Players want to play at the highest level they can, and the summer following a relegation can be a nerve-wracking time for fans because of the likelihood of losing your best players to higher-placed clubs.
While we’re still a couple of weeks away from the start of the new season, clubs will remain at risk of losing their brightest and best until the transfer window closes at the start of September.
We’ve spoken to the FLW’s Bristol Rovers fan pundit Ziggy, and asked him who he believes the only player is that Rovers simply cannot afford to lose this summer.
“Taking him away would leave us really exposed”: Bristol Rovers need to keep hold of Connor Taylor this summer
Ziggy believes that the player that Bristol Rovers cannot afford to lose this summer is central defender Connor Taylor: “I think with the people we’ve bought defensively, taking him away would leave us really exposed. Alfie Kilgour I don’t rate as much, and I think he will just be an absolute unit at the back. I think we’ve got to look after him. He might even go into next season in the captain’s role. I think he would deserve it.”
Ziggy feels that the need to keep hold of Taylor is important because of the other defensive players that Rovers have already signed this summer: “If we sell him I think that would leave us really vulnerable defensively. We’ve brought in Southam-Hales and Jack Sparks, who are very attack-minded full backs.”
He is also aware of the risk of other clubs circling Taylor, and that this means that his club has to do what they can to keep him there: “I think if he goes we will be really desperate and vulnerable at the back, so I think Connor Taylor is one that we need to keep hold of, especially because he’s got interest from Peterborough and other teams higher up. I think we need to keep hold of him.”
Concerns about outside interest in Taylor are not unfounded
Connor Taylor has been an impressive figure at the back for Bristol Rovers since he first arrived at the club on loan from Stoke City in 2021.
He originally signed on loan for a season before returning to the Potteries, before going back to the Memorial Ground on a permanent deal in 2023. In total, he’s run up 117 League appearances for the club in three full seasons with them, and he was their Player of the Season for 2024-25.
| Connor Taylor at Bristol Rovers (Sofascore) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Appearances | Minutes Played | Goals | Assists | Average rating |
| 2021-22 | 42 | 3572 | 3 | 0 | 7.07 |
| 2023-24 | 33 | 2610 | 0 | 1 | 6.91 |
| 2024-25 | 42 | 3503 | 1 | 1 | 7.11 |
And Ziggy’s concerns about interest from elsewhere aren’t unfounded. The 2024-25 season had barely ended when it was reported that Peterborough United were interested in taking him to London Road, and although Rovers have withstood the interest from elsewhere so far, there are no guarantees that they’ll be able to for the rest of the transfer window.
Bristol Rovers conceded 76 goals in their 46 League One matches last season. Only three clubs conceded more, and Peterborough were one of them. Small wonder they took such a close interest in Connor Taylor, and small wonder Bristol Rovers will be so keen to retain him ahead of their push to get back into League One.
Discussion about this post