Bristol Rovers have announced the launch of a new women’s team.
Known as the Gas Girls, the team will enter the Gloucestershire County Womens’s Football League from next season.
This is the first time since 2005 that a women's team have worn the blue and white quarters of Rovers, and will be represented in the English Women’s Football Pyramid.
At present only Bristol City has a women's team, one that was originally founded by Bristol Rovers in 1998.
Bristol Rovers Women’s will be led by the Bristol Rovers Community Trust, with a remit around participation and development of the women's game in the city.
Adam Tutton, community trust CEO and women's chairman reveals how thrilled he is to announce the relaunch of the Gas Girls.
He said: "Over the last 18 months our women's and girls football provision has grown enormously, culminating in a Wembley Stadium appearance for our EFL U13 Girl's team from Mangotsfield School.
"To support this growth and further encourage females to play football across Bristol, we have decided to reform Bristol Rovers Women, aka the Gas Girls."
The team has formally applied to enter the Gloucestershire County Women’s Football League, while an Under 18’s team has applied to enter the Gloucestershire FA Under 18’s League.
The team will initially be a competitive, participation-based club open to all abilities rather than a focus on elite level football.
Adam and the club feel it is important that the club’s focus is on spreading participation in the women’s game.
He added: "We hope to give as many women and girls, regardless of background, the choice to represent Bristol Rovers."
Women’s football is the fastest growing sport in the country.
In Bristol there's one elite team, Bristol City Women's Football Club, who play in the Women’s Super League (WSL) and home matches at the SGS Wise Arena.
The history of the club is interesting - formed in 1998 as Bristol Rovers Women's Football Club, they were renamed as Bristol Academy W.F.C after increased involvement with the Bristol Academy of Sport, which is now the South Gloucestershire and Stroud College.
In 2006, Rovers withdrew funding from the club and Bristol Academy bankrolled the team.
This would see a period of unprecedented success, the most successful season in 2013, finishing runners up in the Women’s Super League, and the FA Cup.
In 2014 the club also reached the quarter final of the Champions League.
In 2013, the club signed a sponsorship agreement with Bristol City FC, changed their name and home kit from blue to red, and three years later in 2016 were renamed Bristol City Women’s Football Club.
Now in April 2018 Rovers have launched a brand new team, returning to the nickname the Gas Girls and playing in the blue and white quarters. This is in response to an expanding focus on female participation at the club.
In the launch video the club make a cheeky reference to their origins and association with Bristol City Women's, by starting the promo video with two female footballers doing kick ups outside Ashton Gate.
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Head of women’s and girls football at Bristol Rovers Community Trust, Nathan Hallett-Young, said: "A participant focused senior women’s team is the next logical step for our programme to progress.
"I can’t wait to get started and continue to develop the women’s game under our banner."
The involvement of the Bristol Rovers Community Trust will be central to the club’s development.
Matthew Davies, has taken a position as the women’s club secretary, he said: "As a huge advocate of women’s and girls football, I’m delighted to be a part of the newly formed Bristol Rovers Women’s Team.
"Everyone at the Community Trust is passionate about the development of the women’s game and I’m looking forward to helping the club develop, grow and progress."
Bristol Rovers Women’s team will be recruiting players throughout May, June and July at Lockleaze Sports Centre, the new home of Bristol Rovers Women’s.
To find out more visit www.bristolroverscommunity.org.uk/gasgirls
