Bristol Rovers notebook: Signings stagnant, Gas Girls update and ex-recruitment chief's new role

Although very little has been officially announced by Bristol Rovers yet, it's not time to panic just yet with the start of the season still just under two months away.

Of course, there's never reassurance from the fact that other clubs are starting to demonstrate activity in the transfer market when your club still hasn't made a signing in a summer where a considerable turnover is going to be needed but the fact that it's still early days must be stressed.

It's not just player turnover that's expected at Rovers either with Jamie McAllister's departure from the club making it three coaches to leave over the course of the summer so far while Head of Data and Analysis Adam Mahoney has also left, becoming Assistant Head of Recruitment at Huddersfield Town. Come September there are expected to be a considerable amount of new faces.

However, things are expected to start getting busier at the Gas over the coming weeks as the transfer window officially opens and pre-season begins in a couple of weeks. By then you would imagine, or at least hope, that a few signings have been completed by then. There will also be the football fix that comes with the Euros so hopefully the next few weeks bring plenty of positivity.

Although activity on the pitch for Rovers doesn't start for a while yet, off the pitch there has still been a fair bit of activity relating to the club, starting with a transfer update as to why a signing still hasn't been confirmed...

Holidays and Moore: The latest on Bristol Rovers' recent transfer pursuits

After last weekend's report revealing that Bristol Rovers were closing in on signing former Bristol City centre-back Taylor Moore, fans may be starting to get concerned regarding why the deal hasn't been officially confirmed yet. Well, as is customary for this time of year, it appears as though holidays have delayed proceedings slightly but nothing has changed regarding Rovers' position.

The expectation is still very much that Moore will become a Gas player but supporters may well have to wait until beyond this week before an official confirmation is published.

Elsewhere, Bristol Live understands that Rovers are still keen on bringing in Joe Edwards and Miguel Freckleton among a number of other players.

Edwards captained Plymouth Argyle to Championship survival last season with the winning goal against Hull City on the final day with the versatile midfielder able to play at right-back which could prove to be particularly useful. At 33 he would also add some needed experience. Gloucester-born Edwards is also based in Bristol and is entering his final year at Home Park.

Wayne Rooney has recently been appointed as Argyle's new boss which could affect the midfielder's position at Plymouth and how frequently he's expected to play.

As for Freckleton, the former Rovers academy player made 19 appearances for Chesterfield on loan from Sheffield United last term as the Spireites stormed to promotion from the National League. Born in Bristol, the 20-year-old centre-back is set to be out of contract at Bramall Lane at the end of this month and is understood to be weighing up his options.

It is understood that the young defender, who attended SGS College while playing for Mangotsfield United when a teenager, is subject to interest from an array of clubs but still hasn't officially said yes or no to the fresh terms offered by Sheffield United.

Gas Girls learn their opponents for upcoming National League season

After being promoted into the Women's National League last season, the Gas Girls now know who they'll be facing in the Women's National League Division One South West this coming campaign.

Now in tier four of women's football, Bristol Rovers Women will be in the same league as AFC Bournemouth, Abingdon United, Bournemouth Sports, Bridgwater United, Keynsham Town, Maidenhead United, Moneyfields, Portishead Town, Southampton Women, Swindon Town and Worthing, who have been moved over from Division One South East.

No sides from tier three, the Women's National League Premier Division North and South, have been relegated into Rovers' division with the Gas Girls and fellow promoted side Bournemouth Sports, who won the Southern Region Womens Football League last term, the new faces alongside Worthing.

Not only is the upcoming season particularly exciting given that it's the highest up the pyramid the Gas Girls will play since they were reformed in 2019 but it's also the first campaign where they will exclusively play their home games at The Mem after returning to the management of the football club from the Community Trust with details about how that will work specifically alongside the men's first team yet to be confirmed.

Former key recruitment figure finds new role

Bristol Rovers' former Head of Football Operations Eddy Jennings has found himself a new job, becoming an agent at Beswick Sports who represent Connor Taylor as well as other players such as Jay Rodgriguez, Daniel Iversen and Lewis Morgan.

The Liverpudlian, who was a close associate of Joey Barton with the pair working together at Fleetwood Town before Rovers, was an agent at Wasserman before he became Technical Director at Fleetwood. As part of a long post on LinkedIn, Jennings stated: "I've always enjoyed helping people improve and I'm confident that I have the knowledge and experience to genuinely support that journey."

Jennings played a key role in various transfer successes at Rovers after Barton arrived at the club in 2021 which ultimately led to promotion back to League One at the first time of asking as well as the Gas consolidating their place in the third tier the following campaign. Elliot Anderson, Jarell Quansah, Lewis Gibson and Connor Taylor are all examples of the players the former recruitment chief was responsible for bringing to BS7.

Ironically, Jennings also brought the man that ended up replacing him as Director of Football, in George Friend, with the former defender signing last summer before retiring from playing in February to take up the new role.

With a hefty contacts book, the new agent will no doubt add to his reputation of spotting young talent and assisting their development.