To kick off our 2024-25 National League preparations, Rovers travel to Thornhill Park to take on Slimbridge AFC on Monday, July 8.
Rovers return to Thornhill Park for the first time since 2016 which saw Mark Cooper’s Rovers come away 3-2 winners.
Looking towards our trip to face the Swans here is everything Rovers’ fans need to know from what went on last season to players to watch out for.
SWANS LAST SEASON
Last season saw the Swans play out their first Hellenic Premier Division campaign in almost a decade following their relegation from the Southern League Division One South in 2023.
The Swans enjoyed a strong season last time round finishing 6th and narrowly missed out on the play-offs by a single point to eventual promotion winners, Cinderford Town.
In addition to the narrow margins, the Swans were on a seven-game unbeaten run until the final day of the season when Royal Wootton Bassett defeated them 2-1 back in April.
IN THE DUGOUT - ADAM COYLE & TOM DEAKIN
Coyle and Deakin took charge of the Swans midway through their 2022-23 relegation campaign following the departure of Tom Speers.
The duo couldn’t prevent the Swans from suffering the drop finishing bottom of the Southern League Div One South before enjoying a more successful first full season in charge.
Coyle and Deakin delivered 23 wins from 46 matches last season guiding the Swans to a 6th placed finish, the clubs highest-league finish since 2020.
PLAYER(S) TO WATCH - GEORGE NEILL, RUDI MCKINNON, JACK SMITH
The Swans were one of the most lethal attacks around the Hellenic League scoring 96 goals in 46 games with Neill, McKinnon and Smith having a hand in 55 of them.
Neill, who joined from the club in 2023, found the net 19 times in his first season at the club whilst supporting his fellow teammates with 16 assists.
Smith enjoyed his first full season in the men’s side with the 19-year-old also bagging 19 goals in all competitions on his way to picking up the Severn Sport Breakthrough Player of the Season award.
And McKinnon was the Swans' top scorer with 20 goals in all competitions whilst also managing to add 10 assists to his name highlight the strength of the Swans attack last season.
