Bristol Rovers F.C.

Bristol Rovers F.C.

Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at Memorial Stadium, in Horfield, a suburb of Bristol.

The club was founded in 1883 as Black Arabs F.C., and were also known as Eastville Rovers and Bristol Eastville Rovers before finally changing its name to Bristol Rovers in 1899. They were admitted to the Football League in 1920 and have never dropped out of it since. The closest they came to losing their league status was in 1939, when they were re-elected after finishing bottom of Division Three (South), although they came perilously close again in 2002 when the team finished (second from bottom) just one league position away from relegation to the Football Conference. Their highest finishing position was in 1956 (which they matched three years later in 1959) on both occasions they ended the season in 6th place in Division Two, then the second tier of English football.

The club's official nickname is The Pirates, reflecting the maritime history of Bristol. The local nickname of the club is The Gas, from the gasworks next to Eastville Stadium which started as a derogatory term used by Bristol City fans but was affectionately adopted by the team, their former home. Their main rivals are Bristol City, and according to a survey conducted in December 2003, Cardiff City and Swindon Town are considered the second and third biggest rivals.

Currently Bristol Rovers play in League Two after their relegation from League One during the 2010–11 season. The club is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA and is currently managed by Mark McGhee.