Bristol Rovers have released their squad numbers for the upcoming 2022/23 League One season.
The Gas, backed in two new Macron strips, have rarely seen any changes in shirt numbers with no players making any major changes.
Joey Barton who was delighted to get a ‘number nine’ in the building in John Marquis has been given just that having taken the nine shirt over from Leon Clarke. His squad number assignment perhaps acts as a hint that he will lead the line on most occasions this season.
James Connolly after returning to the club on a permanent basis from Cardiff City has kept the number two shirt, meanwhile Jordan Rossiter has taken up the number fourteen and James Gibbons has chosen to wear the number twenty eight.
Zain Westbrooke, who fell out of favour last season and was loaned out to Stevenage has returned back to the fold and retains the number eight shirt that he has been assigned for the past two campaigns.
Nick Anderton, who revealed that he had been diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, has also been given a squad number, retaining the 16 shirt he wore when helping the team to promotion last year.
Academy graduates like Harvey Greenslade, Jerry Lawrence, Sam Heal and Ryan Jones have also been assigned numbers, wearing 27, 34, 24 and 44 respectively.
1. James Belshaw
As expected, the first-choice goalkeeper wears the number one shirt. Photo: Naomi Baker/Getty Images
2. James Connolly
The number two shirt is more reserved to a right-back but centre-back Connolly keeps hold of it. Photo: Pete Norton/Getty Images
3. Josh Grant
Josh Grant since the 2020/21 season has held the number 4 shirt. It’s fitting as Grant can play anywhere with the four shirt being reserved for defenders or midfielders. Photo: Naomi Baker/Getty Images
4. Alfie Kilgour
Alfie Kilgour was given the number last year and holds on to it having made the change from 15 for the past seasons. Photo: Dan Mullan/Getty Images