SUPPORTERS CLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR
The Supporters Club presented their end of season awards out on the Memorial Stadium pitch last Saturday afternoon and first up was Alfie Kilgour, who was presented with the Player of the Year Award by Peter and Matt Dunford
Alfie signed his first pro contract with the club in October 2015, having been in our Academy from the age of eight. Darrell Clarke, the manager who handed him that contract, returned to Rovers last summer and he brought Alfie back to the club, from Mansfield Town, and made him captain for the season ahead.
Alfie was sent out on loan to Mangotsfield United and Cirencester Town prior to sustaining an anterior cruciate injury in a Gloucestershire Cup Tie, against Slimbridge at The Mem in December 2016. The long road back to full fitness took in more loan spells, at Hungerford Town, Weston super Mare and Maidenhead United before Graham Coughlan handed him his Rovers league debut, a cameo appearance at Gillingham, on 12th March 2019.
A regular in the Rovers side that was relegated to League Two at the end of the 2020/21 campaign, he joined Mansfield Town in January 2023, though injury was to strike again and he missed almost all of the 2023/24 season.
He played against Rovers, at The Mem, in March 2025 and arrived back here just a few months later, going on to become a regular at the heart of defence this season. In recent weeks he has partnered by his former Mansfield Town teammate Riley Harbottle.
He’s worn the captain’s armband with pride during a season that didn’t deliver what we all hoped for last summer, but his consistent performances in the 35 league games in which he’s played have taken him through the 100 league game barrier for the club and it’s been good to see him back.
His only goal of the season came against Gillingham last month, in our 2-1 win on the ground where he made his debut. His celebrations told you all you need to know about his pride in playing for this club. After the match he said; ‘The corner came in, and I got headlocked, so the headband was off, hair was everywhere. I just managed to get enough on it to head it back the way it had come and in off the post.
‘I think I slipped trying to celebrate and all sorts. Growing up as an eight year old kid in the Academy, you dream of moments like that, and with my Dad in the stands and family watching back home, it’s a proud moment and a good feeling.’
Alfie’s season ended prior to Saturday’s match against Cheltenham Town, as a hernia problem required surgery and he was due to have his operation yesterday (Monday) and, all being well, he will be back for pre-season training and raring to go for the 2025/26 campaign.
