Bristol Rovers play Rotherham United tomorrow in what will be the 60th league meeting between the sides; Rovers have won 23 of the previous 59 games and Rotherham 21 while the remaining 15 games have been drawn Rovers have scored 83 goals, while Rotherham have scored 85.
The first league meetings between the sides took place in 1953/54 when the sides played out a 1-1 draw at Millmoor on 21st November 1953 with Rovers winning the return fixture 1-0 at Eastville on 27th March 1954.
Until this season, we had not met since the 2019/20 campaign when Rovers were 1-0 winners against Rotherham at The Mem on 28th September 2019 but were beaten 3-0 in the return fixture at The New York Stadium on 18th January 2020. The meeting between the sides earlier this season ended goalless on 17th August 2024.
In terms of managerial connections between the sides, then look no further than Paul Raynor. The Rotherham assistant manager played eight games for Rovers in 1984/85, when on loan from Nottingham Forest.
Matt Taylor and Wayne Carlisle, who left Rovers late last year, were in charge at Rotherham before their move to The Mem, and former Rovers goalkeeping coach Scott Brown worked alongside them at both clubs.
Former Rovers boss Graham Coughlan, now in charge at Boston United, appeared in 45 league games for Rotherham in 2007/08, while Darren Paterson had brief spells as caretaker manager of both clubs (Rovers December 2010 – January 2011 and Rotherham March – April 2012)
Looking at players who have turned out for both clubs, then there are at least 25, a list that includes a number of goalkeepers, namely Jamal Blackman, Phil Kite, Conrad Logan, Tom McAlister, Kelle Roos and Scott Shearer. Also on the list are Ian Alexander, Les Bradd, Guy Branston, Trevor Clarke, Tom Eaves, Mark Foran, Brian Gayle, Carl Gilbert, Bob Harris, Tom Hitchcock, Will Hoskins, Ian McLean, Andy Monkhouse, Richie Partridge, Bobby ‘Shadow’ Williams and Che Wilson.
Current connections see former Rovers striker Jonson Clarke-Harris in the Rotherham squad while current members of the Rovers squad, Jamie Lindsay and Grant Ward have both played for Rotherham.
There are some well known former players who made their Rovers league debut against Rotherham, the full list being as follows; Peter Hooper, David Pyle, Ian Bearpark, Bruce Bannister, Jason Eaton, Nigel Martyn, Andy Reece, David Wifil, Lee Zabek, Ollie Norburn, Ryan Brunt and Josh Ginnelly. The latest player to have made his Rovers debut against The 
Millers is Ruel Sotiriou, whose first appearance for the club was in the goalless draw at The New York Stadium last August.
Just as Rotherham have played Rovers at three different venues; Eastville, Twerton Park and The Memorial Stadium, Rovers have also played them at three venues; Millmoor, The Don Valley Stadium and The New York Stadium.
Rotherham, who have been up and down from League One to the Championship on more than one occasion in recent years, were many people’s favourites to return to the second tier of English football this season but results to date have been disappointing.
Last Saturday’s home defeat at the hands of Barnsley has left them in 14th place in the league standings, with 38 points from 32 games while Rovers, who lost 2-1 at Northampton, are in 19th place with three points fewer, having played the same number of games.
This weekend’s game is not quite the proverbial six pointer but isn’t far off and Rovers will be looking to come out on top and register what will be their eighth home win of the season.
Their visitors have won only twice on the road, one fewer than Inigo Calderon’s side and with the backing of a vociferous home crowd, let’s hope it stays that way!
Enjoy the game!
