Brentford goalkeeper Ellery Balcombe is due for a medical at Bristol Rovers in the next 24 hours and Bristol Live understands his impending loan move to the Gas has been sanctioned by the Premier League club because he’s joining the Gas to compete as a No1, not become a back-up.
Brentford terminated his loan at League Two Crawley Town on Wednesday, after he had made 12 appearances in all competitions, and have redirected him to Rovers, but wouldn't have done so without a degree of assurance around his expected first-team minutes.
Balcombe will have to compete for and prove his place on a weekly basis, like everyone else in the squad, but the Gas would not have edged ahead of a number of other clubs in League One without providing the opportunity for regular football.
Balcombe should be signed in time to be in contention for Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday and is likely to be part of the matchday 18 providing James Belshaw with genuine competition for the gloves, which Rovers hope will have a positive impact on his own performance levels.
Anssi Jaakkola has been back-up for the season so far but has also balanced that with his role as goalkeeper coach. The Finn's six appearances in 2022/23 have all been in the Papa Johns Trophy and he's never looked likely to truly displace Belshaw, who's made 69 league appearances under Joey Barton since signing in the summer of 2021 on a free transfer from Harrogate Town.
Belshaw has become a fans favourite and is Rovers’ reigning Player of the Year following his part in the promotion from League Two. But Barton highlighted concerns over his side’s lack of clean sheets at the end of December, after they had shipped four against Exeter City, and indicated that no individual player’s position is ever safe or free from scrutiny.
Rovers possess the third worst defensive record in League One, having conceded 45 goals - at an average of 1.6 per game - and have just five clean sheets, with their last on December 10, eight matches ago.
True to his word, Barton has sought what he considers an upgrade in the position but there will be considerable pressure and expectation on Balcombe to produce, given Belshaw’s popularity within the fanbase.
It’s a step up in quality and pressure for the 23-year-old who spent the second half of last season on loan at National League Bromley, followed by his stint in League Two at Crawley Town. He did play 15 matches for Doncaster Rovers at this level during the 2020/21 season, receiving mixed reviews, but is a more experienced and ultimately better goalkeeper since that campaign.
Belshaw has been culpable to an extent but has also been left exposed by a largely inexperienced defence which Barton has grown increasingly frustrated with and although Bobby Thomas elected to terminate his loan from Burnley last week, the Rovers manager admitted they were considering replacing the 21-year-old.
That all being said, Rovers are still ninth in League One and only three points outside the play-offs so decisions being made are to ensure the sort of marginal gains that can transform them from play-off challengers into genuine promotion contenders.
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