League One news: Bristol Rovers and Charlton Athletic pair depart on loan, Swansea City watch winger

Pompey have made an impressive start to the new League One season

Pompey won 2-1 away at Wigan Athletic this weekend. Regan Poole and Paddy Lane were on the scoresheet at the DW Stadium.

John Mousinho’s side are top of the table after the first 10 games and haven’t lost in the league. Here is a look at some of the latest news and rumours from around League One…

Bristol Rovers goalkeeper James Belshaw has joined Forest Green Rovers on an emergency loan deal. The 32-year-old, who joined the Gas in 2021 from Harrogate Town, has linked up with the League Two side for an initial seven-day period. He made 42 appearances in all competitions last season but has lost his place between the sticks at the Memorial Ground over recent times.

Charlton Athletic have let youngster Matt Dench head to non-league side Billericay Town on loan to boost his development. The 19-year-old has joined the Isthmian League Premier Division outfit for a month. He will be looking to get plenty of game time under his belt over the course of the next four weeks.

Charlton winger Corey Blackett-Taylor is apparently on the radar of Championship pair Hull City and Swansea City. According to reporter Darren Witcoop, the 25-year-old is being watched by the second tier duo ahead of the January transfer window. The ex-Aston Villa and Tranmere Rovers man is out of contract next June and his long-term future at The Valley is up in the air at the moment.

James Belshaw: Goalkeeper joins Forest Green on emergency loan from Bristol Rovers - BBC Sport

How wealthy are Bristol Rovers’ owners?

Bristol Rovers are looking to build on their first season back in League One, which ended in an eventual 17th place finish after Joey Barton’s side endured a tough run of fixtures towards the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

How have Bristol Rovers performed at the start of this season?

Barton made a total of 11 signings in the summer transfer window as the Gas look to move up a level after consolidating with ease last term, with only one of those costing a fee, in the form of defender Connor Taylor from Stoke City, which Transfermarkt estimate set the club back £300,000.

On the pitch, Rovers have featured eight times in League One so far, and have had a mixed start to the campaign with three wins, three draws and two defeats – with the latest encounter being a comfortable 4-1 home victory against Wigan Athletic at the Memorial Stadium.

This has given Barton’s side a platform to build on, after what has been a summer of slight change upstairs at the club.

Who owns Bristol Rovers?

The holding company in control of the club – Dwane Sports – has 96.5% of shares, with the remainder being owned by the Bristol Rovers supporters club.

Jordanian businessman Wael Al-Qadi took control of Bristol Rovers in the summer of 2016, just after the club secured its second-straight promotion, going from the National League to League One.

Despite initially taking a 92% stake in the club at the time of his takeover, Al-Qadi’s control within Rovers’ holding company has downscaled significantly in time, as the club has recently shifted to a new ownership structure.