Here is a round-up of Rovers-related news.

 

LADIES’ APPLICATIONS DEADLINE

Rovers Ladies are accepting applications for the position of head coach until Wednesday.

The Ladies side have been searching for a new boss since the departure of Gemma Donnelly in April.

Matt Bee was placed in interim charge for the final weeks of the season and guided Rovers to their highest points tally since promotion to the Women’s Championship.

Bee will likely be considered for the role, alongside external candidates, who will be looking to build on the 2022/23 campaign.

Donnelly ended her long association with the club, leaving Rovers searching for a replacement heading into the new season.

Rovers ended the 2022/23 season with back-to-back victories over Sunderland and Lewes. That saw them finish on 23 points, the most in a league campaign since promotion four years ago.

 

MILLWALL MOVE FOR NISBET

Hibs are braced for the departure of Kevin Nisbet after Championship club Millwall had another offer for the Scotland striker accepted.

The London club tried to sign the 26-year-old in January but he decided to remain at Easter Road as he had only recently returned from a nine-month lay-off with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

However, Nisbet - who was recalled to the Scotland squad this week after scoring 12 goals in the season just finished following his return from injury in December - admitted last week that there was a good chance he would be moving on this summer.

Rovers have long-been linked with a move for the former Partick Thistle, Raith Rovers and Dunfermline forward, who has a year left on his contract, but the club insisted they had no plans to make a move and ruled themselves out of any race.

A significant part of that would have been the seven-figure transfer fee that would have been needed to prise him away from Hibs which now looks likely.

Millwall are now said to have had an offer accepted for Nisbet who will again weigh up whether to make the move to The Den.

It is reported that Nisbet is currently away on holiday following the conclusion of the Scottish Premiership season, and ahead of Scotland’s double-header against Norway and Georgia this month, so a conclusion to any deal is still some way off.

 

INTERNATIONAL CALL-UPS

Dom Hyam remains the only Rovers player to have been selected for the upcoming internationals.

The defender was called up by Scotland last week for their games with Norway and Georgia this month.

However, Sam Szmodics and Ryan Hedges have both missed out when Republic of Ireland and Wales named their squad.

Sorba Thomas, who finished the season on loan at Rovers and was named in the Wales squad in March, hasn’t been called up to Rob Page’s latest squad.

Belgium, who have games against Austria and Estonia this month, are yet to name this squad, which Thomas Kaminski will be hoping to be included in.

 

BRERETON WISHED WELL

Ben Brereton’s international team-mate, and Norwich City midfielder Marcelino Nunez, has wished Rovers’ top scorer well as he prepares for life in La Liga.

Brereton is to leave Rovers after five years and is set to sign a bumper four-year deal with Villarreal.

An official announcement is expected in the coming weeks, with Brereton having watched his soon-to-be employers in action last month as they finished fifth in the table.

Speaking of the 24-year-old, Nunez said: "Super good, he is an excellent player. He has shown it in the national team and in his club, so I wish him the best."

 

WILCOX SIGNS OFF

Jason Wilcox says he leaves Manchester City with ‘a heavy heart’ as he prepares to join Southampton.

Rovers title-winner Wilcox has been with City for 11 years across a number of Academy roles, but for the last six years he has worked as Academy director.

Wilcox will now join Southampton as part of their new-look backroom set-up.

He told Manchester City’s website of his departure: “I leave with a heavy heart but with a real sense of immense pride of what we’ve achieved together.

“It’s not been achieved by myself but by some amazing people that have worked in the Academy. It’s been a real team effort and I feel extremely privileged to have been leading (the team) and I take immense pride and satisfaction away with me.

“I always had a sense that if I looked after the staff and created an environment where they were happy and enjoyed coming to work then we’d produce great results.

“What we’re seeing now is great results by great people in a great culture and that’s something which is really unique. Someone said to me the other day that the Academy is a very special place and it’s amazing.”