Rovers will spend a lot of time up North or in the capital during the 2024/25 Vanarama National League campaign but a couple of visit to the Midlands, Somerset and the South coast are on the cards.

TAMWORTH - ‘THE LAMBS’

A 180-mile round trip to Staffordshire awaits Rovers next season when it comes to facing newly-promoted Tamworth.

The club founded in 1933 has enjoyed the majority of its history in the non-league system and has not appeared in the fifth tier since 2014.

BACK-TO-BACK TITLES

Following their Southern Premier League Central title in 2023, the Lambs made it back-to-back promotions clinching the National League North title last season.

Andy Peaks’ side suffered just eight defeats on their way to the title winning it by a margin of eight points following a single defeat in their final 11 matches.

TAMWORTH’S LYTTLE LAMB

One of the Lambs most well-known ex-players is former Nottingham Forest man Des Lyttle who made 185 appearances for Midlands side between 1993-1998.

Following his stint at Forest, Lyttle spent three years at Worcester City and a season with Rovers before finishing his career up at the Lambs from 2007-2011.

AWAY DAY VISITS

The Lambs may have a small fanbase but one well-known occupant in Tamworth is social media sensation ‘Spud Man’.

Known for his delicious jacket potatoes, people come from far and wide to attend his little van in Tamworth’s town centre making this a great attraction for Rovers fans to visit when we are in town.

SOLIHULL MOORS - ‘THE MOORS’

At a 147-mile round trip the Moors will be Rovers closest game to home when we visit the ARMCO Arena next season.

Interestingly, they are the youngest side in the National League being founded in 2007 after Moor Green and Solihull Borough merged. Incredibly, it took just nine years for the Moors to reach the National League back in 2016.

DOUBLE WEMBLEY HEARTBREAK

It was a season of highs and lows for the Moors suffering double heartbreak at Wembley in the National League Play-off final and FA Trophy final.

Andy Whing’s first season in charge saw the Moors record their third-highest league finish (5th) and visit Wembley for the first time in their history.

Their first ever trip saw them miss out on promotion to the Football League on penalties to Bromley then six days later suffered the same fate against Gateshead in the FA Trophy.

ROONEY AT THE MOORS

One of the Moors more well-known players from the past is striker Adam Rooney - once of Birmingham City, Stoke City and Aberdeen whilst also making 25 UEFA Europa League appearances.

Rooney made 55 appearances between 2020-2022 for Moors in which he grabbed himself 14 goals for the club.

FANBASE

One of the smaller fanbases in the National League can be found at the ARMCO Arena with their average home attendance last season being ranked 20th with just under 1,500 per game.

YEOVIL TOWN - ‘THE GLOVERS’

Rovers will be set for a reunion with former promotion winning manager, Mark Cooper, as he guided his Yeovil Town side back into the National League.

Some turbulent times have shadowed the Glovers in recent years having fallen from the Championship in 2014 down to the National League South last season.

COOPER AT THE WHEEL

At the first time of asking, the Glovers returned to the National League after running away with National League South title by 11 points.

Cooper’s side suffered just nine defeats in the league whilst also reaching the second round of the FA Cup where they set up a Hollywood tie against Wrexham but were defeated 3-0.

PLAY-OFF HERO

The Glovers have had some impressive players over the years but none more so than current Newcastle United defender, Dan Burn.

Burn had a successful spell on loan from Fulham during the 2012/13 season highlighted when he scored the winning goal in the League One Play-off final to send the Glovers to the Championship for the first time.

FANBASE

Cooper and his side had the best following in the league last season with their home average attendance recording just under 4,000 per game but it was also their away days that saw a strong following.

When the Glovers travelled to the TigerTurf Stadium, home of Gloucester City, they brought 1,103 fans to watch their side clinch the National League South title against Truro City.

EASTLEIGH - ‘THE SPITFIRES’

The only trip to the south coast on the calendar for Rovers is a 176-mile round trip to the Silverlake Stadium to meet with Eastleigh.

Having been promoted to the Conference in 2014, the Spitfires have spent the last decade playing in the fifth tier of English Football after spending less than a decade in the Conference South.

MAGIC OF THE CUP

It was a mid-table finish for the Spitfires in 13th, however Kelvin Davis’ side had quite the run in FA Cup.

The Spitfires reached the third round of the competition following wins against Dover Athletic, Boreham Wood and Reading to set a tie against Newport County.

Davis’ side forced Newport to a televised replay in which they were defeated 3-1 at Rodney Parade.

SAINT TO A SPITFIRE

Located just north of Southampton, Saints legend Matt Le Tissier arrived at the Silverlake in 2002 after calling time at the Premier League club.

Le Tissier featured in the 2002/03 season for the Spitfires making 17 appearances, scoring just three goals before taking break in his career.

FANBASE

The Spitfires enjoyed a decent following last season as their home average attendance was ranked 12th in the National League with just over 2,000 fans per game.