Ahead of the 2025/26 Sky Bet League Two season, we are taking a look at the other 23 teams that make up the division.
We are continuing with Bristol Rovers:
FACT FILE
Team Name: Bristol Rovers Football Club
Nickname: The Pirates
Year Founded: 1883
Stadium: Memorial Stadium
Capacity: 12,534
2024/25 Finish: 22nd in Sky Bet League One (relegated)
HEAD COACH
Darrell Clarke re-joined Bristol Rovers in May after previously spending over four years at the club between 2014 and 2018. In his previous spell, the former midfielder took the Pirates from the National League to League One with back-to-back promotions. Clarke has also won three promotions alongside that – two as player/manager of Salisbury City and a League Two play-off success with Port Vale in 2022.
Record with Bristol Rovers:
P 246 W 106 D 54 L 86 GF 364 GA 303
KEY PLAYER
Chesterfield fans know how good Jack Sparkes can be down that left-hand side after spending the second half of last campaign on loan at the SMH Group Stadium. He provided three assists in a handful of games in North Derbyshire.
Last season in numbers (for Peterborough United and Chesterfield):
Appearances – 40
Goals – 1
Assists – 6
Yellow Cards – 6
Red Cards – 0
Minutes Played – 2,865
PLAYED FOR BOTH
After starting his career with Watford and Brentford, Lewis Gordon joined Bristol Rovers in 2022. He spent two years at the Memorial Stadium, where he made over 70 appearances. At the end of the 2023/24 campaign, the left-back left the club upon the expiry of his contact.
Gordon would end up joining Chesterfield in the summer of 2024. He became an integral part of the Spireites’ back-line. He played 39 times for Paul Cook’s side in all competitions in his first year.
HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD
P 38 W 9 D 9 L 20
Last five meetings:
Bristol Rovers 2-1 Chesterfield – League One – Saturday, March 18, 2017
Chesterfield 3-2 Bristol Rovers – League One – Saturday, November 26, 2016
Chesterfield 3-1 Bristol Rovers – League Two – Saturday, February 1, 2014
Bristol Rovers 0-0 Chesterfield – League Two – Saturday, October 26, 2013
Chesterfield 2-0 Bristol Rovers – League Two – Saturday, March 9, 2013
The Spireites have had the better of proceedings recently against Bristol Rovers with all three wins coming in North Derbyshire. Chesterfield have however struggled at the Memorial Stadium, only ever coming away with one win back in 1964.
