Bristol Rovers confirm second transfer departure as stalwarts 17-year stay ends

Alfie Kilgour’s 17-year stay as a Bristol Rovers player has come to an end after he was sold to Mansfield Town. The Bath-born defender is leaving for an undisclosed fee and has joined the League Two outfit on an 18-month deal. He is the second player to leave this window after Trevor Clarke’s loan move to Shamrock Rovers.

Kilgour had been on the books of the Gas since he was seven-years-old and now at 24, he is leaving the club that he was able to make the grade into. In an eight-year spell as a senior player at the Memorial Stadium, he made a total of 118 appearances, and scored seven goals for the club.

He was an unused substitute in the 2015/16 season, and made his breakthrough in the senior game with non-league clubs Mangotsfield United, Cirencester Town and Hungerford Town. A loan spell at Maidenhead United saw him return to Rovers in March 2019 after playing 19 matches, and he eventually made his debut as a substitute against Gillingham, with a start following shortly after.

In the current campaign, Kilgour featured 12 times this season, with eight appearances in the league, however those were split with four starts and four substitute appearances. He was not involved in the match-day squad against Plymouth and was played his last game against Exeter City on October 1.

Kilgour was out of contract at the end of the season, and spoke candidly about the prospect of being ot of work in the summer. He stated in Bristol Rovers’ pre-match programme against Morecambe in September, his desire to stay at the club.

Kilgour said: “It’s a big year, I’m doing everything I can on the training pitch and when I get the opportunity.

“I will be out of a job, basically, come June 1 so I’m working hard and we’ll see what happens. There’s no other club I’d rather play for. I’m settled here and I want to do everything for Bristol Rovers.”

His time however has come to an end, and now he will have the task of trying to help Mansfield win promotion from the fourth tier. Kilgour played 11 times in Rovers’ promotion-winning campaign last season, and his experience could help the Stags, who have fallen short over the last few years.

Nigel Clough’s side are currently ninth in the division and are outside of the play-off spots on goal difference. The Nottinghamshire club have former Rovers trio John-Joe O’Toole, Hiram Boateng and Ollie Clarke on their books.