Saturday’s game holds a special significance for Luke Thomas.
Bristol Rovers’ visit to face Cheltenham Town in Sky Bet League One action will see the 25-year-old return to the club where he began his career, before joining Derby County as a youngster in 2016.
After spells with Barnsley and Ipswich Town, Thomas has called Rovers his home since 2021, and is excited to return to his old stomping ground this weekend.
Not that the versatile wide-man is expecting any favours from the Robins, who are in the midst of a fight to remain in the division.
“I’m really looking forward to this game,” he said. “I spent all my Academy career with them really, since I was nine years old, and my two older brothers played there as well. I’ve not been back there many times but I’m looking forward to it.
“It’s going to be a really tough game. It doesn’t matter who you are, it’s a tough place to go. Cheltenham have shown that this season with some of the results they’ve got at home and they’re fighting for their lives. We need to be right on it to get something from this game.”
Thomas returned from an injury setback in the goalless draw with Shrewsbury Town at the start of April, and is glad to be back available after missing most of March due to his setback.
“It’s nice to be fully fit again. It’s the second injury I’ve had this season and it’s not a nice place to be. It’s a lonely place sometimes, and thankfully I wasn’t out for too long in the end.
“There’s nothing better than being back and helping the team, but it’s not going our way at the moment.”
Despite his, and the side’s, best efforts, finding the back of the net has been a challenge in recent outings, and Thomas admitted the Gas are desperate to not only get back among the goals but get points on the board.
With four games to play between now and the end of the campaign, Thomas cannot picture a better place to return to winning ways than at Whaddon Road this weekend.
“It’s been a while since we last scored a goal and the longer it goes on, it does play on your mind,” he added. “But it’s not as though we’re not creating chances. The two or three games I’ve been back for, we’ve had the chances to score, but for some reason they’re not going in.
“We’re having spells where we’re coming out firing and creating, but we should start games like that and it should be that way for the whole match.”
