PAUL ANDREW PETTS – 27th September 1961 – March 2025
The news has reached us, via his son Andrew, that former Rovers midfielder Paul Petts passed away last month at the age of 64.
Paul joined Rovers in July 1978 and signed his first professional contract for the club in June 1979. By that time he had made his league debut for the club in a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Millwall, on 9th December 1978 when he became the 452nd player to represent the Rovers in the Football League.
A team mate of Gary Mabbutt, who made his Rovers league debut just one week after Paul, the two of them played alongside each other for England Youth against Yugoslavia in 1980.
Paul also represented Northamptonshire Boys at rugby and had a trial for England Schoolboys in that sport.
After 13 league appearances for Rovers, he joined Shrewsbury Town in July 1980 and in five seasons with the Shropshire side scored 16 league goals in 149 games. Injury brought his career to a premature end, though he did manage three games for Merthyr Tydfil in 1988.
Paul’s father, John is also a former Rovers player and our thoughts are with him, with Andrew and all of Paul’s family and friends at this sad time.
Andrew has informed us that Paul’s funeral will be held on April 23rd in Swansea at 2:30pm and if any former colleague or friends of Paul would like to attend, he’s asked you to make contact with him
Tel: 07861 374201
Email: pettsy1@icloud.com