Jamie Lindsay hasn’t been in a matchday squad for Bristol Rovers since March 1 and hasn’t played for them in almost two monthsSport
Daniel Hargraves Bristol Rovers reporter
15:43, 15 Apr 2025
Midfielder Jamie Lindsay hasn’t played for Bristol Rovers since February 22(Image: Jake Manuell/PPAUK)
Inigo Calderon has admitted that Jamie Lindsay has “been improving” ahead of Bristol Rovers‘ trip to Wrexham on Good Friday with the experienced midfielder’s last appearance coming in the 2-1 defeat at Northampton Town nearly two months ago.
Although he is believed to have been fit, the 29-year-old has missed out on a place in the last nine squads having struggled for consistent game time since the Spanish head coach took charge in north Bristol in late December.
The likes of Matt Butcher, Romaine Sawyers and Grant Ward have been preferred in central midfield ahead of the Scotsman but Rovers need something to change as they look to get themselves out of the League One relegation zone and Calderon has reinforced the point that every player who is fit has the chance to feature between now and the end of the season.
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Asked whether Lindsay will feature again for the Gas this season, Calderon told Bristol Live: “He’s another one that I think is improving. This week, I think he has been improving.
“I haven’t made any cross to any player at all. I don’t think I can do that. First, because I’m not this kind of coach or person, and second, because we don’t have that many players.
“It’s true that it’s been like reapting the same one that have been out of the squad and it’s not an easy one and you can think I’ve done that, but I haven’t done that to anyone. You know?
“If they haven’t been in the squad, it’s because I thought the ones that are in the squad are better, simple as that. But as I say, Jamie and Shaq [Forde], I think they’ve been better this week.”
Meanwhile, Shaq Forde was left out of the squad that lost 2-1 to Exeter City on Saturday as Rovers dropped into the bottom four for the first time this season.
Although the winger started the previous three matches, he wasn’t included in the matchday 18 despite being fit.
“He was fit to play,” Calderon added on Forde. “It was a technical, tactical decision – whatever you want to call it. But he’s been training good this week.”
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Having lost six on the bounce and, subsequently, fallen into the relegation zone, Rovers head to automatic promotion chasers Wrexham on Friday looking to pick up an unlikely result to keep them well in the hunt for survival.
They are level on points with Burton Albion, who leapfroggred them over the weekend after a 3-0 win over Huddersfield Town, but the Brewers boast a game in hand and a superior goal difference. Effectively, the Pirates need to pick up more points in four matches than Burton do in five to stay up with Shrewsbury Town on the brink of relegation while survival for Cambridge United and Crawley Town looks increasingly unlikely, although not impossible.
Alongside performances that haven’t had points at the end, despite possibly deserving them, Rovers have also been struck with some major injuries to key players. Strikers Promise Omochere and Chris Martin have been out for over a month and won’t be able to return to fitness before the end of the season. Meanwhile, Kamil Conteh also won’t play again this season due to injury having last featured on Boxing Day.
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Joel Senior is another player who has recently picked up an issue, as is Lino Sousa with it a race against time for the latter to feature again this term given that the season ends in less than three weeks.
On Sousa, Calderon admitted to Bristol Live: “He’s going to be a be tricky one. He’s trying, but it is true, as you say, it’s just three weeks left. So I can say that he’s trying to get fit to try to help us. I cannot give an answer. It is not going to be too long, but I don’t know if it’s gonna be on time or not.”
“I hope not,” he added on any fresh issues for the trip to Wrexham. “Something that we are still waiting for but hopefully we are all ready for Friday.
“I would say the same players that were ready for the last game, I think they will be the same ones.”
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