John Vaughan
26th June 1964 – 22nd October 2026
The news has reached us that former Rovers goalkeeper John Vaughan passed away on 22nd October, at the age of 62.
John began his career with West Ham United, though never made a first team appearance for them. Whilst at Upton Park he was sent out on loan on a number of occasions and when injury kept regular shot stopper Ron Green out of the Rovers side, in September 1985, John arrived at Eastville on loan.
He made his league debut for Rovers against Newport County just a few days after his arrival, in a 3-0 defeat, the first of his six league appearances for the club.
Later in his career he helped Preston to the Third Division play offs in the spring of 1995, alongside Paul Raynor, where they lost 2-0 on aggregate to Bury, and to the title of that division in 1995/96.
His other clubs included Charlton Athletic, Wrexham, Bristol City, Fulham, Cambridge United, Lincoln City, Colchester United and Chesterfield while his subsequent coaching career took in York City, Macclesfield Town, Grimsby Town, Huddersfield Town, Birmingham City, Barnsley, Bradford City and Sheffield United.
He played against Rovers twice, for Fulham, in 1986/87 and was goalkeeping coach of the Barnsley side which played at The Mem in May 2019 on the final day of a season which saw the Tykes promoted back to second tier football.
We send our sincere condolences to John’s family and friends at this sad time.