Striker Matty Taylor today completed a move to Championship side Bristol City, for an undisclosed fee.
In moving across town he becomes the first player to move directly from Rovers to their arch rivals since another striker, Trevor Morgan, on 23rd January 1987 for a fee of £16,000.
Speaking of the transfer Bristol Rovers' Chairman, Steve Hamer said: "We are disappointed that Matty has decided to leave the club at this point in his career.
"He has been a fantastic servant to the Club and his goalscoring record has contributed significantly to the success of the Club and its current status in League One.
"Matty had made it very clear that he wanted this move and we are not the kind of club that will stand in the way when a player has made up his mind. We wish him well for the future."
Taylor joined Rovers from Forest Green Rovers in the summer of 2014 as we began our first season in the fifth tier of English football having been relegated from League Two at the end of the 2013/14 campaign.
An England ‘C’ international, he began his career with Oxford and went on to join Southern League South & West Division outfit North Leigh for whom he scored 80 goals in two seasons.
Matty made his debut for Rovers on the opening day of the 2014/15 season in a 0-0 draw against Grimsby Town and scored his first goal for the club in the 3-1 win against Nuneaton Town on 16th September.
His career record with Rovers has seen him score 67 goals in 134 games in all competitions.
He has been an important and valued member of our squad since joining us and his goals played a huge part in helping us to achieve back to back promotions.