As part of a project undertaken on behalf of the Bristol Rovers Supporters Club, I have now produced what I believe to be a definitive record of all players who have made their league debuts for Bristol Rovers.
I have to say it’s not been easy, and I was thankful that the groundwork had previously been undertaken by Mike Jay and Stephen Byrne in their excellent publication ‘Pirates in Profile.’
In spite of that the project has taken a couple of hours each day over a period of three/four weeks, which includes four extensive checks and when I found mistakes in my own work during the first two of those checks, I really did feel like giving up!
In all, 956 players have appeared for Bristol Rovers in the Football League and I feel I have to point out one anomaly with the way in which I have compiled my final list.
I decided, from the outset, that where more than one player made their debut in the same match, they would appear in alphabetical order in my list and that worked fine until substitutes were introduced into the game!
I decided to continue listing them in alphabetical order and that’s where some might disagree with my method of recording the debuts. For example, at Blackpool last Sunday Jed Ward and Tom Mehew both made their debuts. Jed played the whole 90 minutes, Tom played nine minutes after being introduced as an 81st minute substitute.
Alphabetically, though, Mehew comes before Ward and that’s why Tom is numbered 955 and Jed 956.
The aborted 1939/40 season has not been included (only three games were played), neither has the Conference season of 2014/15.
Keith Brookman
1920/21
1 Harold Bell 28/08/20 Millwall (A)
2 John Bethune 28/08/20 Millwall (A)
3 Walter Bird 28/08/20 Millwall (A)
4 Harold Boxley 28/08/20 Millwall (A)
5 George Chance 28/08/20 Millwall (A)
6 David Kenny 28/08/20 Millwall (A)
7 William Palmer 28/08/20 Millwall (A)
8 William Panes 28/08/20 Millwall (A)
9 Stephen Sims 28/08/20 Millwall (A)
10 Harold Stansfield 28/08/20 Millwall (A)
11 David Steele 28/08/20 Millwall (A)
12 Ellis Crompton 01/09/20 Newport County (H)
13 Joseph Norton 01/09/20 Newport County (H)
14 Sydney Leigh 09/09/20 Newport County (A)
15 William Vaughan 09/09/20 Newport County (A)
16 Joseph Walter 09/09/20 Newport County (A)
17 Jesse Whatley 09/09/20 Newport County (A)
18 Joseph Hall 02/10/20 Brighton & Hove Albion (H)
19 Denis Howes 02/10/20 Brighton & Hove Albion (H)
20 George Gane 23/10/20 Norwich City (H)
21 Francis Morgan 30/10/20 Norwich City (A)
Team photo from 1920 there is one name missing from the lineup – Stansfield (the goalkeeper with glasses, is stood between Whatley and Leigh on the back row
1921/22
22 James Liddell 27/08/21 Plymouth Argyle (H)
23 George Stockley 27/08/21 Plymouth Argyle (H)
24 Samuel Furniss 29/08/21 Southend United (A)
25 Thomas Winsper 29/08/21 Southend United (A)
26 John Ball 17/09/21 Charlton Athletic (A)
27 Edward Harvey 17/09/21 Charlton Athletic (A)
28 Joseph Kissock 24/09/21 Northampton Town (H)
29 Kossuth Barnes 27/12/21 Brighton & Hove Albion (A)
30 Walter Hammond 27/12/21 Brighton & Hove Albion (A)
31 James Haydon 31/12/31 Aberdare Athletic (A)
32 John Thomson 01/04/22 Exeter City (A)
1922/23
33 Harold Armitage 26/08/22 Portsmouth (A)
34 Walter Currie 26/08/22 Portsmouth (A)
35 Thomas Lea 26/08/22 Portsmouth (A)
36 Frederick Lunn 26/08/22 Portsmouth (A)
37 John Parker 26/08/22 Portsmouth (A)
38 Arthur Wainwright 26/08/22 Portsmouth (A)
39 Henry O’Neill 07/09/22 Newport County (A)
40 Ernest Sambidge 07/09/22 Newport County (A)
41 Kenneth Boyes 16/09/22 Reading (H)
42 John Rutherford 07/10/22 Southend United (H)
43 Thomas Howarth 11/11/22 Plymouth Argyle (H)
44 John Pattison 26/12/22 Exeter City (A)
45 Harold Rose 27/01/23 Northampton Town (A)
46 George Webb 02/04/23 Merthyr Town (H)
1923/24
47 Wilfred Phillips 25/08/23 Gillingham (A)
48 James Walton 25/08/23 Gillingham (A)
49 William Woodhall 25/08/23 Gillingham (A)
50 Ernest Whatmore 27/08/23 Queens Park Rangers (H)
51 John Price 05/09/23 Queens Park Rangers (H)
52 William Cliff 29/09/23 Southend United (A)
53 Frank Wragge 10/11/23 Exeter City (A)
54 James Lofthouse 08/12/23 Northampton Town (H)
55 Robert Scorer 08/12/23 Northampton Town (H)
56 Sydney Smith 08/12/23 Northampton Town (H)
57 Arthur Smeaton 16/02/24 Merthyr Town (A)
58 John Taylor 16/02/24 Merthyr Town (A)
1924/25
59 James Daws 30/08/24 Merthyr Town (H)
60 Samuel Edwards 30/08/24 Merthyr Town (H)
61 Sydney Holcroft 30/08/24 Merthyr Town (H)
62 Francis Roberts 30/08/24 Merthyr Town (H)
63 George Charlesworth 11/10/24 Newport County (H)
64 Arthur Gibbs 18/10/24 Plymouth Argyle (A)
65 William Thomson 18/10/24 Plymouth Argyle (A)
66 George Pither 11/02/25 Gillingham (A)
67 Hubert Ashton 02/05/25 Reading (A)
1925/26
68 Alexander Crichton 29/08/25 Charlton Athletic (A)
69 Andrew Dick 29/08/25 Charlton Athletic (A)
70 James Gardner 29/08/25 Charlton Athletic (A)
71 Charles Heinemann 29/08/25 Charlton Athletic (A)
72 Jonah Wilcox 29/08/25 Charlton Athletic (A)
73 William Wilson 29/08/25 Charlton Athletic (A)
74 Alfred Bowers 31/08/25 Exeter City (H)
75 Richard Jones 12/09/25 Merthyr Town (A)
76 Thomas Roberts 26/09/25 Luton Town (A)
77 Albert Rotherham 24/10/25 Watford (A)
78 Albert Burnell 31/10/25 Plymouth Argyle (H)
79 Samuel Duckers 05/12/25 Southend United (A)
80 George Lennon 28/12/25 Swindon Town (H)
81 William Culley 23/01/26 Merthyr Town (H)
82 Trevor Stallard 23/01/26 Merthyr Town (H)
83 Thomas Williams 23/01/26 Merthyr Town (H)
84 Lewis Griffiths 06/02/26 Luton Town (H)
85 Frederick Bennett 27/02/26 Brentford (A)
86 Jabez Foster 06/03/26 Watford (H)
1926/27
87 Josiah Barratt 28/08/26 Luton Town (H)
88 John Evans 28/08/26 Luton Town (H)
89 James Forbes 28/08/26 Luton Town (H)
90 Joseph Rowley 28/08/26 Luton Town (H)
91 Leonard Smith 28/08/26 Luton Town (H)
92 John Rumney 30/08/26 Merthyr Town (A)
93 Thomas Duncan 30/08/26 Merthyr Town (A)
94 Joseph Clennell 04/09/26 Norwich City (A)
95 George Douglas 04/09/26 Norwich City (A)
96 James Ashford 30/10/26 Bournemouth (A)
97 James Kedens 29/01/27 Brighton & Hove Albion (A)
1927/28
98 Sydney Homer 07/09/27 Plymouth Argyle (H)
99 John Russell 07/09/27 Plymouth Argyle (H)
100 John McKenna 01/10/27 Queens Park Rangers (A)
101 Arthur Ormston 01/10/27 Queens Park Rangers (A)
102 John Thom 05/11/27 Exeter City (A)
103 Ivor Perry 19/11/27 Southend United (A)
104 Reginald Trotman 21/01/28 Coventry City (A)
105 John Paterson 11/02/28 Queens Park Rangers (H)
106 Ronald Dix 25/02/28 Charlton Athletic
107 Alfred King 17/03/28 Exeter City (H)
108 Fleming Falconer 06/04/28 Crystal Palace (A)
109 Royston Davies 14/04/28 Bournemouth (A)
110 Bertram Densley 14/04/28 Bournemouth (A)
1928/29
111 George Barton 21/08/28 Swindon Town (A)
112 William Compton 21/08/28 Swindon Town (A)
113 Michael Cosgrove 21/08/28 Swindon Town (A)
114 Thomas Pirie 21/08/28 Swindon Town (A)
115 Herbert Turner 21/08/28 Swindon Town (A)
116 David McCaig 08/09/28 Gillingham (A)
117 Maurice Dando 15/09/28 Plymouth Argyle (H)
118 William White 22/09/28 Fulham (A)
119 John Phillips 29/09/28 Queens Park Rangers (H)
120 Samuel Spencer 13/10/28 Watford (A)
121 George Reay 20/10/28 Brentford (H)
122 David Murray 03/11/28 Merthyr Town (H)
123 Clifford Britton 29/12/28 Swindon Town (H)
1929/30
124 Robert Plenderleith 31/08/29 Brighton & Hove Albion (H)
125 Gilbert Shaw 31/08/29 Brighton & Hove Albion (H)
126 Cecil Thomas 31/08/29 Brighton & Hove Albion (H)
127 Thomas Wolfe 31/08/29 Brighton & Hove Albion (H)
128 John Hamilton 07/09/29 Swindon Town (A)
129 Frederick Forbes 16/11/29 Exeter City (A)
130 William Gillespie 25/01/30 Merthyr Town (H)
131 Alexander Findlay 22/02/30 Norwich City (H)
132 Charles Littlewood 12/04/30 Bournemouth (A)
133 Walter Winnell 21/04/30 Clapton Orient (A)
134 Francis Britton 03/05/30 Brentford (H)
1930/31
135 Arthur Attwood 30/08/30 Northampton Town (H)
136 Christopher Ball 30/08/30 Northampton Town (H)
137 George Berry 30/08/30 Northampton Town (H)
138 Norman Dinsdale 30/08/30 Northampton Town (H)
139 Joseph Pointon 30/08/30 Northampton Town (H)
140 Walter Price 30/08/30 Northampton Town (H)
141 John Richardson 30/08/30 Northampton Town (H)
142 John Scott 30/08/30 Northampton Town (H)
143 Herbert Young 30/08/30 Northampton Town (H)
144 George Dennis 03/09/30 Gillingham (A)
145 John Cooper 08/09/30 Exeter City (A)
146 John Turnbull 08/09/30 Exeter City (A)
147 John Black 25/10/30 Bournemouth (A)
148 George Russell 17/01/31 Crystal Palace (A)
149 Clifford Bryant 14/03/31 Fulham (H)
150 James Armstrong 14/03/31 Fulham (H)
151 John Muir 14/03/31 Fulham (H)
152 Thomas Boyce 28/03/31 Walsall (H)
153 Christopher Hackett 28/03/31 Walsall (H)
1931/32
154 Joseph Calvert 29/08/31 Bournemouth (A)
155 Albert Oakton 29/08/31 Bournemouth (A)
156 William Pickering 29/08/31 Bournemouth (A)
157 William Routledge 29/08/31 Bournemouth (A)
158 William Stoddart 29/08/31 Bournemouth (A)
159 Francis Townrow 29/08/31 Bournemouth (A)
160 John Storer 12/09/31 Watford (A)
161 Thomas Cook 10/10/31 Swindon Town (A)
162 Francis Hill 17/10/31 Brentford (A)
163 Herbert Blake 21/11/31 Cardiff City (H)
164 Joseph Riley 02/01/32 Bournemouth (H)
165 Edward Smith 02/01/32 Bournemouth (H)
166 Ernest Coombs 06/02/31 Brighton & Hove Albion
1932/33
167 Alexander Donald 27/08/32 Crystal Palace (H)
168 John Eyres 27/08/32 Crystal Palace (H)
169 William Gibbins 27/08/32 Crystal Palace (H)
170 James Harvey 27/08/32 Crystal Palace (H)
171 Samuel Irving 27/08/32 Crystal Palace (H)
172 William Jackson 27/08/32 Crystal Palace (H)
173 George McNestry 27/08/32 Crystal Palace (H)
174 John Townrow 27/08/32 Crystal Palace (H)
175 Foster Windsor 29/08/32 Southend United (A)
176 Dudley Lewis 07/09/32 Southend United (H)
177 John Beby 15/10/32 Bristol City (A)
178 Robert McKay 12/11/32 Bournemouth (A)
179 William Bann 19/11/32 Newport County (H)
180 Ronald Green 26/12/32 Aldershot (A)
181 Henry Wyper 21/01/33 Watford (A)
182 Edward Hough 04/02/33 Reading (A)
183 John Stevenson 01/03/33 Brighton & Hove Albion (A)
184 Walter McArthur 29/04/33 Brentford (A)
1933/34
185 James McCambridge 26/08/33 Bristol City (A)
186 John McLean 26/08/33 Bristol City (A)
187 Peter Molloy 26/08/33 Bristol City (A)
188 Charles Preedy 26/08/33 Bristol City (A)
189 Albert Taylor 26/08/33 Bristol City (A)
190 James Smith 30/08/33 Crystal Palace (A)
191 James Watson 02/09/33 Southend United (H)
192 Sidney Wallington 14/10/33 Cardiff City (H)
193 John Havelock 16/12/33 Newport County (A)
194 William Murray 23/12/33 Norwich City (H)
195 James Terry 03/03/34 Clapton Orient (H)
196 George Tadman 28/04/34 Newport County (H)
1934/35
197 John Ellis 25/08/34 Brighton & Hove Albion (A)
198 Irvine Harwood 25/08/34 Brighton & Hove Albion (A)
199 Stanley Prout 25/08/34 Brighton & Hove Albion (A)
200 Arthur J Smith 05/09/34 Swindon Town (A)
201 George Berry 22/09/34 Charlton Athletic (H)
202 Charles Wipfler 22/09/34 Charlton Athletic (H)
203 John Allen 03/11/34 Newport County (A)
204 Harry Hope 01/12/34 Bournemouth (A)
205 Thomas Wildsmith 25/12/34 Aldershot (H)
206 William Bunce 16/01/35 Northampton Town (H)
207 James Durkan 16/01/35 Northampton Town (H)
208 Eli Postin 02/02/35 Charlton Athletic (A)
209 Robert Adams 06/02/35 Bristol City (A)
210 William Wilson 06/02/35 Bristol City (A)
211 Leslie Golledge 09/02/35 Crystal Palace (H)
212 Thomas Harris 23/04/35 Watford (H)
1935/36
213 Hugh Adcock 31/08/35 Notts County (H)
214 Archibald Young 31/08/35 Notts County (H)
215 Alfred Robertson 02/09/35 Cardiff City (A)
216 John Woodman 02/09/35 Cardiff City (A)
217 Henry Barley 07/09/35 Bristol City (A)
218 George Crisp 07/09/35 Bristol City (A)
219 Edward Buckley 18/09/35 Gillingham (H)
220 Philip Taylor 18/09/35 Gillingham (H)
221 David Frater 05/10/35 Crystal Palace (H)
222 Harold Houghton 02/11/35 Brighton & Hove Albion (H)
223 John Preece 21/12/35 Exeter City (A)
224 Allan Murray 25/01/36 Southend United (A)
225 William Hartill 14/03/36 Queens Park Rangers (H)
226 Raymond Warren 14/03/36 Queens Park Rangers (H)
1936/37
227 David Bruce 29/08/36 Millwall (A)
228 William Dodgin 29/08/36 Millwall (A)
229 Thomas Mills 29/08/36 Millwall (A)
230 Joseph Nicholls 29/08/36 Millwall (A)
231 Oliver Tidman 29/08/36 Millwall (A)
232 Herbert Watson 29/08/36 Millwall (A)
233 James Raven 12/09/36 Northampton Town (H)
234 Matthew O’Mahoney 23/09/36 Swindon Town (A)
235 William Prendergast 10/10/36 Southend United (A)
236 Leslie Sullivan 10/10/36 Southend United (A)
237 George Tweed 31/10/36 Clapton Orient (A)
238 Albert Butterworth 14/11/36 Luton Town (A)
1937/38
239 Robert Gardiner 28/08/37 Watford (A)
240 John Howshall 31/08/37 Northampton Town (H)
241 Ernest Parker 31/08/37 Northampton Town (H)
242 Harry Roberts 04/09/37 Mansfield Town (H)
243 Albert Iles 25/09/37 Southend United (A)
244 William Richards 16/10/37 Gillingham (A)
245 Alexander Millar 04/12/37 Notts County (H)
246 Donal Tolland 04/12/37 Notts County (H)
247 Peter Withers 04/12/37 Notts County (H)
248 Wilfred V Smith 15/01/38 Mansfield Town (A)
1938/39
249 Richard Spivey 10/09/38 Southend United (H)
250 Harold Webb 17/09/38 Exeter City (A)
251 George Millington 24/09/38 Cardiff City (A)
252 Frank Warhurst 08/10/38 Reading (H)
253 William Kavanagh 15/10/38 Notts County (H)
254 Norman Kitchen 05/11/38 Clapton Orient (A)
255 Frank Curran 19/11/38 Swindon Town (A)
256 Wilfred Whitfield 19/11/38 Swindon Town (A)
257 Sydney Hartley 17/12/38 Northampton Town (A)
258 Albert Turner 17/12/38 Northampton Town (A)
259 Robert Carte 10/04/39 Walsall (A)