GASHEADS are expected to turn out in force next weekend for Bristol Rovers' first-ever trip to Leicester City's Walkers Stadium.

It has been almost 16 years since the Pirates last travelled to the Foxes for an away game.

That was in November 1992, when Justin Channing scored the only goal to give a Rovers side then managed by the colourful Malcolm Allison victory at Leicester's old Filbert Street ground in Division One, or what is now the Championship.

Bookies make Nigel Pearson's side joint favourites to land the League One title this season alongside Leeds United – and it is no surprise that those two clubs are the ones widely perceived to be the biggest fish in the divisional pool.

Leeds have been attracting average home gates of more than 20,000 this season while Leicester have regularly been pulling in just under that figure, well ahead of Huddersfield, who have been getting crowds of around the 14,000 mark at the Galpharm Stadium.

But along with that reputation as one of the big boys of the division comes the heavy burden of expectation from the fans.

Leicester supporters have not taken kindly to their first-ever spell outside the top two tiers of English football and although the Foxes have yet to lose away from home, there is no doubt that victory is seen as something of a formality at the Walkers Stadium by a large percentage of their fanbase.

That was reflected in last week's home game against Walsall, when the Saddlers twice held the lead and Pearson's men were booed by their own supporters, although the Foxes fought back to claim a 2-2 draw and extend their unbeaten run to seven games – including four outright wins – ahead of their East Midlands derby against Northampton on Saturday.

"It is an example of the level of expectations we have to live with," admitted Pearson, who replaced former Gas boss Ian Holloway at the Foxes following their relegation from the Championship.

"I have every confidence in the players to produce the right results over the course of the season and, if at times things do not happen for us, that is part of the game.

"What I do know is that the way we hit back after being behind twice, and the fact that we dominated most of the game, shows we have the right spirit."

Pearson dipped into the transfer market over the summer, spending £375,000 on Aleksander Tunchev, a Bulgarian international centre-back who captained CSKA Sofia to the Bulgarian championship last season, as well as making a couple of useful free signings in former Charlton and England defender Chris Powell and ex-Manchester City marksman Paul Dickov.

But Leicester – who used an astonishing 39 players last season – also have some homegrown talent in their squad too.

Players like Joe Mattock, Max Gradel and Andy King were part of the Foxes Academy team that won the FA Premier Academy League title in 2007.

Although Bristol Rovers skipper Stuart Campbell started his career with Leicester – he made his Premiership debut in a 3-1 defeat at Old Trafford in 1996 and went on to make 37 league appearances for the club – he left just before they moved from Filbert Street, so this will be his first outing at the 32,500-capacity ground.