Player Appearances

Player Appearances

At Bristol Rovers we’ve enjoyed watching and getting to know many players and managers over the last 130+ years.

The BRFPA treats all ex-players and staff the same, all as one big family – our constitution merely states that to qualify for full membership of the BRFPA an ex-player must have played just one competitive first team match for Bristol Rovers F.C. (including as a playing substitute).   For ex-staff members they just have to have been on the non-playing first team staff.   Loaned players can also be invited to become full members by the BRFPA committee.

Whilst added status is certainly not bestowed by numerous appearances, the amount of matches played or managed is a practical and generation spanning way to honour and recognise our longest serving ex-players and managers.  Incidentally, it is maybe a positive sign of a tight knit club that ten men on the list below have done both; been a player and a manager.

I have always enjoyed the get-togethers and camaraderie of former players and the welcome formation of BRFPA as a proper association will enable us to move to a more organised structure.

Vaughan Jones - BRFC Player 1976-82 & 1984-93, Player Rep BRFPA Committee

Bubbling under our 200 Club are: 

  • Martin Thomas (1977–1983) – 186 appearances (No goals)

  • Byron Anthony (2006–2012) – 191 apps (10 goals)

  • Tom Parkes (2012–2016) – 192 apps (7 goals)

  • Dai Ward (1954–1961) – 192 apps (97 goals)

  • Peter Roney (1909–1915) – 196 apps (1 goal)

  • Bill Dodgin (senior) – 34 apps (1 goal) as a player (1936-1937) + 163 matches as manager (1969-1972)

  • Ben Appleby (1903–1908) – 199 apps (9 goals)

Members of the 200 Club are: 

  • Jamie Cureton (1996–2000) – 200 appearances (78 goals)

  • David Pritchard (1994-2002) – 201 apps (1 goal)

  • Tom Stanton (1968–1976) – 201 apps (9 goals)

  • Bill Roost (1948–1957) – 203 apps (52 goals)

  • Brian Williams (1981–1985) – 203 apps (22 goals)

  • Ellis Harrison (2011 – 2018) – 204 apps (52 goals)

  • Jim Eadie (1973–1977) – 209 apps (No goals)

  • Phil Roberts (1968–1973) – 210 apps (7 goals)

  • Marcus Stewart (1991–1996) – 210 apps (80 goals)

  • Marcus Browning (1989–1997) – 214 apps (15 goals)

  • Brough Fletcher (1938-1950) – 222 games as manager

  • Justin Skinner (1991–1998) – 224 apps (13 goals)

  • Aidan McCaffrey (1980–1985) – 225 apps (14 goals)

  • Andrew Wilson (1921-1926) – 230 games as manager

  • Billy Peplow (1908–1915) – 236 apps (44 goals)

  • Joe Davis (1960–1967) – 237 apps (6 goals)

  • Steve Foster (1997–2002) – 237 apps (7 goals)

  • Bobby Gould – 41 apps (13 goals) as a player (1977-1979) + 196 matches as manager (1981-1983 & 1985-1987)

  • David Harvie (1910–1920) – 237 apps (1 goal)

  • Ray Graydon – 158 apps (38 goals) as a player (1965-1971) + 82 matches as manager (2002-2004)

  • Bruce Bannister (1971–1977) – 241 apps (93 goals)

  • Craig Disley (2004–2009) – 242 apps (31 goals)

  • Aaron Lescott (2004–2010) – 242 apps (5 goals)

  • Norman Sykes (1956–1964) – 242 apps (10 goals)

  • Devon White (1987–1992) – 242 apps (60 goals)

  • Steve Yates (1986–1993) – 245 apps (No goals)

  • Tim Parkin (1981–1986) – 248 apps (14 goals)

Members of the 250 Club are: 

  • Bill Pickering (1931–1937) – 250 appearances (2 goals)

  • John Ward (1993–1996 & 2012-2014) – 250 games as manager

  • Tom Lockyer (2013- ) – 251 apps so far (4 goals)

  • Steve Elliott (2004–2010) – 257 apps (18 goals)

  • Kenny Stephens (1970–1977) – 262 apps (14 goals)

  • Peter Aitken (1972–1980) – 264 apps (4 goals)

  • Howard Radford (1951–1962) – 265 apps (No goals)

  • Wayne Jones (1966–1972) – 266 apps (36 goals)

  • David Mehew (1985–1994) – 266 apps (74 goals)

  • Paul Randall (1977–1978 & 1981–1986) – 281 apps (105 goals)

  • Wally McArthur (1933–1950) – 288 apps (19 goals)

  • Andy Reece (1987–1993) – 289 apps (24 goals)

  • Arthur Cartlidge (1901–1909) – 295 apps (No goals)

  • Billy Clark (1987–1997) – 295 apps (14 goals)

  • Albert Prince-Cox (1930–1936) – 295 games as manager

Members of the 300 Club are:

  • Geoff Twentyman (1986–1993) – 300 appearances (7 goals)

  • Brian Parkin (1989–1996 & 1999–2000) – 301 apps (No goals)

  • Vic Lambden (1945–1955) – 302 apps (135 goals)

  • Andy Tillson (1992–2000) – 305 apps (14 goals)

  • Geoff Fox (1947–1955) – 308 apps (2 goals)

  • Don Megson – 40 apps (2 goals) as a player (1969-1971) + 272 games as manager (1972-1977)

  • Gary Penrice (1983–1989 & 1997–2002) – 316 apps (75 goals)

  • Jimmy Haydon (1921–1931) – 318 apps (5 goals)

  • Lee Brown (2011– 2018) – 319 apps (21 goals)

  • Gerry Francis – 36 apps (1 goal) as a player (1985-1988) + 286 matches as manager (1987-1991 & 2001)

  • Peter Hooper (1953–1962) – 328 apps (107 goals)

  • Chris Lines (2004–2011 & 2015 – ) – 342 apps so far (34 goals)

  • Ian Alexander (1986–1994) – 349 apps (9 goals)

Members of the 350 Club are:

  • Stuart Campbell (2004–2011) – 341 appearances (3 goals) as a player + 12 matches as (caretaker) manager (2011)

  • John ‘Josser’ Watling (1947–1963) – 361 apps (21 goals)

  • Doug Hillard (1957–1968) – 365 apps (13 goals)

  • Paul Trollope – 26 apps (2 goals) as a player (2004-2005) + 342 matches as first team coach or manager (2005-2010)

  • Phil Bater – 359 apps (3 goals) as a player (1974–1981) + 14 matches as (caretaker) manager (2002 & 2004)

  • Peter Sampson (1948–1961) – 380 apps (4 goals)

Members of the 400 Club are: 

  • Jesse Whatley (1919–1930) – 409 appearances (No goals)

  • Frankie Prince (1967–1980) – 424 apps (27 goals)

  • Lindsay Parsons (1963–1977) – 429 apps (No goals)

Members of the 450 Club are: 

  • Ray Mabbutt (1956–1969) – 451 appearances (29 goals)

  • Vaughan Jones (1976–1982, 1984, & 1985–1993) – 457 apps (14 goals)

  • Alfie Biggs (1953–1961 & 1962–1968) – 473 apps (199 goals)

  • Bobby Jones (1956–1966 & 1967–1973) – 481 apps (112 goals)

  • Ray Warren (1936–1956) – 493 apps (31 goals)

Members of the 500 Club are:

  • George Petherbridge (1945–1962) – 510 appearances (93 goals)

  • Jack Pitt (1946–1960) – 512 apps (18 goals)

  • Geoff Bradford (1949–1964) – 523 apps (262 goals)

  • David Williams – 415 apps (80 goals) as a player (1975–1985) + 108 matches as (player) manager (1983-1985)

  • Harry Bamford (1946–1958) – 534 apps (5 goals)

  • Harold Jarman – 524 apps (145 goals) as a player (1959–1973) + 24 matches as (caretaker) manager (1979-80)

Finally, members of a very special club are: 

  • Stuart Taylor (1965–1980) – 635 appearances (& 35 goals)

  • Ian Holloway – 476 appearances (& 51 goals) as a player (1981–1985, 1987–1991 & 1996–1999) + 249 matches as manager (1996–2001)

  • Bert Tann (1950-1968) – 897 games as manager

Player Appearances - BRFPA