Bristol Rovers is pleased to announce the signing of Joel Cotterill on a season-long loan from Sky Bet Championship side Swansea City.
Midfielder Cotterill will spend the 2025/26 campaign on loan with the Pirates and is the Club’s eleventh signing of the summer transfer window.
The Wales U21s’ international brings EFL experience to The Memorial Stadium having previously enjoyed loan spells with Stockport County and Swindon Town in Sky Bet League Two, helping the former to promotion in the 2023/24 campaign.
“It feels really good to be here at Bristol Rovers,” Cotterill said. “I’m buzzing to get the deal over the line and get it done. I’m just ready to hit the ground running now.
“I know how big the Club is and I’m just excited to get going, meet the fans, show them what I can do and just hit the ground running.”
Head Coach Darrell Clarke said: “We are pleased to welcome Joel to Bristol Rovers.
“Joel is a versatile, ball-playing midfielder who has already shown a real technical ability and has experience of playing in this division over the last couple of seasons. We are looking forward to working with him throughout the coming season.”
Director Of Football Ricky Martin said: “Joel is a young, technical U21s international who already has got great experience of playing in League Two. He is athletic, can play box-to-box and brings a real energy that will complement our squad.
“We have tracked Joel throughout the transfer window and we are pleased he has chosen to continue his development with us at Bristol Rovers.”
Born in the Vale of Glamorgan in October 2004, Cotterill has spent his entire footballing career in the Swansea City Academy, joining the Swans at seven and signing his first professional terms in June 2022.
The midfielder made his senior debut later that year, coming off the bench in a Carabao Cup fixture against Oxford United.
A regular in the Swansea City U18s and U21s, Cotterill joined Stockport County on loan in August 2023. He featured 12 times in all competitions in the first half of the campaign, including scoring his first senior goal in an 8-0 win over Sutton United, earning him a recall by his parent club in January 2024.
Cotterill returned to League Two in July 2024 with another loan move, this time to Swindon Town. The 20-year-old was a regular in the Robins’ side, playing 48 times in all competitions, including 41 in League Two, scoring five goals in all competitions.
At international level, Cotterill has played 13 times for Wales U21s since his debut in March 2023, scoring three times, all of which have come in UEFA European U21s Championship qualification matches.
Everyone at Bristol Rovers would like to warmly welcome Joel to the Club and wish him every success in his loan spell with the Pirates.
