The 2014–15 season was the 132nd season in Bristol Rovers' history and first in the Conference Premier, the fifth tier of English football, following their relegation from Football League Two on the final day of the previous season.
During the course of the season, they met A.F.C. Telford United, Alfreton Town, Altrincham, Braintree Town, Chester, Dover Athletic, Eastleigh, F.C. Halifax Town, Forest Green Rovers, Gateshead, Nuneaton Town and Woking for the first time in a competitive fixture. They also played Southport for the first time since 1974 and Welling United for the first time since their only meeting in 1999. Rovers' first ever appearance in the FA Trophy saw them play former landlords Bath City for the first time in a competitive fixture since 1995. As well as this, they played their first game at Barnet's Hive Stadium.
Rovers' season came to a triumphant end at Wembley Stadium as they defeated Grimsby Town 5–3 on penalties in the play-off Final, in the process becoming the first side since Carlisle United in 2005 to secure an immediate return to the Football League. Rovers' regular season saw them come agonisingly close to winning automatic promotion, ending the season just one point short of champions Barnet.
000000002014-03-18-000018 March 2014 - Ollie Clarke agreed a contract extension at Rovers, committing to the club until 2016.
000000002014-04-09-00009 April 2014 – Second year scholars Danny Greenslade, Dominic Thomas and Aaron Ward-Baptiste agreed their first professional deals.
000000002014-04-11-000011 April 2014 – Avonmouth based safety equipment retailer Arco were announced as Rovers' new home shirt sponsors. Water cooler supplier Office Beverages, based in Yate, were drawn as the club's new away shirt sponsors.
000000002014-05-20-000020 May 2014 – Youth team forward Donovan Wilson signed a one-year professional contract with Rovers.
000000002014-05-30-000030 May 2014 – John-Joe O'Toole activated his release clause with Rovers.
000000002014-06-06-00006 June 2014 – Rovers agreed a deal with former Salisbury City striker Jamie White. White had formerly worked under manager Darrell Clarke at the Wiltshire club.
000000002014-06-16-000016 June 2014 – Former Forest Green Rovers forward Matty Taylor signed for Rovers.
000000002014-06-19-000019 June 2014 – Lee Brown agreed a new deal with Rovers.
000000002014-06-24-000024 June 2014 – Gibraltar international Jake Gosling joined Rovers.
000000002014-06-26-000026 June 2014 – Midfielder Lee Mansell joined Rovers from fellow Conference Premier new boys Torquay United.
000000002014-06-27-000027 June 2014 – Striker Matt Harrold left Rovers for League One side Crawley Town.
000000002014-06-30-000030 June 2014 – Salisbury City midfielder Stuart Sinclair joined Rovers.
000000002014-07-01-00001 July 2014 – Winger Alefe Santos rejected a new contract with Rovers and elected to sign for Championship side Derby County with the fee to be decided by tribunal. Marcus Stewart was promoted to the role of assistant manager.
000000002014-07-21-000021 July 2014 – Experienced winger Andy Monkhouse signed for Rovers following his release from League Two side Hartlepool United.
000000002014-07-25-000025 July 2014 – Defender Michael Smith joined League One side Peterborough United for an undisclosed six figure sum. Smith had previously submitted a transfer request on 14 July after Peterborough's initial bid was turned down.
000000002014-07-27-000027 July 2014 – Former Hereford United defender Daniel Leadbitter joined Rovers.
000000002014-08-07-00007 August 2014 – Defender Neal Trotman joined on an undisclosed short term deal.
000000002014-08-08-00008 August 2014 – Rovers youngsters Danny Greenslade and Dominic Thomas joined Mangotsfield United on a months loan and Jamie Lucas joined Conference South side Weston-super-Mare on loan, also for one month.
000000002014-08-11-000011 August 2014 – Goalkeeper Will Puddy joined on non-contract terms to cover the absence of Kieran Preston who was called up to the Scotland under-19 squad.
000000002014-08-15-000015 August 2014 – Winger Dave Martin joined Rovers on loan until January from Luton Town.
000000002014-08-18-000018 August 2014 – Former chairman Geoff Dunford resigned from the club's board of directors, bringing an end to his 30-year association with the club.
000000002014-08-22-000022 August 2014 – Rovers signed forward Adam Cunnington from Cambridge United on loan for three months.
000000002014-09-08-00008 September 2014 – Rovers signed winger Ángelo Balanta after his release from Premier League side Queens Park Rangers the previous summer.
000000002014-09-30-000030 September 2014 – Striker Ryan Brunt joined League Two side York City on a month-long emergency loan deal.
000000002014-10-04-00004 October 2014 – Rovers manager Darrell Clarke was awarded the Football Conference manager of the month for September. Rovers picked up 16 points from 21 available, winning five games in a row bookended by defeat to Braintree Town and a draw with Eastleigh.
000000002014-11-06-00006 November 2014 – Fulham midfielder Lyle Della-Verde signed for Rovers on a month's loan.
000000002014-11-08-00008 November 2014 – Rovers' participation in the FA Cup was ended by a 1–0 defeat to League One side Tranmere Rovers.
000000002014-11-17-000017 November 2014 – Striker Jamie White agreed to a mutual termination of his contract with Rovers in order to join Conference South side Sutton United.
000000002014-11-20-000020 November 2014 – Rovers signed strikers Bradley Goldberg and Nathan Blissett on loan from Dagenham & Redbridge and Kidderminster Harriers respectively. Blissett, who had scored against Rovers five days before, will sign a permanent deal in January.
000000002014-11-27-000027 November 2014 – Alex Wall joined Rovers on loan from Luton Town until January. Defender Pierce Mitchell and forwards Ryan Brunt, Jamie Lucas and Donovan Wilson were loaned out to Weston-super-Mare, Stevenage, Gloucester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively. Wilson's move will become permanent in January.
000000002014-12-02-00002 December 2014 – Lyle Della-Verde's loan was extended by a further month.
000000002014-12-05-00005 December 2014 – Notts County goalkeeper Fabian Spiess joined on an emergency loan following injuries to both Steve Mildenhall and Will Puddy. Young forward Aaron Ward-Baptiste was loaned to Taunton Town.
000000002014-12-08-00008 December 2014 – Less than one week after having his loan extended, Lyle Della-Verde returned to parent club Fulham having suffered an ankle ligament injury in the recent fixture with Wrexham.
000000002014-12-13-000013 December 2014 – Rovers participation in the FA Trophy ends in a humiliating 2–0 home defeat to Bath City.
000000002015-01-09-00009 January 2015 – Darrell Clarke was named the Football Conference manager of the month for December, the second time he received the award during the season. Rovers began the month with successive 0 – 0 draws away to Wrexham and Welling United followed by wins against Gateshead at home and Torquay United away before ending the year with an impressive 4 – 0 home win against Macclesfield Town.
000000002015-01-12-000012 January 2015 – Former Welsh international striker Jermaine Easter signed for Rovers.
000000002015-01-13-000013 January 2015 – Leicester City winger Adam Dawson joined on loan for one month with an option to extend the deal until the end of the season.
000000002015-01-20-000020 January 2015 – Striker Ryan Brunt left Rovers, having his contract cancelled by mutual consent.
000000002015-02-02-00002 February 2015 – Midfielder Josh Wakefield joined Rovers on a month's loan from Championship side A.F.C. Bournemouth.
000000002015-03-06-00006 March 2015 – Rovers manager Darrell Clarke was named the Football Conference manager of the month for February, his third such award of the season. Clarke had led Rovers to five wins out of five during February as they overhauled long time leaders Barnet to lead the table by two points going into their final nine games. Young forward Jamie Lucas won the Conference South player of the month for February while on loan at Weston-super-Mare.
000000002015-03-09-00009 March 2015 – Midfielder Chris Lines re-joined Rovers on loan from Port Vale until the end of the season. Lines had previously played for the club between 2002–11.
000000002015-03-26-000026 March 2015 – Winger Abdulai Bell-Baggie joined Rovers on a deal to the end of the season.
000000002015-04-25-000025 April 2015 – Rovers' final regular season fixture saw them hammer Alfreton Town 7–0, a result which saw the Derbyshire side relegated to the National League North, in front of a Conference Premier regular season record attendance of 11,085. The result equaled Rovers' biggest ever league win and was the club's biggest margin of victory in 51 years.
000000002015-05-03-00003 May 2015 – Rovers book their fourth trip to Wembley Stadium with a 3–0 aggregate win over local rivals Forest Green Rovers in the play-off semi—finals, exactly a year on from suffering relegation to the Conference Premier.
000000002015-05-17-000017 May 2015 – Rovers win promotion back to League Two, beating Grimsby Town 5–3 on penalties at Wembley Stadium.
As of game played on 17 May 2015
As of game played on 17 May 2015
Note: Games which are level after extra-time and are decided by a penalty shoot-out are listed as draws. Rovers score listed first.
Last updated: 25 April 2015
Source: Competitions
Last updated: 25 April 2015.
Source:
Last updated: 25 April 2015.
Source:
Ground: A = Away; H = Home. Result: D = Draw; L = Loss; W = Win; P = Postponed.
Bristol Rovers score given first.
Won Drawn Lost Postponed
