The 7 worst Bristol Rovers signings of the last 5 years | OneFootball

Bristol Rovers' transfer business in recent times has been, for the most part, done well.

The club has done well signing players on free transfers before selling for a profit, with Aaron Collins being a recent example, as well as using the loan market exceptionally, with the likes of Newcastle's Elliot Anderson and Middlesbrough's Josh Coburn both going back to their parent clubs to be part of the first team set-ups.

However, like any club, mistakes in the transfer and loan market have been made, and we have looked back at some of the worst signings that have been made over the past five years.

7 Max Ehmer

Max Ehmer is the first member of the Rovers squad that finished bottom of League One in the 2020/21 season, and actually captained the side up until Joey Barton was appointed manager in February.

The German-born defender joined Ben Garner's side following the expiration of his contract at fellow third division side, Gillingham, and made 33 appearances across all competitions as the Gas were relegated with two games left of the season. Ehmer's contract was terminated at the end of the campaign, when he rejoined Gillingham and has been a mainstay in their side since, making over 100 appearances across three seasons.

6 Ben Liddle

Ben Liddle joined Bristol Rovers for an undisclosed fee in 2020 as a product of the Middlesbrough academy. The midfielder came to Bristol highly-rated. However, his career in blue and white never got going.

He made six appearances in the 2020/21 season as the Gas were relegated to League Two, then one the following season, before being sent out on loan to Scottish Championship side Queen of the South. He made 19 appearances north of the border and then, following his return to Bristol after his loan spell, he was released at the end of the 2021/22 season.

He joined National League North side Darlington after his release from Rovers and recently signed a one-year contract extension with the Quakers up until the end of the 2023/24 season.

5 Mark Hughes

Mark Hughes (right) had a very short stint as a Bristol Rovers player at the beginning of the 2021/22 season, after rejecting a contract extension with current club Accrington Stanly, instead opting to join Joey Barton's side. Hughes made his debut in his side's 2-1 defeat to Mansfield Town on the opening day of the season, conceding a penalty in the final minutes to confine his new side to defeat.

He went onto make five more appearances before calling it a day on his playing career, and opting to join Steven Schumacher's backroom staff at Plymouth Argyle. He is now Schumacher's assistant at Stoke City, after following him from Plymouth to his current role.

Speaking of short stints, they don't get much shorter than Jon Nolan's at Bristol Rovers. The former Ipswich man joined the club in January 2022, on a short-term deal up until the end of the season, and made one appearance before his deal was not extended at the end of the season.

He then joined fourth division side Tranmere Rovers following his release from the Gas on a one-year deal, which was not extended, and now plays for Macclesfield Town in the Northern Premier League.

3 Calum Macdonald

Staying on the subject of short-term deals in the January window, Calum Macdonald (right) is a recent example. The full-back was signed in January 2023 after his deal at Stockport County was terminated, on a contract running up until the end of the 2022/23 season.

The Scotsman made four appearances during his spell in Bristol, and then joined Mansfield Town on a two-year contract, where he played a part in their promotion push at the top end of the League Two table alongside fellow former Rovers players Ollie Clarke, Alfie Kilgour and Tom Nicholls.

2 Sylvester Jasper

Our first loan signing on this list, Sylvester Jasper (right) joined Joey Barton's side before the start of the 2022/23 season on a season-long loan deal from Fulham. The winger made eight appearances before his loan deal was terminated, and he returned to the Premier League side's u23 side for the remainder of the season before he was released. He now plays his football for Portugese Primeira Liga side Portimonense S.C.

1 Josh Barrett

Another member of the Rovers squad who were relegated in 2021, Josh Barrett, signed for the Gas ahead of that season for an undisclosed fee from Reading. The Irishman originally signed a two-and-a-half year deal, but his contract was terminated following his side's relegation to allow him to follow Rovers Head of Recruitment Tommy Widdrington to National League side Kings Lynn. While at Rovers, manager Ben Garner repeatedly criticised his fitness levels as Barrett only made nine appearances across three different managers.

The midfielder now plays for Aldershot after being brought to the club once more by Widdrington.