‘No hard feelings’: Joey Barton opens up on exit of former Bristol Rovers striker

Bristol Rovers manager Joey Barton says that there are ‘no hard feelings’ towards Brandon Hanlan ahead of a reunion with Wycombe Wanderers. Hanlan will face his former club for the first time since leaving the Memorial Stadium in the summer of 2021, despite there being a desire from Barton to keep him to spearhead a promotion push.

The striker scored seven goals in his only season for the Gas, as they were relegated to League Two. He showed promise during the opening games of the campaign, but a move was forced through to join Wycombe.

Despite Barton only taking the Bristol Rovers job in February, he was very open about his ambitions to keep Hanlan at the club over the summer, amid speculation over a move for the 24-year-old, however the striker left the club to join Wycombe Wanderers in August.

“We were gutted to lose Brand, he’s a good lad and at the time we didn’t have many options on the frontline,” admitted Barton.

“He only had a short period of time left in his deal before he was able to leave on a free transfer so the club decided to cash in.”

Hanlan made one appearance in League Two for the Gas, being substituted on at 4-0 down in Rovers’ heavy away defeat to Exeter City, a game famous for Barton’s promise of promotion in the aftermath.

Five days later he was a Wycombe Wanderers player, joining for an undisclosed fee and signing a three-year-deal.

“For Brandon, he just wanted some security and obviously Wycombe had just been relegated from the Championship and were expected to mount a promotion push in league one.”

“The lad’s nearer to home etcetera and you could see the logic in him going there so he left with no hard feelings.”

The striker scored six in 37 games in his first season for the Wanderers, who were ultimately defeated in the Play-Off Final by Sunderland.

The Gas now face one of their ex-players, in a fixture that could see them level on points with the play-off places if they win and results go their way, in what could be a statement result for Barton’s side in their first season back in the third division.

“We were gutted to lose him and it will be nice to see Brand after the game and have a catch up because he’s a top lad.”

Hanlan comes into the game off the bat of scoring his first goal of the season in Wycombe’s 1-0 win over promotion favourites Ipswich Town, and moving his side a point ahead of his old side.

In comparison, Rovers’ strikers have been better off so far this season, with Aaron Collins leading the way with 11 goals, Josh Coburn with five and Ryan Loft and John Marquis with four each.