Bristol Rovers have announced pre-season friendlies against two local non-league clubs ahead of the 2025/26 seasonGeneral view of Bath City’s Twerton Park on matchday (Photo by Mat Mingo/PPAUK)

Bristol Rovers have announced their first two pre-season friendlies ahead of the 2025/26 League One campaign, with local trips to Chippenham Town and Bath City confirmed for July.

The two games will be played on Friday, July 4 and Wednesday, July 16, respectively, at the Bluebirds’ Thornbury Surfacing Stadium and the Romans’ Twerton Park after the Gas return for pre-season training in June.

While Rovers have only met Bath competitively once, in a 1994 FA Cup Tie at Twerton Park where the Gas ran out 5-0 winners, the two sides faced off in a friendly last summer. In front of nearly 2000 fans that day, it was Matt Taylor’s side who secured a 1-0 win thanks to a late goal from Chris Martin. The Romans finished 15th in the National League South last term but should still provide a competitive early test for Darrell Clarke’s side.

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Chippenham bettered Bath’s league finish by a single place last season, ending the 2024/25 campaign 14th in the National League South. Meetings between the two sides have been few and far between in recent years, but Rovers did travel to Hardenhuish Park as part of their pre-season preparations in 2022.

Then, under the management of Joey Barton, the Gas ran out 4-1 winners thanks to braces from each of John Marquis and Harvey Saunders, while half of the squad took on Bath at Twerton Park on the same evening.

Rovers are due to confirm more of their pre-season fixtures in ‘due course’, with ticketing details for the already announced matches set be announced ‘shortly’.

Bristol Rovers confirmed pre-season schedule 2025 so far

  • Chippenham Town (A) – Friday, July 4, 7:30pm KO
  • Bath City (A) – Wednesday, July 16, 7:00pm KO

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