On fixture release day, Rovers reporter Rich Sharpe looks at the sides that Tony Mowbray's will be coming up against next season.
WIGAN ATHLETIC
Ground: DW Stadium
Distance: 22 miles
Previous league meeting: Rovers 1-0 Wigan, Saturday, March 4 2017
2016/17 League position: 23rd Championship
Hopes for 2017/18: Paul Cook joined Wigan just 25 days after guiding Portsmouth to the League Two title. Cook has had success at this level, guiding Chesterfield to the play-offs in 2014/15 before leaving for Fratton Park. The Latics proved too strong for League One in their last season at this level, and will be pushing the top six again.
ROTHERHAM UNITED
Ground: ASSEAL New York Stadium
Distance: 85 miles
Previous league meeting: Rotherham 1-1 Rovers. Saturday, February 11 2017
2016/17 league position: 24th Championship
Hopes for 2017/18: Will need to heavily rebuild after a disastrous season in the Championship saw them pick up just 23 points. Rookie boss Paul Warne faces a big job to get the Millers challenging for an immediate Championship return.
SCUNTHORPE UNITED
Ground: Glanford Park
Distance: 103 miles
Previous league meeting: Scunthorpe United 1-1 Rovers Tuesday, April 24 1973
2016/17 league position: 3rd League One
Hopes for 2017/18: Rocked by the departures of goalkeeper Luke Daniels and captain Stephen Dawson already this summer. May need ex-Rover Josh Morris to recapture his form in the first half of the 2016/17 season if they’re to challenge the top six once again.
FLEETWOOD TOWN
Ground: Highbury
Distance: 35 miles
Previous league meeting: None
2016/17 league position: 4th League One
Hopes for 2017/18: Their fairtytale rise up the leagues took them to the brink of promotion last term. Keeping that team together may be difficult, but retaining the services of manager Uwe Rosler could well be their most important bit of business. Should be in the top half again.
BRADFORD CITY
Ground: Northern Commercials Stadium
Distance: 42 miles
Previous league meeting: Bradford 0-1 Rovers. Saturday, April 14 1990
2016/17 league position: 5th League One
Hopes for 2017/18: Back-to-back fifth place finishes for the Bantams. Didn’t lose on their home patch last term, will be looking to continue that form again. Nineteen draws cost them a shot at automatic promotion, but they will need to be canny in the transfer market following the departures of James Meredith, Billy Clarke and Mark Marshall.
SOUTHEND UNITED
Ground: Roots Hall
Distance: 257 miles
Previous league meeting: Rovers 2-2 Southend Tuesday, March 10 1992
2016/17 league position: 7th League One
Hopes for 2017/18: Went within minutes of making a play-off spot, but a big improvement for Phil Brown’s side who improved seven places on their 14th placed finish in 2015/16. Have lost Will Atkinson and Adam Thompson, while they will be keen to fend off Championship interest in influential midfielder Ryan Leonard. Will still be looking upwards of mid-table.
OXFORD UNITED
Ground: Kassam Stadium
Distance: 189 miles
Previous league meeting: Rovers 1-1 Oxford. Saturday, February 29 1992
2016/17 league position: 8th League One
Hopes for 2017/18: Fell short in their pursuit of back-to-back promotions, andleft Wembley disappointed after losing in the Checkatrade Trophy final for a second successive year. Pre-season plans have not been helped by the departure of manager Michael Appleton to become Leicester City’s number two.
ROCHDALE
Ground: Spotland
Distance: 19 miles
Previous league meeting: Rovers 3-1 Rochdale. Saturday, April 20 1974
2016/17 league position: 9th League One
Hopes for 2017/18: Their pre-season took a huge lift with news that manager Keith Hill had agreed a new five-year deal. Perennial overachievers, have now finished eighth, 10th and ninth in their last three seasons. Much of that has been built on strong home form and expect them to be in the top 10 once again.
BRISTOL ROVERS
Ground: Memorial Stadium
Distance: 189 miles
Previous league meeting: Bristol Rovers 3-0 Rovers. Saturday, March 7 1992
2016/17 league position: 10th League One
Hopes for 2017/18: No-one in the top half of League One won fewer matches on the road than Gas’ five, and only two sides conceded more on their travels. They are statistics they must improve on, but a bright young manager in Darrel Clarke sho-uld keep Rovers clear of the drop.
PETERBOROUGH UNITED
Ground: ABAX Stadium
Distance: 169 miles
Previous league meeting: Rovers 2-3 Peterborough. Saturday, March 2 2013
2016/17 league position: 11th League One
Hopes for 2017/18: Chairman Darragh MacAnthony was left dissatisfied by Posh’s season of underachievement last term. Will need to become more consistent, while the future of star man Marcus Maddison could be key.
MK DONS
Ground: Stadium:MK
Distance: 180 miles
Previous league meeting: Rovers 3-2 MK Dons. Saturday, February 27 2016
2016/17 league position: 12th League One
Hopes for 2017/18: Will be looking to continue their improvement under boss Robbie Neilson next term, but must improve their home record, where the lost 13 time in 2016/17. Playmaker Ben Reeves will be a big miss should he decide to move at the end of his contract.
CHARLTON
Ground: The Valley
Distance: 247 miles
Previous league meeting: Charlton 1-1 Rovers. Saturday, January 23 2016
2016/17 league position: 13th League One
Hopes for 2017/18: Will do do well to keep hold of 13-goal attacker Ricky Holmes but will be targeting a top six spot following the arrivals of Bradford’s Billy Clarke and Mark Marshall and Tarique Fosu from Reading.
WALSALL
Ground: Banks’ Stadium
Distance: 102 miles
Previous league meeting: Walsall 1-1 Rovers. Tuesday, October 26 1999
2016/17 league position: 14th League One
Hopes for 2017/18: Were always going to struggle to match their play-off finish of 2015/16 following the departures of Tom Bradshaw, Romaine Sawyers and Rico Henry. Manager John Whitney will need to galvanise a young squad if the Saddlers aren’t to slip further down the table.
AFC WIMBLEDON
Ground: Kingsmeadow
Distance: 245 miles
Previous league meeting: None
2016/17 league position: 15th League One
Hopes for 2017/18: Stuttered over the finishing line, winning just one of their last nine games, and failing to score in eight of them. That won’t be helped by the departure of 13-goal marksman Tom Elliott who has joined Millwall. The Dons will be hoping Kwesi Appiah’s arrival from Crystal Palace can fill that void.
NORTHAMPTON TOWN
Ground: Sixfields Stadium
Distance: 160 miles
Previous league meeting: Rovers 3-0 Northampton. Saturday, April 22 1967
2016/17 league position: 16th League One
Hopes for 2017/18: Likely to be a summer of change at Sixfields following the departures of first-team regulars Adam Smith, Zander Diamond and Gabriel Zakuani. Sam Foley, Daniel Powell and Leon Barnett are promising additions, while they will hope Billy Waters can add goals to their forward line after arriving from Cheltenham.
OLDHAM ATHLETIC
Ground: Boundary Park
Distance: 29 miles
Previous league meeting: Oldham 1-2 Rovers. Saturday, December 11 1993
2016/17 league position: 17th League One
Hopes for 2017/18: John Sheridan appears to have the Midas touch at Boundary Park, moving the Latics to a comfortable finish with nine wins and seven draws from his 22 games in charge. But if Oldham aren’t to be involved in another relegation battle, they must improve on their record of 31 goals last term.
SHREWSBURY TOWN
Ground: Greenhous Meadow
Distance: 106 miles
Previous league meeting: Shrewsbury 1-1 Rovers. Saturday, January 14 1989
2016/17 league position: 18th League One
Hopes for 2017/18: Improved two places on their 2015/16 position of 20th. With one of the league’s smaller budgets, Hurst will need to do plenty of good deals if the Shrews aren’t to be at the wrong end of the table again.
BURY
Ground: Gigg Lane
Distance: 19 miles
Previous league meeting: Rovers 1-2 Bury. Saturday, May 3 1980
2016/17 league position: 19th League One
Hopes for 2017/18: Survived on the final day of the season but have been quick to add Joe Muprhy, Jermaine Beckford, Stephen Dawson, Callum Reilly, Phil Edwards, Jay O’Shea, Adam Thompson, Joe Skarz and Eoghan O’Connell to their ranks. Lee Clark will be desperate to keep hold of 24-goal striker James Vaughan.
GILLINGHAM
Ground: Priestfield Stadium
Distance: 266 miles
Previous league meeting: Gillingham 1-1 Rovers. Sunday, May 6 2001
2016/17 league position: 20th League One
Hopes for 2017/18: One point separated the Gills and the dropzone. Unlikely to keep hold of 2015/16 League One player of the year Bradley Dack for another season so must find a way to replace his goals and creativity.
PORTSMOUTH
Ground: Fratton Park
Distance: 268 miles
Previous league meeting: Portsmouth 0-0 Rovers Saturday, April 3 2010
2016/17 league position: 1st League Two
Hopes for 2017/18: Snatched the League Two title on the final day, but have since lost manager Paul Cook to Wigan. Will hope new boss Kenny Jackett, who won promotion from the third tier with Wolves four years ago, repeat the trick.
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE
Ground: Home Park
Distance: 306 miles
Previous league meeting: Plymouth 1-2 Rovers. Saturday, May 2 1992
2016/17 league position: 2nd League Two
Hopes for 2017/18: Bounced back from the disappointment of missing out in the 2015/16 play-offs to achieve automatic promotion last term. The Pilgrims will need to add some League One experience to their side and face a fight to keep hold of out-of-contract star man Graham Carey.
DONCASTER ROVERS
Ground: Keepmoat Stadium
Distance: 89 miles
Previous league meeting: Rovers 1-0 Doncaster. Saturday, January 11 2014
2016/17 league position: 3rd League Two
Hopes for 2017/18: Made it a short stay in League Two after winning automatic promotion. Their home form could well be key, as will keeping hold of 26 goal Jon Marqui.
BLACKPOOL
Ground: Bloomfield Road
Distance: 31 miles
Previous league meeting: Rovers 1-1 Blackpool 1. Saturday, February 21 2015
2016/17 league position: 6th League Two
Hopes for 2017/18: Will be looking to stabilise in League One on their return to the third tier following back-to-back relegations. Ten players have left and Bowyer will need to strengthen.
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