The 1920s
| Season | League | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1919–20 | Southern League | 17th of 22 |
| 1920–21 | Football League Division 3 | 10th of 22 |
| 1921–22 | Football League Division 3 (South) | 14th of 22 |
| 1922–23 | Football League Division 3 (South) | 13th of 22 |
| 1923–24 | Football League Division 3 (South) | 9th of 22 |
| 1924–25 | Football League Division 3 (South) | 17th of 22 |
| 1925–26 | Football League Division 3 (South) | 19th of 22 |
| 1926–27 | Football League Division 3 (South) | 10th of 22 |
| 1927–28 | Football League Division 3 (South) | 19th of 22 |
| 1928–29 | Football League Division 3 (South) | 19th of 22 |
| 1920–21 club colours |
On 18 May 1920 a meeting was held between representatives of the Southern League and The Football League and it was decided to move all of the Southern League teams into the new third division of the Football League, which up to this point had consisted of two divisions. As a result Rovers lined up against Millwall on 28 August 1920 for their first match as a football league side, which they lost 2–0. This season also saw Rovers change their team colours from the black and white stripes that had been used since 1899 to white jerseys with blue shorts.
The first Rovers player to be sent off in the Football League was Bill Panes, who was expelled on 4 February 1922 during a game with Luton Town at Eastville.
Attendances were high during this period. On several occasions during this decade, matches between the two Bristol clubs attracted crowds of 30,000 spectators. Even reserve team matches were well attended; a Southern League game against Bristol City played in April 1923 at Ashton Gate attracted 7,000 fans.
In September 1922, an Egyptian engineering student at the University of Bristol called Mahmoud Mokhtar El-Tetsh had an unsuccessful trial during a reserve game with Bristol Rovers. Although he didn't earn a professional contract in Bristol, or at Tranmere Rovers where he also had a trial, he went on to become a six-time winner of the Egyptian player of the year award and the Egyptian national stadium was named after him.
Another noteworthy player to appear for Rovers in this decade was Ronnie Dix (born 5 September 1912). He made his debut on 25 February 1928 against Charlton Athletic at an age of 15 years, 173 days, making him the youngest player to represent Bristol Rovers in a competitive first-team match. One week later, in a game against Norwich City on 3 March 1928 he scored his first goal at an age of 15 Years, 180 days, making him the youngest goalscorer in Football League history, a record that still stands today. He remained the only 15-year-old to play for Rovers for almost 77 years, when Scott Sinclair made his debut aged 15 years, 275 days in December 2004.
Honours
- Gloucestershire Cup – 1924–25 and 1927–28
Read more about this topic: History Of Bristol Rovers F.C.