Joey Barton provides Bristol Rovers squad update as door opens again for Trevor Clarke

Bristol Rovers manager Joey Barton has given a squad update ahead of Saturday’s clash with Morecambe.

Last time out, the Gas drew 1-1 with Shrewsbury and it was revealed before kick off that centre back James Connolly had sustained a stress fracture injury, one that could see him ruled out for at least a month.

Connolly joins James Gibbons and Josh Grant on the injury table; however, the latter could be seen in blue and white quarters very soon.

Grant has only one appearance this season as a late substitute in the win over Oxford United, yet he could make his return to the first team with the visit of Morecambe.

Barton said: “He’s back on the grass, today he joined back in with the group so we’ll see how he is tomorrow, but he’ll be getting pushed on from now.”

Rovers will also be without Jordan Rossiter, who received a three-game ban in the week for ‘violent conduct’ in an incident in the first half of the Shrewsbury game that was not seen by match officials.

“It’s one of them isn’t it, we had a look from the camera angle and it looks like he’s elbowed him,” Barton said.

“When you slow it down and look at it, his arm makes contact with him, when you watch it in real time you’d have to argue how much of that contact - how much do Shrewsbury make of it and we didn’t even bother appealing it.

“There’s not enough evidence that he didn’t make enough contact with him, so we’re now a player short.”

However, on a more positive note, the Gas will have their deadline day signings available for the match, presuming that they are registered in time.

Sylvester Jasper, Josh Coburn and Bobby Thomas all signed on year-long loan deals from Fulham, Middlesbrough and Burnley respectively.

Another player that may feature is Trevor Clarke. Joey Barton publicly stated that his services are not required after he signed a new two-year deal in the summer.

Eyebrows were raised when Clarke was featured in the starting 11 of Tuesday’s penalty shootout defeat to Plymouth Argyle in the Papa Johns Trophy, however Barton has admitted that the 24-year-old is back training with the group.

“I was quite vocal in terms of where we were with the group but I’m not someone who carries grudges, he had a chance to explore the marketplace and he hasn’t come back with anything

“We had a falling out, it was just childish sh*t, for me at the end of the day you’re in the group, you had an opportunity to get a new club and you haven’t done that, now he’s here until at least January, we might as well get the maximum out of him here.”