Bristol Rovers miss out on Championship striker
Bristol Rovers will head into two crucial away games with only two recognised strikers after failing to bolster their strikeforce before the transfer window closed last night.
Darryl Duffy made an exit to Carlisle United on a three-month loan deal – but the Pirates' were unable to land another marksman to replace him.
That means they will head into tonight's clash at Leyton Orient and Saturday's game at Walsall with Jo Kuffour and Andy Williams as their only experienced striking options.
Youngster Eliot Richards, who has been on the bench in recent weeks, has yet to taste first-team action.
Rovers' director of football Lennie Lawrence says the Pirates will now look to bolster their ranks when the emergency loan market reopens next week.
"We were gazumped at the last minute by another club for a Championship striker," said Lawrence. "We have another striker lined up, but his club would not let him go until they have got a replacement in – and we are hoping that will happen next week.
"We would have liked to have got another player in, although that has not been possible. But the process of recruitment and movement has not finished."
Duffy's departure came after the 25-year-old Scot made his 13th start of the season in Saturday's 3-2 home defeat by Wycombe. He has scored five goals this term, but has spent much of the time on the bench.
"Carlisle expressed an interest in him, and we had to make a decision about what was in his and our best interests as he has not been a regular starter for us," said Lawrence.
"This opens up a gap for us to bring someone else in, and hopefully we can do that next week when the emergency loan window opens."
Rovers did add to their squad by bringing in attacking midfielder Wayne Brown from Fulham, who is added to their squad for the Brisbane Road clash.
The Surrey-born 21-year-old has made just two first-team appearances for the Craven Cottage club, and has signed a month- long loan deal that Rovers could look to extend.
He made his first-team debut against Rovers in the third round FA Cup replay at the Memorial Stadium in January 2008, which the Pirates won on penalties.
His first Premier League outing came at Old Trafford almost a year ago as a substitute in a 3-0 defeat by Manchester United.
But he has had previous loan spells at Brentford, where he scored once in 11 outings for the Bees during the 2007-08 campaign, and also with Finnish side TPS the following season, where he netted nine times in 25 games.
After coming up through the London club's Academy, he has been a regular scorer for their reserve side.
"Wayne is a player we have been after for a while and we are very pleased that he is joining us," said Lawrence.
"He is a very versatile midfielder who is highly regarded by Fulham and we look forward to seeing him play for us."
As expected, goalkeeper Mikkel Andersen's loan deal from Reading has also been extended until the end of the season.
And central defender Byron Anthony has signed his new two-and-a-half year deal with the club.
Two of Rovers' youngsters have extended their stays with local non-league sides for another month. Defender Alex Kite will remain with Chippenham Town, while striker Joe White will stay at Paulton Rovers.
Meanwhile, David Pipe has returned to Rovers after a loan spell at Cheltenham Town.
Pipe has been on loan at Cheltenham since the start of December and was believed to be keen to agree a deal to remain at the Abbey Business Stadium until the summer.
But the Robins' cash flow difficulties, exacerbated by the postponement of Saturday's home clash with Darlington, mean that they have been forced to let Pipe return to Bristol.
22 Comments
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by Gashton, Ashton
Thursday, February 04 2010, 7:24PM
“it was Akinde but the Rovers board were reluctant to offer him a deal to the end of the season with an option to by him. Brentford did and will benefit from a powerhouse forward that Gasheads are crying out for.”
by Francis Cousins, Wrington
Wednesday, February 03 2010, 2:28AM
“Get up The Prince Banjo Bandit, it's only £2.99.
Does Frank Pearce still run his coaches from Yatton ?”
by ben dover, brockenhurst
Tuesday, February 02 2010, 7:06PM
“We rovers fans are always reminded about the experience and contacts in game that Lawrence has,well it shone thru yesterday did it not, you could go to the zoo and borrow a monkey and get better results,whats he been doing for the last month ?Why was Phillips cast aside just for speaking out about his working conditions we are all free to complain,For a so called family club we should be supporting Pipe not casting him aside, in this country you are innocent until proven guilty,ok if he,s guilty then sack him but at the moment we need him big time, We are selecting players that could not get into a sunday pub team [wright for one] Why won,t Higgs tell the truth the stadium regeneration is finished why can,t he say so or is like Lambert won,t be sold ! MAYBE WHEN THE NEXT HOME GATE FALLS BELOW 4000 HIGGS & HIS CHUMS WILL TAKE NOTICE BUT IT WILL MORE LIKELY TO BE PLOD ON REGARDLESS .Well they won,t get another penny of my money..”
by Banjo Bandit, Market Inn - Yatton - on the £3 pints
Tuesday, February 02 2010, 5:10PM
“Come on Rovers boys, its time we stopped trying to compare ourselves to our red neighbours and their transfer market follies and cut our cloth accordingly.
We are 9th in League 1, which is probably above the average in our entire history. Championship football is within reach, but we do not have any divine right to play in it. Lets face it, we haven't played at that level now for nearly 20 years.
Sure, the communication from the top is certainly a string and plastic cups system to say the least, but a little more respect for those plowing their cash into this blue money pit is needed.”
by ben, bristol
Tuesday, February 02 2010, 4:36PM
“it was robbie keane.”
by biccy pen, brixham
Tuesday, February 02 2010, 1:52PM
“M, Its not patience that most of these posters are complaining about. Think you will find thats its the lack of activity in the Months since Lambert has gone that is the problem.
Surely in that time at least one position could have been filled. Instead all we are getting is a streamlining of the existing squad. Why do we have to wait for the last ten minutes of a transfer window to find someone 'suitable'?
Why are the weaknesses of the squad so apparent to the Supporters and fans but not to the holy two?”
by M, manchester
Tuesday, February 02 2010, 1:30PM
“"Our season has fast become a joke" says MisterX.
ummm, 9th place, with games in hand on many teams? and without spending the money for lambert..... and after being 3rd for some time? is that REALLY so bad? I'll ask the Oldham and Stockport fans near where I live maybe....
yes, I know there are serious worried over the quality of some players, and whether we will see the lambo money spent but for god's sake stop being so negative. We are easily holding our own in this div, after years of hell in lge 2. We are lge 1 team at the moment - nothing more. live with it. in a few years we might be good enough for Champ but at the moment we would not be able to compete.”
by luke, Horfield
Tuesday, February 02 2010, 1:29PM
“same old rovers, we have a board with no ambition a director of football who cant find a player and a manger who cant sell the club to a player”
by M, manchester
Tuesday, February 02 2010, 1:23PM
“chill out people. It's pretty obvious that LL wouldn't let Duffy go if he wasn't confident that we can survive a week or so until he can get a loan striker in. what's the point of rushing to get the wrong player on a permanent contract (and/or paying over the odds) when loans are easily available in this slightly crazy system, which doesn't encourage stability.
loan deals generally have a recall clause so presumably we could recall him if needed. anyway, barely a week ago loads of gasheads (and city voyeurs) were telling us how rubbish Duffy was.... so which is it? Is he good enough or not? is it better to let him go out on loan where he can get more games and improve his fragile confience (and free up some wages for a better loan striker...), or is he good enough to stay here and provide genuine competition to what we have?”
by Irene, Horfield
Tuesday, February 02 2010, 1:06PM
“The player could not have been Jason Price (Blue, Bristo).
LL states that it was a Championship striker ansd Price is a League 1 midfielder.”