Darrell Clarke has admitted that he doesn’t want a massive squad at Bristol Rovers, but hopes that the Gas can bring in another four to five players before the end of the transfer window on September 1.
The Pirates kicked off their pre-season preparations with a 2-1 win at National League South side Chippenham Town on Friday evening thanks to goals from Ruel Sotiriou and Micah Anthony either side of half-time.
In what was largely a flat encounter on a firm pitch, Clarke gave 22 players run-outs, including two trialists and all five of the club’s new signings.
Since the end of last season, 17 players have left the Gas and, although he doesn’t want a big squad, the Pirates boss confessed there is more work to be done in the transfer market.
“Listen, I don’t want a massive squad, if I’m honest with you,” Clarke told Bristol Live. “But I would like another four or five. But we’ll be trading probably right until the last day of the window because that’s the situation we’re in. The owners have been very, very supportive. They’ve been fantastic with that and we’re working hard and chipping away, and as and when we get new signings, you guys will be the first to know.”
Links to former striker Jonson Clarke-Harris haven’t gone away with the striker leaving Rotherham United by mutual consent on Friday. Additionally, Bristol Live understands Rovers are set to add goalkeeper Luke Southwood to their ranks from Bolton Wanderers.
However, when asked about Clarke-Harris, Clarke didn’t want to discuss individual players that are not his own, adding: “You’re always going to get linked with players. It’s pre-season, you guys love it, don’t you? You’ve got to get your hits on your online websites, so it is what it is.
“You’re always gonna get linked, but for me, no business is done until the ink’s dry on the contract. We’re after players, we’ve got lists of players that we want to bring in and these things all take a little bit of time, a bit of wheeling and dealing and stuff like that. So I’m not going to talk about individual players.
“There’s a few players that we are after and we’ll get the right business done when we can.”
Rovers did include two trialists in their squad with one getting 60 minutes and the other 45. Although their identities haven’t been officially confirmed, Bristol Live understands they are former Coventry City midfielder Ryan Howley and Aylesbury United left-sided midfielder Tom Cove.
Again, with the players not technically Rovers’, Clarke did not confirm their identities but did say, “one of them has been training with us for a few days and the other one has been training with us since the start of pre-season.”
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