a much higher standard with the likes of Rotherham United, Huddersfield Town and Birmingham City coming down from the Championship and clubs with spending power in Wrexham and Stockport County coming up from League Two.

In fairness to Rovers though, the campaign quickly evolved into one of transition when Joey Barton lost his job in October and it became increasingly apparent as the season went on that a significant amount of players would not be staying on amid Matt Taylor's arrival and the manifold of individuals with contracts expiring.

Over the course of the campaign, eight loanees have featured for the Gas while another seven players are set to be released on the back of the retained list being published which leaves Rovers with a significant recruitment task to fulfil. For now though, while we remain in reflection mode as opposed to constantly looking ahead to what's next, here's how we rated each player to have pulled on the blue-and-white quarters more than once.

Jed Ward - 8

Starting with the Young Player of the Season, there is so much to be excited about with this lad. When he headed off to join Wealdstone on loan in July, I think it's fair to say no one predicted that he would come back to Rovers and go on to have the season that he's had.

Being thrown into the deep end back in January when Matt Cox's performances were starting to prove costly having been recalled for one EFL Trophy match against Newport County in November, the 20-year-old could've easily sunk in that first game against Oxford United. However, it was the perfect start as the academy product won man of the match in a 3-1 victory which really should have seen him keep a clean sheet had it not been for an unlucky deflection.

Since, Ward has gone on to start another 17 League One matches, keeping five clean sheets and pulling off some outstanding saves. Naturally, the youngster was always going to make mistakes and defeats at Lincoln City and Northampton Town certainly weren't fine afternoons for the shot stopper but the 20-year-old almost single-handedly earned the Gas a 1-0 victory at Exeter City while also being particularly vital in the 1-0 win at Leyton Orient.

Signing a four-year deal in March as well as going away with England Under-20s for the first time, the future is certainly bright for the academy product. Granted, there are no guarantees that he begins next season as first-choice with it entirely plausible that Matt Taylor opts for a more experienced head in between the sticks and allows Ward to go out on loan to play a full season of senior football. But without the goalkeeper's heroics at times Rovers certainly could have found themselves lower down the table.

Matt Cox - 6

Some of the criticism that the young goalkeeper was subject to was harsh but ultimately it was the right time for Matt Taylor to take the Brentford loanee out of the firing line. The 20-year-old actually started the season impressively with an excellent display in the opening game away at Portsmouth while also having a scattering of other bright displays.

What immediately stood out though was his distribution and confidence on the ball where his Premier League education came into play. That was a trait Joey Barton particularly wanted from his goalkeeper which is why the decision was made to replace James Belshaw with Cox. However, the biggest issue the youngster faced was that as mistakes started to creep in, he never looked comfortable and it could certainly be argued that he wasn't quite ready for a season of League One football.

No doubt there's potential there with the 20-year-old a regular feature across England age groups and, as far as learning experiences go, the youngster has been subject to the highs of making game-winning saves and keeping clean sheets while also losing his number one spot.

Jack Hunt - 6.5

Naturally, given how brilliantly his Bristol Rovers tenure began, there was always going to be a dip in form for the right-back eventually but frustratingly the defender is one of a handful whose season has been overshadowed by injury issues. Back-to-back home games against Wigan Athletic and Port Vale saw Hunt register a goal and an assist in both before the 33-year-old was forced off in the following game against Oxford United.

That kept the right-back out for a month before he demonstrated his offensive capabilities once again on his return against Carlisle United by providing the match-winning cross, albeit for a bizarre own-goal. The defender was then available for the following three league matches before picking up an issue again.

None of the defender's setbacks have been long-term but there's been a real stop-start nature to his campaign which held him back from building any real consistency within his performances. That will undoubtedly frustrate him more than anyone though.

Rovers got 21 league starts out of the 33-year-old this term which is a real shame given the experience he offers in defence but also an extra dimension in the final third that the Gas don't seem to have much else of on the right-hand side.

Luca Hoole - 6

As one of the many players out of contract at the end of the season, it can't have been easy for Hoole, or any of his teammates in the same position, to have played at their best with uncertainty over their future looming. Another player who has struggled for consistency, there have been a handful of performances where the young right-back has really shone and another where he evidently struggled. Alas, the 21-year-old has been offered a contract and, on the face of it, he deserves it.

At the time of writing it hasn't yet been confirmed if the right-back has put pen to paper on a new deal yet but the expectation is that he will, although regular game time doesn't currently look as though it will be guaranteed.

On paper, you would have to suggest that Hunt is above the Wales Under-21 regular in the pecking order but as we've stated above, there are concerns regarding how much of the defender we'll see next season after repeated injury issues.

Defensively, Hoole has had some outstanding displays with performances away at Fleetwood Town and at home to Cambridge United particularly standing out in recent memory. However, the next stage of the 21-year-old's development would seemingly relate to his contribution in the final third with the full-back averaging 0.2 accurate crosses a game, according to SofaScore.

James Gibbons - 4

In fairness to the right-back, it can't have been easy going into the season still injured and then having Jack Hunt and Luca Hoole ahead of him in the pecking order. The 26-year-old's two starts in the league for Rovers were a 4-1 defeat at Burton Albion and a 1-1 draw against Cheltenham Town in which he was hooked at half-time.

It became evident pretty quickly that he wasn't going to emerge into a regular under Taylor hence the loan move to Cambridge United. By the sounds of things, Gibbons has had a productive second half of the season with the U's so hopefully he can see that move turned permanent following his release.

George Friend - 5

If you'd had said at the beginning of the campaign that this would be Friend's final year playing football, it would've been easy to believe. However, the fact that that decision was made in February felt a little premature but ultimately, with the role the former left-back has gone into, getting that recruitment structure in place as soon as possible was important given the task at hand.

Limited to just 12 appearances in the league due to repeated injuries, the experienced defender looked solid in spells but just wasn't available as often as Rovers would've liked which was always going to be a risk when the Gas handed the veteran a one-year deal.

An outstanding career though and nice that the Barnstable-born man was able to end it back in the South West and now has serious responsibilities on his shoulders in his role as Director of Football.

Lewis Gordon - 6

Personally, I think the left-back is slightly unlucky to not get a new contract but Matt Taylor's reasoning also makes sense. The 23-year-old was unlikely to become first-choice in his position next season and deserved regular football so now the hope is that he can find that elsewhere.

Similarly to Hoole, Gordon's displays were a mixed bag with performances at home to Carlisle United and away to Leyton Orient more recent matches that stand out as some of his best. Additionally, tearing his hamstring just one game into Taylor's reign was a far from ideal introduction to the new manager.

Standing up to opponents in one-v-ones seems to be where the 23-year-old's game thrives most and hopefully he can find a bit more consistency playing more frequently elsewhere because there is a talent there.

Harvey Vale - 8

As we've said before, never fall in love with a loan player because it will come back to hurt you. The Chelsea youngster can hold his head up high for his contribution in blue-and-white quarters this season, mainly playing out of position.

Despite arriving in BS7 as a versatile attacking midfielder, the 20-year-old played the majority of his 3,500+ minutes at left-back and hopefully that's given him something to think about regarding how his career progresses.

One-on-one, you would always back Vale to beat his man and he was also able to chip in with six assists alongside three goals. However, the most impressive aspect to his game has just been the sheer amount of football the 20-year-old has played and how frequently he's made himself available.

It would be a major coup to be able to get the Chelsea youth product back on loan for another season but you would expect that the Blues will have bigger plans for him this summer.

James Wilson - 6

A player who you feel is still yet to have a consistent run in the team because of injury troubles, it's been a mixed first season at Rovers for the centre-back. Having been a regular in Plymouth Argyle's title-winning campaign the year before, expectations for the defender were admittedly elevated but the fact that the 35-year-old has managed 25 league starts is disappointing.

It's no surprise that Wilson's stand out displays directly correlate with the team's best performances with the centre-back a colossus against the likes of Bolton and Portsmouth around Christmas. However, when available Rovers didn't see enough of that in the second half of the season and the Welshman is another player who the Gas will hope can offer more consistency in his displays next term.

Connor Taylor - 7.5

A really solid first season back at Rovers as a permanent player. Naturally, when discussing a player who's only 22 years of age, a significant amount of the conversation relates to their potential and there are undoubtedly lofty expectations for the centre-back. With all this talk from above stating that the Gas are going to largely target young players who can develop into profitable assets this summer, it's worth a reminder that they already did that last year when luring the League Two promotion hero back to the club on a permanent deal.

Now with the knowledge that his knee was never quite right after picking up an issue early in the calendar year, it's no surprise that Taylor endured a dip in form towards the end of the campaign but, focusing on the season as a whole, when the towering defender is on it he's an absolute colossus.

It's been a strong first campaign in blue-and-white quarters as a permanent player with plenty of room to continue developing. There's also glimmers of captain material there and Rovers are in need of as much leadership as possible with the club captaincy currently vacant.

James Connolly - 5

With availability issues at the back, it still feels like it was the right decision to recall Connolly from his loan at Morecambe but it is a shame that the 22-year-old didn't subsequently the game time he would have gotten had he still been at the League Two outfit. Four League One starts and another seven league appearances from the bench for Rovers certainly isn't what the youngster needs while still very much in his development phase.

The loan departure did raise eyebrows slightly at the time after the centre-back had a solid hour in the opening game away at Portsmouth but, in hindsight, it never seemed as though Connolly would get the regular game time he deserved with the signings made. Since coming back though, nothing has really changed.

Outstanding against Bolton before really struggling three days later against Reading at the end of the season probably summarises his stop-start campaign. Ultimately, he just hasn't played enough.

Elkan Baggott - 7

Reflecting on Baggott's loan spell from Ipswich Town as a whole, you would probably have to divide it into two halves. In his first three starts, Rovers lost at home to Fleetwood and Burton before being 2-0 down within 24 minutes at Stevenage which prompted Matt Taylor to withdraw the 21-year-old for Scott Sinclair, subsequently changing the shape which saw the Gas go on to win 3-2. A far from ideal start.

However, the Indonesia international started to show glimpses of his quality from the bench against Northampton Town, winning a header to assist Chris Martin, before going on a run of four consecutive starts with clean sheets against Leyton Orient and Fleetwood in there. The 5-0 defeat at Lincoln was, as was the case for all of his teammates, a major off day.

Frustratingly for the centre-back, a calf issue picked up against the Imps prevented him from going out to Indonesia on international duty and saw him subsequently sidelined for another four Rovers matches. His performances upon return though were outstanding with his goal scoring display at Cheltenham a particular highlight.

Taylor has hinted before that the Gas could look to bring back some loanees over the summer, be that on secondary loans or permanent deals, and you would imagine that Baggott is one he'd certainly be keen to work with again.

Josh Grant - 5.5

Although listed as a defensive midfielder on virtually every statistical website, Grant has been put with the defenders because he virtually every game he played was at the back. In his season review last week, Matt Taylor emphasised the point that he particularly rates the 25-year-old but struggling to keep his body fit consistently played a part in the decision to release him. It's certainly a fair assessment because there have been matches this term where the defender has shone with Norwich away a particular highlight but ultimately it's been a case of consistency in performances.

Having made just one brief appearance from the bench all of last season, to get 36 appearances out of the former Chelsea youth player has been a bonus but just under half of those have been as a substitute. It probably does make sense for Grant to be allowed an opportunity for a fresh start having been at Rovers for four seasons and making 102 appearances in the process.

Tristan Crama - 6

Immediately the French defender became a fan favourite amongst Gasheads for his passionate celebrations after goals as well as any notable block or tackle and there's certainly been enough evidence from his loan spell at Rovers that the Brentford centre-back has an abundance of potential.

It's a similar story once again with Crama with a consistent run in the side narrowly evading the Bees loanee. An injury early into his time in BS7 held things up slightly with his best run in the side coming early in the Matt Taylor era. The 22-year-old was exceptional in victories against Bolton and Portsmouth as he demonstrated his quality in one-v-one scenarios and comfort on the ball. It's just a case of seeing that more often.

The Frenchman did have a few erratic matches in the second half of the campaign and ended his loan spell low down the pecking order on the back of recovering from an ankle issue. For his final appearance to come in the 5-0 loss at Lincoln possibly tells you something but the way in which his time at Rovers ended is a shame because, largely, the centre-back largely impressed in a Gas shirt.

Also a mention for the bizarre accolade of one of the best ever red cards against Carlisle which essentially secured the three points for Rovers.

Jordan Rossiter - N/A

There was argument to leave the midfielder out because he only played four games and therefore it feels slightly unnecessary to put a rating on his season because it's been so short but no doubt Rossiter's return was one of the biggest feel-good stories that came out of Rovers' campaign. As has been stated a decent amount previously, I can't even begin to imagine what the 27-year-old went through during his 16 months off the pitch and the fact that he's been able to get himself back is credit to him and the staff that helped him along the way.

Those four starts at the end of the season included a level of dedication, intent and grit that the Gas have lacked too often this term and therefore there is widespread hope that he puts pen to paper on the contract he's been offered because teams need people, let alone players, like Jordan Rossiter.

Kamil Conteh - 7

At 21, the midfielder is only going to get better and there's been plenty of evidence during his three-and-a-half months at the club that that improvement is going to be considerable.

Another player whose spell over the course of the second half of the campaign, having joined late in January, can be split in half. The first handful of displays from Conteh were, without deliberately being too hyperbolic, sensational as he seemed to win every single duel and challenge before the youngster seemed to struggle slightly over the final stretch. He also lost his place in the side to Rossiter as Matt Taylor tried to integrate the long-term absentee back into the team.

The January arrival will get the opportunity to enjoy a much-needed rest which will be particularly needed having changed clubs twice within half a year before going away with Sierra Leone and the hope will be that, come the start of the new campaign, Conteh will look more like his usual self and continue to progress. Certainly one to be particularly excited about.

Sam Finley - 6.5

Quite rightly, the departing captain has received numerous tributes from supporters for his service over the past three seasons which have all been ones of particular importance for the club. Being a stalwart in the promotion season before helping Rovers establish themselves back in League One, the midfielder leaves the club with everyone's well wishes.

Regarding performances, stand outs include a number of the early matches in the Matt Taylor era but, as was the case for many of his teammates, that level wasn't quite replicated in the second half of the campaign.

Taylor declared that the 31-year-old's absence from the final six matches was due to injury but, now we know he's not been handed a contract, there's certainly suggestion that there was a bit more to the skipper's exclusion.

It probably was the right call not to extend his terms but Finley leaves behind a major leadership hole, both on the pitch and in the dressing room, that Rovers will do well to fill within one transfer window.

Ryan Woods - 4.5

The extra 0.5 comes from an excellent performance away at Oxford United back in October which suggested that the Hull City loanee was going to be a significant player for Rovers. Frustratingly, the 30-year-old never came close to replicating his early displays in blue-and-white quarters after that afternoon with a straight red card in the 4-1 defeat at Burton a stand out moment for the wrong reasons.

Admittedly, it seems as though Woods has gone on to do well on loan at Exeter having been returned to Hull by Taylor in January after a poor display against Wycombe on New Year's Day proved to be the final straw as far as his brief spell in BS7 was concerned.

Lamare Bogarde - 4

Another where it just didn't work out. As a result of his impressive half-season on loan at the Mem last year, expectations were relatively high for the Aston Villa loanee but Bogarde just couldn't hold down a regular place in the side with the managerial change undoubtedly a factor in that.

There was thought that the teenager would go on loan to a Championship side after seeing his time at Rovers cut short in January but he's remained with the Villans' Under-21s through the second half of the campaign.

Luke McCormick - 5

We all really, really want it to work out for McCormick but injuries have once again made it a frustrating season for the midfielder. The late winner at Charlton was one of the best moments of the season and a second goal of the campaign against Port Vale suggested that the 25-year-old was starting to kick on. Even scoring against Norwich upon return offered hope that he could become a regular under Taylor. However, since October we've hardly seen him.

Six starts in League One is far from ideal and there's been enough to suggest that McCormick can be a decent playmaking option but we frankly haven't seen enough of him.

Grant Ward - 7

Ideally the midfielder would be scored higher because the vast majority of his performances have been outstanding but it's another frustrating case of not being able to see enough of him. The 29-year-old's entire campaign was affected by injuries but the hamstring issue picked up at Norwich in January seemed to be as serious as it could get.

One of the most athletic and dynamic players in the squad, Ward should be seen as an integral part of the side Taylor is looking to build but his availability is something the Gas manager will no doubt want to see improve.

Aside from signings, a priority for Rovers before the start of the new campaign will be ensuring that they have the midfielder available from the start.

Antony Evans - 9

Where to start? The star man for Rovers throughout the season and the deserved winner of Player of the Season. 19 goal contributions (10 goals and nine assists) across all competitions is impressive but there is a feeling that the 25-year-old could've easily broken the 20-mark.

In a season where the Gas as a collective have struggled for consistency, Evans has been the definition of the word with his only absences down to yellow card suspensions. Not only that, the vast majority of his performances have been amongst the standouts each time.

We've given the man substantial praise over the course of the campaign but, in all honesty, it does feel as though Rovers will do well to keep hold of their key player this summer. Naturally, the 25-year-old will be, and already seems to be, subject to external interest from higher-ranking clubs and the longer a contract extension isn't signed, the more that concern will start to creep in that the Gas will lose Evans this window.

Harry Vaughan - 5

A few bright cameos from the bench but the youngster evidently struggled to adapt to what is a rugged, physical league where the ball isn't on the floor nearly as much as he would like. Certainly something there to be excited about but with significant competition within the squad, the 19-year-old failed to make the impact he would have liked.

Brandon Aguilera - 6

The most frustrating part regarding the Aguilera loan is that Rovers didn't get to see the Nottingham Forest playmaker as much as they would've liked as the Costa Rican missed a month of action through injury. Scoring the eventual goal of the season 15 minutes into his debut having signed two days prior which also ended up being the winner at Exeter was a dream start but it set sizeable expectations that, realistically, were never going to be reached again.

Aguilera got a good little run in the side for the final handful of matches, scoring against Cheltenham, and could well have left BS7 with a couple more goal contributions with a little bit more luck but the 20-year-old looks like he'll go on to have an impressive career. If the opportunity for the Gas to get him back on loan arose, for whatever reason, it would be a no-brainer because there's a feeling that the attacking midfielder could've done more.

Scott Sinclair - 6.5

Based on his performances over the final stretch of the campaign, really the winger's rating should be higher but it's easy to forget that he was left out for virtually four months, a decision that seemed increasingly baffling as each game went on. Understandably, when Rovers were playing with a back-five there wasn't really space for the 35-year-old but his attitude and work ethic since coming into the side has been immaculate.

Not every performance has been outstanding, that point does need to be made, but when on it the forward was one of the Gas' best players on the pitch every time. At the time of writing, the offered contract remains unsigned but it does sound as though there's quiet confidence that Sinclair will still be a Rovers player next season and that is something to be excited about for his contributions off the pitch as much as on it.

Luke Thomas - 8.5

Aside from the consistency of Antony Evans and the goals of Chris Martin, Thomas is no doubt up there amongst Rovers' best players of the season. From a personal level, seven goals and nine assists is the winger's best tally in front of goal in his senior career but whenever we've spoken to the 25-year-old, there's always been emphasis on the fact that the numbers could have been better. Sure, considering the positions he gets himself in, but that makes the idea of what the forward can achieve next season even more exciting.

Bar two separate one-month spells out injured, Thomas had one of the best availabilities in the squad, playing the third-most minutes (3,485) which is particularly impressive given how much time was lost within the roster to absences. Additionally, you could always notice when he wasn't playing which is probably the biggest compliment you can pay.

Undoubtedly the 25-year-old is capable of even more in front of goal but, considering the last season he had as a loanee at Rovers, this was a strong first campaign back in the quarters as a permanent player.

Jevani Brown - 5

Another player who you really want it to work out, particularly considering how impressive he was at his previous club, but it just hasn't clicked yet for Brown in a Rovers shirt. Taylor, who worked with the forward previously at Exeter, admitted that he knows the 29-year-old can be fitter and so pre-season is going to be integral to the part Brown plays next term.

One league goal all season just isn't enough, especially considering that the only real injury concern he had came at the start of the campaign, but his creative moments, most notably the assists, have shown that there is still a player there and one worth being patient with. How long that patience runs for though is a question only Taylor can answer.

John Marquis - 5.5

Although the retained list confirmed that Marquis would be departing, you sort of got the suggestion that that was the case as when Rovers needed a striker in Martin's absence for the final two matches. The striker was left out for the final five matches due to "hamstring tightness" but, similarly to the Finley situation, it does feel as though the situation went deeper than that.

Alas, the striker deserves to be someone's main man, something that hasn't quite happened during his two years at Rovers. It's easy to forget that the 31-year-old kept Martin out of the starting 11 for a couple of matches early in Taylor's tenure with goals against Crewe, Bolton and Blackpool but his fellow striker's subsequent purple match severely limited Marquis' opportunities.

Six goals across 15 combined starts in the league and FA Cup certainly is actually a pretty decent record but, unfortunately for the forward, another player's form has limited his opportunities which he will hopefully find elsewhere.

Chris Martin - 9

Where Rovers would be without the goals of Chris Martin is a daunting thought. 16 goals on the back of a late arrival as a free agent and no pre-season is nothing short of remarkable, a point we've made countless times. Really, there's not much else to say that hasn't already been stated before.

It's easy to assess strikers on goals, naturally that is their bread and butter. But Martin's all-round game has consistently made a difference with the 35-year-old also integral to the way in which Rovers defend set-pieces, regularly getting his head on opposition corners to clear.

The red card against Fleetwood was a shame and the four-game ban for the missed headbutt against Cambridge is a seriously poor moment for which the Gas will suffer at the start of the new campaign with two matches remaining of his suspension. However, focusing on the whole, what a season and you certainly wouldn't doubt the striker replicating those numbers on the back of a good pre-season.

2024-05-07T14:28:20Z dg43tfdfdgfd