We open part six of our look at recent cap presentations and in this part we look at three former players who received their caps at the recent charity match against former Bristol City stars.
Derry born Mark McKeever played three league games for Peterborough United before joining Sheffield Wednesday in April 1997, going on to make five league appearances at Hillsborough.
He joined Rovers, on loan, on 10th December 1998 and two days later made his league debut in a goalless draw against Manchester City at Maine Road when he became the 629th player to appear in league football for the club.
He then joined Reading on loan, played seven games for them and returned to Rovers, again initially on loan, before signing a permanent deal with the club.
He left Rovers in July 2003 and played for Weston super Mare, Gloucester City, Bath City and Mangotsfield United. He also played for East Worle and spent time back with Weston super Mare and, over a period of time, filling the roles of Assistant Coach, Caretaker Manager and Head of Coaching.
He can now add a Bristol Rovers cap to the 12 U-18 caps and three U-21 caps he won for the Republic of Ireland.
Next up is Will Hoskins, the 787th player make a league appearance for Rovers when he made his debut, against Peterborough United, in a 3-0 defeat at London Road.
Will’s career began with Rotherham United, for whom he scored 23 goals in 63 league games before he moved on to Watford in January 2007. There were loan moves to Millwall and Nottingham Forest before he arrives at The Memorial Stadium in June 2010.
He spent just the one season with Rovers, scoring 17 goals in 43 league games before he was on the move again, this time to Brighton & Hove Albion, where he was a team mate of Inigo Calderon.
His career, though, was blighted by injury and he scored just once in 18 league games for Brighton, joined Sheffield United on loan and then Oxford United. Four games at The Kassam Stadium were followed by one goal and nine league games for Exeter City.
His non league career then took in spells with Hemel Hempstead United, Northcote City and Kings Langley before his retirement.
Chris Carruthers had played league football for Northampton Town (one goal in 74 league games) and enjoyed loan spells with Hornchurch and Kettering Town before signing for Rovers on 24th March 2005.
His Rovers league debut, when he became the 739th player to appear for the club in the league, was against Notts County at Meadow Lane two days after arriving at The Mem in a game in which his new side were 2-1 winners.
Carruthers, the holder of 11 England U-20 caps went on to score just once in exactly 100 league games and in 2007 he played in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Final against Doncaster Rovers at the Millennium Stadium and against Shrewsbury Town in the play off Final against Shrewsbury Town at Wembley.
Carruthers left The Mem in July 2008 and went on to ply for Oxford United, Crawley Town, York City, Gateshead, Hereford United, Corby Town, Brackley Town and retired after a second spell with Kettering Town.
As well as owning his own property service he also works as a Finance Manager for Builder’s Merchants Travis Perkins.
It was good to see these three players back at The Mem and we hope they treasure their caps which will serve as a reminder of their league debuts for Bristol Rovers.