Bristol’s Elusive Derby: The Awaited Reunion of Bristol City and Bristol Rovers
The Lost Derby
Ask any football fan, and you’ll get no argument: derby matches are one of the best things about the calendar. Anyone who’s ever played, coached or even watched the beautiful game knows how important matches with local rivals are to both sides, and there’s a reason they’re the matches always circled on the calendar in July.
For most teams, the biggest derby matches are a given. The Manchester Derby. The Merseyside Derby. The North London Derby. All of them feature some of the biggest names in the world, and they’re all among the most watched matches of the season.
But in Bristol, England’s eighth-largest city, none of this exists. The feelings of a rivalry still exist, but the matches don’t. Bristol City and Bristol Rovers haven’t played a competitive match in 10 years, and if you don’t count the Football League Trophy, the Robins and the Pirates’ last match with each other came in 2001. Following that season, Rovers were relegated to what is now League Two, and by the time they won their way back, City had been promoted to the Championship and the teams haven’t shared a league since.
Rovers boss Joey Barton has made no secret of his desire to play City, and the Gas even agreed to come to Ashton Gate for a preseason match until police told them not to do it because of concerns over fan behavior. It’s been 10 years since a meeting, and the feelings are still so raw that even a friendly’s a step too far.
The hatred is real. But what will it take for a match that the EFL says must be played?
Rovers’ Challenges: Starting the Season Right
The biggest problem Bristol Rovers have run into during Joey Barton’s time in charge is the earliest part of the season. Each year, it seems that the Pirates sleepwalk through the first 10 matches of the season, forcing them to hit the gas in midseason and make up for lost time. In both of Barton’s first two years in charge, six of Rovers’ first 10 matches have been defeats. This year, Rovers are starting to string results together. Only three of their first 10 matches have seen them take nothing from the match.
The defense has also shown signs of improvement in Barton’s third year at the Memorial Stadium. A year ago, Rovers’ attack was about all that kept it out of the relegation muck, as the defense conceded 73 goals. That was higher than 2020-21, when Rovers gave up 70 goals and finished bottom of the table. The difference was, the Pirates scored 58 goals in 2022-23, compared to 40 two years ago.
The Gas have also scored in seven of nine matches this season, which shows this team is starting to learn to win at this level. A match against Charlton Athletic saw the Pirates turn a draw into a win with a stoppage-time marker, and another match with Lincoln City saw a late marker rescue a draw.
With their new Kuwaiti ownership group, the Pirates should have more financial muscle, and Barton’s proven pretty adept at making changes to his team at the midway point. Rovers probably have a tough mountain to climb this season, but a strong start next year could get them toward the Championship and a reunion with City.
Bristol City’s Ambitions: Setting Sights on the Premier League
Over at Ashton Gate, the feeling is that the Robins only want to see Rovers on the pitch if the Gas can go up two levels, not one. Bristol City believes it can be a Premier League side, something that’s never been true of either Bristol club. In fact, Bristol hasn’t seen top-league football since 1980, when the Robins got relegated in the first place.
At times, that’s meant taking a hard look at where they should spend their money and where they can’t. When Pearson got to Ashton Gate, City were in a financial quagmire of their own making, as they’d decided to spend their way to the promised land of the Prem and gotten nowhere. Slowly, City shed enough salary to get themselves back within Financial Fair Play regulations without shedding so much that they found themselves back in League One.
This year, the Robins thought they were on track to get promoted to the Prem until AFC Bournemouth made them an offer for Alex Scott that they couldn’t refuse. Scott’s seen as a future member of the English national side, and Bournemouth wanted him in the Prem now, offering roughly £25 million for him. Without him at Ashton Gate, City’s missing that special something to make it a top contender, but it’s still competitive. Like Rovers, things are going in the right direction, but a serious promotion challenge is likely a year away.
The Path to Reunion: What Will it Take?
Odds are, it’s going to take more patience. Right now, both clubs have ambitions of getting up to the next level, and neither is all that far from making a legitimate run at it. But to bring them back together, either Rovers would have to get there first or City would have to take a step backward at some point.
Right now, neither scenario seems all that likely. Both are probable mid-table sides in their respective leagues, which means that unless Rovers gets into the playoff and gets lucky, the sides will likely be limited to banter between the fans and mutual respect between the coaches.
But both City and Rovers seem to be building toward some big goals, and it’s reasonable to see a path for both of them. Barton’s spoke openly about making this a Premier League fixture, and with the new financial rules making it easier for EFL clubs to sign talent soon, it’s getting closer to reality.
