Bristol Rovers confirm the departure of head coach Inigo Calderon after a bleak season, suffering relegation from League One.
Rovers picked up just one point from their final 10 games – and were relegated to League Two. They finish the campaign sitting 22nd, with 43 points from 46 games played, 4 points from safety.
@DanJHargraves tweeted the morning after the final day of 2024/25: “So there we have it. Bristol Rovers will be looking for a fourth permanent manager within the space of 18 months. Understand the recruitment process for Inigo Calderon’s replacement is very much underway. A delight to work with but had to happen. #UTG”
The Club can confirm that Iñigo Calderón has departed his position as Men’s first team Head Coach.
— Bristol Rovers (@Official_BRFC) May 4, 2025
CLUB STATEMENT:
Bristol Rovers can confirm that Iñigo Calderón has departed his position as Men’s first team Head Coach.
Miguel Llera, who has been assisting in the coaching department since March, has also left the Club.
Everyone at Bristol Rovers would like to thank Iñigo and Miguel for their hard work, dedication and commitment and wish them both every success in their respective future careers.
A thorough process to recruit a replacement is underway and the Club will be making no further comment at this time.
Following an extensive and thorough review of the Club’s footballing operation, Bristol Rovers FC can confirm the following:
As confirmed on Sunday morning, Men’s head coach Iñigo Calderón and Miguel Llera have departed their respective positions.
In addition, nine players who are out of contract will be leaving Bristol Rovers when their respective deals expire this summer.
Captain Scott Sinclair will leave after two-and-a-half seasons back with the Pirates, while midfielders Grant Ward, Luke McCormick, Romaine Sawyers and Jerry Lawrence will also depart.
Defender Jack Hunt, attacker Jevani Brown and goalkeeper Matt Hall will all leave Rovers at the end of their respective two-year spells with the Club.
Chris Martin’s contract with Rovers also expires at the end of the season, but the striker will remain with the Club to continue his rehabilitation from a knee injury sustained in March.
The Club can confirm that an option for a one-year extension has been triggered in James Wilson’s contract. The centre-back has been a near ever-present for Rovers since joining in 2023, making 79 appearances in all competitions.
Finally, six players loaned to Bristol Rovers for the 2024/25 season – Lino Sousa, Gatlin O’Donkor, Matt Butcher, Sil Swinkels, Michael Reindorf and Myles Roberts – will return to their parent clubs.
Director Of Football Ricky Martin said: “On behalf of Bristol Rovers I would like to express my gratitude to each of the players and staff who are moving on from the Club this summer. Each goes with our collective best wishes for the future.
“The hard work is already underway in terms of our preparations for the 2025/26 season, including a comprehensive recruitment process for both our coaching department and first-team squad.
“While we are all experiencing the pain of our confirmed relegation, we are channelling that energy into ensuring our team and Club is in the best possible position ahead of our first League Two fixture in August.”
Bristol Rovers would like to place on record our sincere thanks to those individuals departing the Club at the end of the season and wish them all every success in their future careers.
Bristol Rovers confirm the departure of Head Coach Iñigo Calderón.
Rovers picked up just one point from their final 10 games – and were relegated to League Two.
In a brief statement – Rovers say “a thorough process to recruit a replacement is underway…” pic.twitter.com/2tg44JtNQq
— BBC Sport Bristol (@bbcbristolsport) May 4, 2025
FAVOURITES TO BECOME NEW BRISTOL ROVERS MANAGER:
BetVictor – 4th May
Darrell Clarke – 4/1
Ian Evatt – 6/1
Luke Williams – 6/1
Jon Brady – 8/1
Ian Holloway – 8/1
Garry Monk – 8/1
Michael Duff – 8/1
Leam Richardson – 10/1
On the 4-1 defeat to Blackpool, Inigo Calderon said…
“I was quite naive thinking that maybe we could have a good last day,” he said. “The first half, more or less, we know their best qualities, but still we were alright. We scored a goal. It was not the best one, but a goal and after a mistake, we conceded. I think the start of the second half was not good. Especially, the last part of the game was difficult to watch. It was painful to watch.
“It has been a tough season, a tough week, and probably to stay in the game was too much to ask today. I have to say it like that.
“I think in the first half, we were alright, and when we scored, we were alright. It’s true that when we conceded the goal, and in the second half, we started to go to the other side of the game that you don’t want. The last 30 minutes were difficult to watch.”
I think we have been alright until we concede a goal…
“I think we have been alright until we concede a goal, and then we look so weak after that,” said Calderón. “It has been a tough season for the boys and everyone at the club. So, as soon as that happens and we are not in the game, it is a nightmare. It’s been difficult.”
We have to be better…
“I think we have to be better,” said the Head Coach. “I think we lack a bit in the final third. We need to improve defensively. We’re still conceding chances. It’s true that in the last third, if you don’t produce enough, sometimes it’s the game plan, but it was clear that as soon as we lost too many strikers, we struggled to score goals, and that’s been the issue.
“In the game against Reading, we created chances, but in the end, we couldn’t score them. That’s the wonderful part of football, scoring goals, and we were not good at that.”
Credit to the academy…
“I think Ollie Dewsbury has been unlucky in terms of the situation we have been in because I was even thinking about playing him against Reading from the start, but I didn’t feel that was fair for him,” said the Spaniard. “I would say that if we had more points, he would play more minutes, but I thought it was not fair to put him under that much pressure.
“He played today from the start. Credit to the academy. I think it’s important that we have some positives, and players coming through the system is really important for the football club.”
SEE MORE: Bristol Rovers fans issue open letter to club owner after relegation to League Two
Here’s how fans reacted as Bristol Rovers confirm the departure of head coach Inigo Calderon after relegation…
@JoeHulbertNBA: Yep just pay another manager off, sign 20 players and run it back again 👍I’m sure the results will be different this time.
@LeeWatts541187: Poor choice from the outset you only have to see what Ollie has done at Swindon ideal choice for me after Taylor went
@harryjenkins22: horseman should be going aswell
@jugglingmum2011: Think collectively most people will feel sad for him. Wrong time for someone without form in the league. Such a shame it hasn’t worked out 🥲
@1_henshall: 1 point from 30 in the last 10 was comedy stuff. Had to go. @abalsaeed you next 🤡
@JakeW2311: 3 failed managers in 18 months. Next one has to be right. If he’s allowed to do his job.
@samsmithy22: Unfortunately you can’t blame the owners for everything 1 point from 30 is shocking
@kirkee_swan: Really feel for the guy!! Inherited a disjointed lazy bunch alongside several injury prone players. He will probably go on to do better things elsewhere
@djrsummers: Right decision. feel for him that it’s his first job, and probably one of the hardest in the football league currently. Still think he could do well one day, needs a smaller club with a solid foundation around it. We need someone to unite the club, DC is surely an obvious one?
@Nortongashead: Shambles of an appointment although a nice guy. We needed experience not an U18 coach. Ultimately the owners are to blame for this failure and need to either sell up or leave the running of the club to proven leadership professionals.
@mj_wilcox: Darrell Clarke – bring him home and give him full licence to get us back to league one
@LP15393: Wrong appointment wrong time. Nice bloke but wasn’t to be. Now go and get DC or someone with League 2 experience
@gashead147: Really sorry it hasn’t worked out, need someone next who will rule the changing room, with no interference from above and take the egos out of the changing room. Monies on Steve Evans next UTG
@JN_231: Time to bring back DC and get this club moving in the right direction again
@Lewis_jenkins: One man for the job, bring back Darrell Clarke
@mattstrong: Nice guy but simply not up to it. More important than his replacement is bringing in a CEO who can put distance between the Kuwaitis and the day to day running, and act as a spokesperson for off the pitch matters. Won’t hold my breath.
@smithys66011356: Was an improvement on taylor but still wasn’t the right man at the time nice guy and I reckon he will get back to management soon but just didn’t work out here all the best calde hopefully the owners can actually do something good and bring in a good manager to bring us back up
@Harrtron: Gutted for him that it turned out like this. Top guy, but wrong time.
@Matty_Simons: The right decision. Now get rid of half the squad and go again. Rebuild and bring someone passionate in who can rally the team UTG
@weeksy11: I think it’s the right decision, but my first thought was sadness for him. Seems like a really top bloke and think this was a case of the wrong place at the wrong time. We need an experience manager now IMO.
@LedburyGas: Who will be the next person to take on this poisoned chalice? Will we continue to trend of employing obedient PE teachers or will the club answer the calls of the Facebook supporter groups and bring back a convicted wife beater? What a time to be a Gashead.
@Luke73072657: “No further comments at this time” get these owners out of my fucking club
@Gas_Eloise: The right decision. The board are probably loving the fact that they can use the bloke as a scapegoat for the horrible recruitment in the summer. Now who the fuck wants to manage us? I’m not sure there will be many queuing up for the honour.
@thatchersend: Nothing to really add to the previous tweets of mine. I wish him all the best and no doubt will be good for another club but not what we need now. The first step in turning us around is complete.
@GabSutton: I think this shows the importance of extremely highly-rated youth coaches working in a senior environment before becoming a #1. The task of developing players is not the same as doing that whilst trying to get results in a cut-throat, competitive environment. The line between the two can get blurred in this era of football in which most clubs want to nurture high potential assets, but you have to look at them as completely different jobs.
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