Bristol Rovers' first summer signing ticks number of boxes and underlines clear transfer ethos

Hopefully panic has started to subside amongst Gasheads now that Bristol Rovers have finally confirmed their first signing of the summer, securing the services of midfielder Isaac Hutchinson from Walsall on a three-year deal with the option of a fourth.

Understandably with so much riding on this summer and the importance of getting recruitment right, nerves appeared to be compounding as every week went on without the announcement of a transfer. Realistically though, there was nothing to panic about given that pre-season is still yet to begin with the season itself not starting for just under seven weeks.

Sure, it doesn’t help any growing irritation when other League One clubs start announcing their own deals, particularly Rotherham United who have confirmed just the eight arrivals at the time of writing. However, it is very much a marathon not a sprint and judgement should be reserved for August 31 when the window is shut.

It is no secret that Hutchinson is likely to be the first of a number of signings to come through the door at The Quarters this summer after 13 departures at the end of last summer with more potentially to follow. But, as far as starts go, the summer recruitment seems to have begun positively.

With the notable amount of players that are expected to pose outside The Quarters with a Rovers scarf of shirt over the next two months, naturally there will be some variety in regards to the type of signings made. Largely though, Hutchinson seems to tick a considerable amount of boxes that Matt Taylor and the Gas hierarchy started to outline at the end of last season regarding what types of players they hoped to recruit in preparation for the new campaign.

Age is probably the stand out factor. The recruitment ethos that Rovers appear keen to follow is picking up young players with high potential that can develop into assets who will then eventually be sold for considerable profit. It’s nothing new in football but doing it efficiently and sustainably is always the tricky part.

The acquisition of Kamil Conteh from Grimsby Town back in January was very much a blueprint transfer for the sort of business the Gas are keen to build a positive reputation for and so far there have been plenty of signs to suggest that the 21-year-old midfielder will end up being a success in BS7. Furthermore, Conteh signed a three-and-a-half year deal until 2027 which is generally considered long-term at this level while Hutchinson has also signed for the next three years with the option of a fourth.

Although three years older at 24, the midfielder won’t be 25 until April and his transfer to Rovers is the former Brighton youth player’s first move up the pyramid since joining Derby County from Southend United as a 20-year-old.

Hutchinson only went on to play four first-team games for the Rams having made 40 appearances at Southend and also had loans at Forest Green Rovers and Crawley Town before a permanent move to Walsall. He’s got a decent chunk of experience under his belt already but his peak is surely still a number of years away meaning that the midfielder is only going to get better.

There may not be an accurate conversion rate to give an idea of what 12 goals and 11 assists in League Two translates to at League One level but they’re undoubtedly promising numbers, particularly considering Hutchinson’s position and age, and hopefully the jump up a division proves to be a step as opposed to a leap.

Realistically, the only Rovers player that you can accurately compare the new addition to is Antony Evans with the goals and assists he registered from the middle last term at 10 and nine respectively. Naturally, part of the conversation regarding the arrival of Hutchinson relates to whether or not he’s a premature replacement for the Gas’ reigning player of the season but that’s a discussion for further down the line.

But if Rovers’ ethos is largely going to be picking up players under the age of 25 with outstanding numbers from playing in the fourth tier, it should go down well with supporters.

However, sticking in the scalpel a little deeper and pulling apart Hutchinson’s attributes that aren’t necessarily visible from the surface, there’s one factor that stands out more than any other - his availability. It eventually became almost routine for Taylor to provide a fresh injury update in every press conference as the second half of last season went on. Not having a fully fit squad was consistently a major issue for the Gas manager as he was trying to settle in at the Mem and start putting together a competitive team.

Over two seasons at Walsall, the new Rovers recruit made 106 appearances, not featuring in just two league games in the 2022/23 campaign for which he was an unused substitute. Across all competitions, the Saddlers played 109 matches and for the three games Hutchinson didn’t play in, he was on the bench. 97 of those 106 matches were starts as well. Whatever way you look at it, that is a remarkable attendance record and was undoubtedly a key factor in Taylor agreeing to the transfer.

Apologies for bringing him back into the discussion but, again Evans is really the only comparable player when it comes to availability last season with the midfielder only missing out due to yellow card suspensions. The 25-year-old was the only player to break 50 appearances at Rovers last term with Harvey Vale (47) and Luke Thomas (46) second and third respectively. Of course, Vale is no longer at the club having returned to Chelsea following his excellent loan spell.

In a tougher division with the looks of the sides competing in League One this term, the Gas cannot afford to lose as many players for as long as they did last season, especially key individuals. If the Hutchinson signing can offer a clear idea of the direction Rovers are planning to go in in the market then avoiding players with a record of being injury-prone is a necessity.

Another point Taylor made last campaign was the importance of balancing youth with experience and so, naturally, not every signing is going to be another Conteh or of a similar level to Hutchinson. However, George Friend and Chris Spendlove will have a clear idea of what’s needed in each position and, as far as first signings go, this appears to be a commendable start.