Player archive

The squads that
took us up.

Meet the core players behind every recorded promotion and play-off-winning campaign in the Rovers archive.

Campaigns: 7
First recorded: 1937/38

Promotion archive

The season's most-used players

Promotion season

2018/19

Open season

League Two play-off winners

Beat Newport County at Wembley to win consecutive promotions.

Manager · Micky Mellon

Core squad

Leading scorer

James Norwood

32 goals

No.	Player	Apps	Goals	Role
01	Scott Davies	5454+0	0	Goalkeeper
02	James Norwood	5353+0	32	Striker
03	Manny Monthe	5452+2	2	Central Defender
04	Connor Jennings	5551+4	13	Winger / Striker
05	Jake Caprice	5350+3	0	Right Back
06	Luke McCullough	3737+0	0	Central Midfielder
07	Ollie Banks	3935+4	4	Defensive Midfield
08	Steve McNulty	3331+2	0	Central Defender
09	Mark Ellis	3229+3	0	Central Defender
10	Jay Harris	3225+7	2	Defensive Midfield
11	Zoumana Bakayogo	2524+1	0	Left Back
12	Liam Ridehalgh	2523+2	0	Left Back / Full Back
13	Jonny Smith	4022+18	5	Winger
14	David Perkins	2020+0	2	Central Midfielder

Promotion season

2017/18

Open season

National League play-off winners

Beat Boreham Wood at Wembley to return to the EFL.

Manager · Micky Mellon

Core squad

Leading scorer

Andy Cook

28 goals

No.	Player	Apps	Goals	Role
01	Ollie Norburn	4747+0	4	Central Midfielder
02	Richie Sutton	4846+2	5	Central Defender / Right Back
03	Steve McNulty	4646+0	1	Central Defender
04	James Norwood	4745+2	24	Striker
05	Scott Davies	4545+0	0	Goalkeeper
06	Connor Jennings	4742+5	9	Winger / Striker
07	Andy Cook	4540+5	28	Striker
08	Liam Ridehalgh	4240+2	1	Left Back / Full Back
09	Adam Buxton	4037+3	2	Full Back
10	Jeff Hughes	3528+7	2	Defensive Midfield / Left Back
11	Jay Harris	4127+14	0	Defensive Midfield
12	Dylan Mottley Henry	1514+1	1	Winger
13	Eddie Clarke	1512+3	0	Left Back
14	Larnell Cole	1711+6	3	Winger

Promotion season

1990/91

Open season

Division Three play-off winners

Beat Bolton Wanderers at Wembley to earn promotion.

Manager · John King (2nd)

Core squad

Leading scorer

Ian Muir

21 goals

No.	Player	Apps	Goals	Role
01	Jim Steel	5958+1	13	Striker
02	Eric Nixon	5858+0	0	Goalkeeper
03	Mark Hughes	5858+0	2	Sweeper / Central Defender
04	Steve Vickers	5555+0	3	Central Defender
05	Neil McNab	5049+1	3	Central Midfielder
06	John Morrissey	5547+8	12	Right Midfield / Left Midfield
07	Jim Harvey	5246+6	4	Central Midfielder
08	Tony Thomas	4545+0	4	Right Back
09	Dave Higgins	4444+0	2	Central Defender
10	Ian Muir	4543+2	21	Striker
11	Steve Mungall	3938+1	1	Full Back / Central Midfielder
12	Kenny Irons	4333+10	7	Central Midfielder / Right Midfield
13	Ged Brannan	2723+4	2	Central Midfielder / Left Back
14	Shaun Garnett	2019+1	1	Central Defender

Promotion season

1988/89

Open season

Promotion from Division Four

Finished runners-up and won promotion.

Manager · John King (2nd)

Core squad

Leading scorer

Ian Muir

29 goals

No.	Player	Apps	Goals	Role
01	Dave Higgins	6060+0	1	Central Defender
02	Ian Muir	6060+0	29	Striker
03	Eric Nixon	5959+0	0	Goalkeeper
04	Steve Vickers	5959+0	4	Central Defender
05	Jim Steel	5656+0	9	Striker
06	Steve Mungall	5656+0	2	Full Back / Central Midfielder
07	Jim Harvey	5554+1	4	Central Midfielder
08	Mark McCarrick	5554+1	3	Left Back
09	John Morrissey	5454+0	4	Right Midfield / Left Midfield
10	Mark Hughes	4140+1	2	Sweeper / Central Defender
11	Eddie Bishop	4432+12	9	Central Midfielder
12	Dave Martindale	4030+10	1	Central Midfielder
13	Ronnie Moore	2121+0	0	Striker / Sweeper
14	Chris Malkin	278+19	4	Striker / Attacking Midfield

Promotion season

1975/76

Open season

Promotion from Division Four

Finished fourth to return to Division Three.

Manager · John King

Core squad

Leading scorer

Ronnie Moore

37 goals

No.	Player	Apps	Goals	Role
01	Dickie Johnson	5050+0	0	Goalkeeper
02	Ray Mathias	5050+0	2	Full Back
03	Ronnie Moore	5050+0	37	Striker / Sweeper
04	Steve Peplow	5049+1	11	Attacking Midfield / Winger
05	Dave Philpotts	4949+0	4	Central Defender
06	Bobby Tynan	4746+1	5	Winger / Striker
07	Eddie Flood	4646+0	0	Full Back
08	Barrie Mitchell	4645+1	4	Striker
09	John James	3939+0	19	Striker
10	Tommy Young	3129+2	2	Central Midfielder
11	Clive Griffiths	2929+0	0	Central Defender
12	Les Parry	2525+0	0	Central Defender
13	Mark Palios	2523+2	4	Central Midfielder
14	Russ Allen	1510+5	3	Striker

Promotion season

1966/67

Open season

Promotion from Division Four

Finished fourth to secure promotion.

Manager · Dave Russell

Core squad

Leading scorer

George Yardley

16 goals

No.	Player	Apps	Goals	Role
01	Alan King	5151+0	3	Central Midfielder
02	Jim Cumbes	5151+0	0	Goalkeeper
03	Joe Pritchard	4747+0	10	Central Midfielder / Wing Half
04	Eddie Robertson	4646+0	1	Full Back
05	Graham Williams	4444+0	10	Winger
06	Mandy Hill	4141+0	2	Winger
07	Roy McFarland	3838+0	0	Central Defender
08	Stan Storton	3837+1	1	Full Back
09	George Yardley	2929+0	16	Striker
10	Dennis Stevens	3126+5	2	Central Midfielder
11	Brian Westlake	2625+1	3	Inside Forward
12	Barry Ashworth	2424+0	4	Wing Half
13	Roy Parnell	2323+0	1	Full Back
14	John King	2121+0	1	Wing Half