Bristol Rovers' home match against Oldham Athletic at the Memorial Stadium on Tuesday evening will see the official opening of the rebranded Blackthorn End.

It promises to be quite a celebration, which will kick-off when Blackthorn managing Director John Mills and Rovers director Barry Bradshaw, along with Captain Black Arab, perform the official opening ceremony at 7:30pm.

For as long as stocks last, we will be giving away lots of Blackthorn merchandise, which will include promotional t-shirts and baseball caps. And, to cap it all, we will be selling Blackthorn Cider at a special promotional price in the bars around the ground.

Bristol Rovers supporters with long memories will recall that when we moved back to Bristol, in 1996, there was no cover behind the goal at what is now known as the Blackthorn End. All we had back then was an open terrace, known as the Clubhouse Terrace.

Thanks to the fund raising efforts of our Supporters Club, who sold 50/50 draw tickets to 'Raise the Roof' that terrace was eventually covered and in use for the first time against Luton Town, on 27th November 1999.

Blackthorn were the first sponsor of the roof and, although it has been sponsored by another company since, that part of the ground has always been known as the Blackthorn End by our supporters.

Rovers are delighted to welcome back Blackthorn as a major club sponsor and, in the current economic climate, it is heartening to know that a major company is willing to invest in our football club.

Barry Bradshaw who, along with Stadium General Manager Ian Holtby, has been instrumental in the rebranding exercise, said: "I am delighted to welcome Blackthorn back to the Memorial Stadium as one of our major sponsors and look forward to a long and successful partnership with the company."

John Mills, managing director of Blackthorn, said: "The terrace behind the goal at the Clubhouse end of the ground has always been where some of the most vociferous Rovers supporters have stood.

"The noise generated by them seems to spread all around the Memorial Stadium, making for a fantastic atmosphere and we are pleased to be sponsoring the Blackthorn End and renewing our association with Bristol Rovers Football Club."

As a footnote, Luton Town, whose manager back in 1999 was none other than Rovers' current director of football Lennie Lawrence, were beaten 3-0 on that November afternoon.