Bristol Rovers left-back ‘rejects’ contract offer
Bristol Rovers skipper Luke Leahy has rejected their offer of a new contract, as detailed on their official club website.
The left-back has decided against staying at the Memorial Ground.
Leahy, who is 28 years old, is out of contract at the end of next month and will move on as a free agent.
Joey Barton’s side have been relegated to League Two and he may be holding out for a League One move now.
Read: Bristol Rovers stance on released Walsall man revealed
Leahy scored 10 goals in all competitions for Bristol Rovers this past season and was a shining light for them despite the team having a dreadful season.
The defender joined the Gas in 2019 and has been a key player since then.
Leahy started his career at non-league side Rugby Town before joining Falkirk in 2012 after trials at Birmingham City, Bradford City and Peterborough United.
He went on to play 158 games for the Scottish outfit before moving to England four years ago to sign for Walsall.
Leahy spent two years with the Saddlers in League One and played 105 times for them before leaving when his contract expired a couple of years ago.
He has been a useful player for Bristol Rovers since then but is now weighing up the next chapter of his career.
The Pirates have a big summer in store but will have to start looking for a new left-back for next season with Leahy leaving.
Barton has made it clear promotion is the aim for the next campaign.
From Bucharest to Bristol: The West Ham prospects that could cause Bristol Rovers issues
Bristol Rovers host West Ham United’s U21s in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night
Although it won’t attract anywhere near a full capacity crowd, Bristol Rovers are back in action as they host West Ham United U21s in the EFL Trophy tomorrow evening, just three days after beating Shrewsbury Town 2-0 in League One.
With an attendance of just over 1,000 two weeks ago in the first game against Cheltenham Town, which saw Rovers comfortably win 4-1, it would be a surprise to see that tally matched with many Gasheads choosing to boycott the competition for the very nature of Tuesday’s fixture.
Premier League and Championship academies were first welcomed into the Football League Trophy in 2016, having played Crystal Palace, Chelsea three times, Swansea City, West Ham and Reading, winning four and losing three of their seven matches against youth teams.
The last time the Gas hosted the Hammers’ U21s, it was a 3-1 victory for the Premier League youngsters during the 2017/18 campaign and you would expect this season’s crop to be amongst the best of academy sides in the competitions southern pool.
Last season saw the east London club’s U18s win the FA Youth Cup with a number of group now playing regularly for the Irons’ development team and will no doubt be involved at the Mem. Moreover, five wins from six in Premier League 2 has put West Ham in an excellent early position where league form is concerned.
Granted, it’s tricky to predict how youngsters will fare against a senior football team, although tomorrow’s starting line-up could see Rovers field some youngsters of their own. However, who are three Clarets players that could cause the Gas issues tomorrow evening?
Gideon Kodua
With two league goals to his name so far this season, winger Kodua was named West Ham’s outstanding scholar last season, winning the club’s prestigious Dylan Tombides Award.
The 18-year-old was a key member of Kevin Keens’ U18s last term, captaining the side to 27 wins in 32 matches throughout the campaign as the east London outfit finished first in the U18 Premier League South as well as lifting the FA Youth Cup.
Beating Jack Wilshere’s Arsenal 5-1 at the Emirates Stadium in the Youth Cup final, Kodua scored the Irons’ third with an outrageous lob from around 40 yards out.
Should the teenager feature on Tuesday, it will be his second career appearance in this competition, having started for West Ham U21s last season in their 2-1 victory at Cheltenham Town.
Callum Marshall
Another goal scorer in the Youth Cup final, with his effort assisted by Kodua, Marshall is the U21s’ top-scorer for the campaign thus far with five league goals in four matches as well as being joint-second-top-scorer in Premier League 2.
Although a regular for Northern Ireland’s U21s, the 18-year-old has made his senior debut for his country and was unlucky to have a dream goal on debut against Denmark chalked off for offside back in June with manager Michael O’Neill saying: “His enthusiasm for the game shone through. He is 18 years old and playing Under 18s football so he is even young for the 21s.
“But you could see that he could score and finish, so we brought him into the two senior camps and he continued with that. He was scoring and finishing in them so we decided to bring him along for the qualifiers. He has come a hell of a long way in the space of three weeks, to be honest.”
The striker also has experience playing in this competition with appearances against MK Dons and Cheltenham last campaign where he was started to break into the U21s side amid strong displays for the U18s.
With a Europa Conference League medal at the age of 18, Casey is another youngster highly regarded within West Ham having made his senior debut last season away at Steaua Bucharest whilst also being on the bench for the Hammers’ 2-0 Premier League defeat at Tottenham Hotspur. The teenager was also rewarded with a new four-year contract in the summer.
Having a goal to his name already this season, the centre-back was also one of the six scorers in the Youth Cup final and has been a regular at centre-back for Steve Potts’ side this term as well as being a regular for both youth teams last campaign.
Also having two EFL Trophy appearances to his name, Tuesday will be an excellent test for the defender who will no doubt come up against talented front line that could well boast bags of experience as well.
