Tributes have been paid to former Bristol Rovers defender Graham Day after he died aged 67 this week.
The centre-back enjoyed an incredibly rich playing career, making more than 130 appearances for the Gas and spending his summers in the United States playing alongside some of the world’s best.
Bristol-born Day came through the ranks at Bristol St George before being snapped up by the Gas as a teenager, playing in the centre of defence alongside club legend Stuart Taylor in the 1970s.
He jumped at the opportunity to play for Portland Timbers in the North American Soccer League (NASL), where he faced greats Pele and Eusébio, and made further memories playing for Bournemouth with George Best and winning the FA Vase with Forest Green Rovers at Wembley.
Following his retirement, Day remained a Rovers supporter and ran the Flowerpot pub in Kingswood.
“Bristol Rovers is saddened to learn of the passing of former player Graham Day,” a club spokesman said.
“Our condolences are extended to Graham's family and friends at this difficult time.”
Bristol Rovers Supporters Club said it “desperately saddened” to hear of Day’s death and extended condolences to his family and friends.
Few Rovers players, if any, have enjoyed a playing career laden with incredible experiences like Day, and he recalled some of his favourite memories in an interview with Subs Bench last year.
“It was just amazing,” he said. “Johan Cruyff was a big part of the NASL. Talk about luck, instead of coming back to Rovers I went on tour with Los Angeles Aztecs.
“Johan Cruyff was playing and we did a tour of Europe. France, Holland and at Chelsea, and I was alongside Cruyff.
“The next season, New York Cosmos’ centre-half was playing for the American XI and they phoned Don Megson and asked ‘can we have Graham?’
“Next thing I know, I’m in Spain and the manager, a German man, said ‘Graham, I want you to go out and win everything, and Carlos, you go and sweep everything up’. It was Carlos Alberto.
“Pele was there in the first year I played. He was 34 and in a pretty average side and we beat them 2-1. I went into their dressing room and he was wonderful, an absolute gentleman.”
Day, by his own admission, was far from the most talented player to play at Eastville, but he will certainly be fondly remembered by Gasheads.
“It is so sad that Graham has passed away,” former Rovers press officer Keith Brookman told Bristol Live.
“I got to know him really well over the years and he was always extremely helpful if I wanted an interview to talk over his Rovers career or his time in America. A great character who remained a Rovers supporter long after he finished playing.
“Sometimes a guest at home games, he was a great supporter of the Bristol Rovers Former Players’ Association and always attended the Tote End reunion nights organised by John Kayes.
“His death has come as quite a shock to me and my thoughts are with his family and friends.”
