Bristol Rovers’ 12 greatest ever strikers (Ranked

Bristol Rovers have seen many great strikers come and go from the Memorial Stadium.

This post is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk’ series, which features personal thoughts from our FLW Fan Pundits on breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings, and more…

Bristol Rovers’ Memorial Stadium has been a breeding ground for strikers throughout their lengthy history, but who makes the list of the best 12 is debatable.

So many have put their skills to the test for the club, which has witnessed relegations, promotions, title triumphs, and near-misses in cup finals – and while there are clear candidates at the top of the list, some will be unlucky to miss out.

Bristol Rovers fan analyst Steve Hutson of Football League World has chosen a select number who he believes have been the club’s 12 best ever strikers, ranking from 12 to one. Do you agree with these selections? Would you consider replacing any of the players on this list?

12 Matty Taylor

One of the most disliked former Gas strikers for the manner of his departure to Bristol City – though regardless, he was one of the most prolific in a blue and white shirt.

Joining the club from Forest Green Rovers in 2014, Taylor scored 18 goals as he fired them to National League promotion in his first season at the club – and it didn’t stop there, with a second successive promotion with a 27-goal-haul in the fourth-tier.

16 goals in 27 games the season after had him down as a Gas legend, but that was wiped away with his move to bitter rivals City.

11 Bill Culley

Culley is a name that nobody living today will have ever seen play, featuring for Rovers between 1926 and 1928. He has one of the most impressive returns of all Bristol Rovers strikers of all-time with 45 goals in just 57 games – and if that doesn’t get you on this list, then we’d be in for a real treat for the top 10!

10 Aaron Collins

Current club icon and marksman Collins has had more goal involvement than anyone in recent seasons, and even picked up last season’s League One Player of the Season award thanks to his 16-goal contribution which easily fired the club to third-tier safety.

Bristol Rovers vs Oxford United on 16 Nov 21 - Match Centre - Bristol Rovers

Collins always looks a danger on the ball, tracks back and has fans on their feet at the Memorial Stadium – and despite rumours of a move to Stoke, he will continue to ply his trade in the West Country for the time being, at least until January.

9 Dai Ward

Another Welshman, Barry-born Ward spent seven years at Memorial Stadium – and it was a fruitful spell to say the least.

90 league goals in 175 appearances saw him score one goal in less than every two games consistently, earning his first Wales caps in the meantime. Things threatened to go sour when he fell out with then-manager Bert Tann, even threatening to quit football full-time until he departed for Cardiff City.

8 Jason Roberts

38 goals in 80 appearances for Rovers, Roberts used the club as his springboard to Premier League cult hero status at clubs such as West Bromwich Albion, Blackburn Rovers and Wigan Athletic.

Aged just 20 when he joined the Gas, it was clear for everyone to see that his talents in the third-tier at the time were wasted – but Bristol Rovers fans enjoyed seeing him in his time there, with his goals narrowly missing out on a play-off place in the 1999-2000 season.

7 Paul Randall

239 appearances with 94 goals is not easy going for any striker at any level. But Randall did just that after joining the Gas as a youngster back when he was 15 – and even though he was released, he found a way back to the Memorial Stadium after playing for Glastonbury Town FC.

An impressive 33 goals in two years saw him move to Stoke, before a return after two years saw him don the famous blue and white shirt once again with 62 goals n 184 appearances in his second spell.

6 Jamie Cureton

According to fan pundit Steve, Cureton was his favourite player as a child. Labelled as one of the most exciting players to watch in the Football League wherever he went, Cureton was still playing football in 2022 aged 46 – for Isthmian League North Division outfit Enfield FC.

His most prolific years were undoubtedly at Rovers, notching 79 goals in 198 appearances for the club alongside Jason Roberts, before moves to Reading, Colchester, Norwich and even Korean side Busan I’Cons saw him finish a staggering career of over 1,000 appearances – with 389 goals to boot, as of April 2022.

5 Alfie Briggs

Bristol Rovers’ 2nd leading goalscorer of all-time with 178 goals in 424 appearances, Briggs makes the top five of this list with ease after 14 years of service in the West Country.

4 Barry Hayles

Another star who is still playing football well into his older years – Hayles continues to turn out for Windsor FC at the age of 51!

He had his breakthrough at Rovers, grabbing 32 goals in just 62 appearances before signing for Fulham. He even featured in 85 Premier League games for the Cottagers, scoring 13 goals at top-flight level, before embarking on a successful Championship career at Millwall, Plymouth Argyle and Leicester City before dropping down the divisions. Scoring last season for Windsor shows that he still has it.

Hayles remains Bristol Rovers’ record sale at £2.6million.

3 Marcus Stewart

Bristol born and bred, Stewart played 171 games for Rovers from 1991-1996, scoring 81 goals before joining Huddersfield.

It was at Ipswich where Stewart made his name – he scored in the play-off final to send the Tractor Boys to the Premier League, and was the Premier League’s second-top goalscorer with 19 goals in his debut season – ensuring UEFA Cup duties for Ipswich and almost being called into the England team.

However, a boyhood Bristol City fan, that may not stick well with some Gas fans.

2 Alan Warboys and Bruce Bannister

Fan pundit Steve notes that he has chosen two strikers, but this duo formed one of the most legendary and feared attacks of the 1970’s. Known affectionately as ‘Smash and Grab’, 40 goals between them led to Rovers being runners up in the 1973/74 Division 3 campaign, securing promotion after 11 years in the doldrums.

1 Geoff Bradford

In first place is club legend Geoff Bradford. An England international in his time at Rovers, and club all-time top goalscorer, Bradford had one of the most remarkable careers of any Rovers player.

Born in Bristol, he made his debut aged 22, but became fiercely loyal to Rovers, with Bill Shankly being unsuccessful in taking him to the Memorial Stadium in 1961.

One cap and one goal, against Denmark in Copenhagen, showed that Bradford could do it all – and he boasts records galore at the club.

The most league goals in a season with 33, most career goals with 242, and an incredible 24 hat-tricks – even Erling Haaland would be in awe of that tally.