Bristol Rovers confirm second transfer exit as 17-year stint comes to an end.
Alfie Kilgour’s 17-year career with Bristol Rovers has ended after he was sold.
Alfie Kilgour’s 17-year career with Bristol Rovers ended after he was moved to Mansfield Town. The Bath-born defender is leaving for an unknown amount and has signed an 18-month contract with the League Two club. After Trevor Clarke’s loan move to Shamrock Rovers, he is the second player to leave this window.
Kilgour had been with the Gas since he was seven years old, and now, at the age of 24, he is leaving the club where he was able to make the grade. He made 118 appearances and scored seven goals for the team during his eight-year senior career at Memorial Stadium.
In the 2015/16 season, he was an unused substitute, and he made his senior debut with non-league clubs Mangotsfield United, Cirencester Town, and Hungerford Town. After returning to Rovers in March 2019 after a loan spell with Maidenhead United in which he played 19 games, he made his debut as a substitute against Gillingham, with a start coming shortly after.
Kilgour appeared 12 times this season, with eight league games, but those were split between four starts and four replacement appearances. He was not named to the matchday squad against Plymouth and last played on October 1 against Exeter City.
Kilgour’s contract expired at the end of the season, and he spoke frankly about the possibility of being out of employment in the summer. He expressed his wish to stay at Bristol Rovers in the club’s pre-match programme against Morecambe in September.
“It’s a big year, I’m doing everything I can on the training pitch and when I get the chance,” Kilgour added.
“I’ll be out of work on June 1st, so I’m working hard and we’ll see what happens.” There is no other club where I would rather play. I’ve settled in and want to do everything I can for Bristol Rovers.”
His time has come to an end, and now he must strive to help Mansfield gain promotion from the fourth division. Kilgour appeared 11 times in Rovers’ promotion-winning campaign last season, and his expertise should benefit the Stags, who have struggled in recent years.
Nigel Clough’s team is now tenth in the league, one point behind the play-off places on goal difference. Former Rovers trio John-Joe O’Toole, Hiram Boateng, and Ollie Clarke are all on the books at the Nottinghamshire club.
