It wasn't just on the pitch that new signings were made in the summer, there were a number of additions to the backroom staff as well.

One of those new recruits, Head of Youth Ken Oram, has arrived from Cheltenham and is looking forward to working for his new club.

He said: "I think the system here is ready to step on and be driven towards the next level now.

"I've now had the opportunity to meet all of the Centre of Excellence staff and, accompanied by Paul Trollope, Darren Patterson and Chief Scout Paul Molesworth, gave a short presentation to them of how I want to put in place a philosophy of development for the youth department to support the ambitions of the first team.

"The manager has clear views on where he wants to take the club and if we can develop our home grown players to support that, and add value to the first team squad, then that has to be our aim as a department.

"The Centre of Excellence isn't going to be a results orientated environment. This club has a tradition of developing players, and a strong value on their own home grown players, so it's going back to that and bringing the whole structure together.

"Underneath the U-18 side it means putting in place a development pyramid where boys can progress from age band to age band and where the better boys can step up one, maybe two, age bands and be challenged and tested with a view to knocking on the door of the professional environment as 16,17, and 18 year olds.

"I'm not saying that they will be ready at that age but they will have an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and understanding of what it takes to become a professional footballer."

Ken first joined Cheltenham in 2003 and saw his teams take on their Rovers counterparts, on many occasions, during his time at Whaddon Road.

"Rovers are, in my opinion, one of the strongest set of players we have come across. I'm not saying that they always play the best football, but in the way they approach games they have always been a very strong club.

"I also believe the staff to be first class in the way they want to develop themselves. It's by no means a broken system, it's one that can be enhanced and furthered, and a lot of credit goes to the people who have been involved here over the years.

"Now we have a chance to bring in a new philosophy, and develop a culture within the club which can produce players for the first team."

He's not proposing wholesale changes to the system.

"I think my management methods are staff centred. I would like to give the staff as much information and development as I can, because if the staff improve and have access to more material and coaching practice, then the players will improve as well.

Secondary to, but alongside that, will be recruitment and that's one thing we really want to push. Bristol is a huge city and there are lots of players from all cultures and backgrounds, and it's about opening the doors to get as many boys in as we can to give them an opportunity to see what it's like inside a professional club.

"The best of those boys will be given a chance to progress, initially to the U-18 side, and then towards the first team.

"The staff here already have a lot of contacts and I think we have to make sure that the reputation of the club is further enhanced.

"It does have a good name for recruiting players, and if we can get as many relationships with local clubs as we can, and treat players in the correct manner, then there is every chance that a supply chain of boys will come through."

Communication is something he's keen to improve, and develop, and plans are in place for a dedicated website for the youth department.

"It's important that we tell people what we are doing, both internally and externally. Communication to parents and players, through coaches, is invaluable, and our website will not only enable us to do that, but also explain more about the aims of our youth scheme and its aims and objectives."

Looking at Crewe as a model for developing players, he feels that Rovers could follow their example.

"As a club they have always had a reputation of a developing players, and boys go there knowing they might have a chance of playing professional football and there's no reason why we can't do the same in this part of the country.

"I think if players come in, and see there's a chance of progressing through a club like ours, then there's every chance you will be able to attract more players in the first place."