Bristol Rovers announce fourth pre-season friendly against Wayne Rooney’s new club at Mem

VaselineJune 6, 2024

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Bristol Rovers announce fourth pre-season friendly against Wayne Rooney’s new club at Mem

Bristol Rovers host Plymouth Argyle at Mem in a pre-season friendly on Tuesday 30 July as their preparations for the 2024/25 League One season step up, with the Championship side now managed by England and Manchester United legend , Wayne Rooney.

The Pilgrims narrowly survived relegation in their first season in the second tier for 13 years by beating Hull City on the final day of the 2023/24 campaign, moving them one point above Birmingham City in 21st place.

After sacking Ian Foster in April, director of football Neil Dewsnip and first team coach Kevin Nancekivell took charge for the remainder of the season and steered the Devon side to survival. Since then, England’s second highest goalscorer and United icon Rooney has taken charge at Home Park.

The 38-year-old was sacked by Birmingham in January after a run of nine defeats in 15 games in charge, but returned relatively quickly in charge four months later after spells in the dugout at Derby County and DC United previous.

It’s another friendly against relatively local opposition for Rovers, with Plymouth also located in the South West. The two clubs faced off as recently as 2023 en route to winning Argyle’s League One title. That season saw them play each other four times, with two league games and two EFL Trophy games, two of which ended in draws and the other two wins for the Pilgrims.

The news comes after Rovers announced they will travel to three non-league sides based in the South West for friendlies in Melksham Town, Bath City and Yeovil Town. Matt Taylor’s side will then fly to Portugal for a week-long training camp, which will include two friendlies against yet-to-be-confirmed opponents.

The players are expected to return to The Quarters for the start of pre-season training on July 1, with the 2024/25 season set to begin on the weekend of August 10.