Alfie Kilgour is loving life back at Bristol Rovers and is looking forward to the Gas’ upcoming test away to Newport County in Sky Bet League Two.
The Pirates go into the Severnside derby on a high after collecting seven points from their last three fixtures, drawing 0-0 with Oldham before back-to-back wins at home to Cambridge United and away against Grimsby Town, with the latter being Rovers' first win on the road since January.
After a difficult start to the campaign, the positive set of results has helped Darrell Clarke's men climb up the table, with Rovers' next test coming at Rodney Parade. Newport are the opponents, with the Exiles looking to bounce back after losing their last four in the fourth tier.
Before the Pirates' short trip to Newport, Kilgour explained his excitement heading into the lunchtime kick-off.
“It’s a big game,” he said. “It’s a little bit of a local derby, so I’m really looking forward to it. It’s an early kick-off on Sky Sports, so it should be a good game and a proper game of League Two football. I’m thoroughly looking forward to it.”
Rovers' win over Grimsby last time out was a statement of their intent. Going into the contest, the Mariners were unbeaten in all competitions and knocked Premier League outfit Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup, but the Gas gained the lead through a stunning goal from Macauley Southam-Hales before showing their defensive powers to keep a third straight clean sheet.
The Pirates have looked strong defensively, with Kilgour explaining the importance of clean sheets.
“Obviously, clean sheets are important as they allow us to go and win games,” said the defender. “We’ve got the firepower at the top end of the pitch, albeit Macauley [Southam-Hales] last week with the goal from the set-piece, but clean sheets and winning games are a good feeling, and it’s nice to get that momentum going and long may it continue.
“As a centre-half, you relish that, and you embrace it, and you enjoy defending. Obviously, you don’t want to be doing it for too long, but it was a good game. To go away from home and win a game, which the Club hasn’t done for a long time and get our third consecutive clean sheet for the first time in a few years was nice, and it gives us building blocks to kick on from there.”
Kilgour returned to the Gas in the summer from Mansfield Town after starting his footballing journey at Rovers at eight years old. In seven seasons at Rovers between 2016 and 2023, the centre-back made 119 appearances for the Pirates before going to the Stags, but he is happy to be back at his boyhood side as the Club captain.
“I’ve settled back in, and it’s great to be back at The Quarters and familiar surroundings for me,” said Kilgour. “It's brilliant and on the pitch, all I ever do is give 110 per cent and do my best. So, everything is clicking into place. There’s still a lot more to give. There is momentum, and the team is starting to click now, and we’re doing OK, so we’ve just got to keep it going.
“I’ve come up through the Academy. There’s an affiliation there, and I was once in the Thatchers’ End myself. Also, the Tony Craig fist pumps. I learnt a lot from Tony, and he’s a great guy. I was only a 20-year-old learning the game and learning from him, so that was brilliant. It’s an enjoyable place to be at the minute. When I’m defending and getting blocks, you’ve got to enjoy those moments and celebrate those moments because it’s just as good as scoring a goal when you do a block or a tackle, and it’s important to get that team together. I’m thoroughly enjoying it and it’s going well.”
Rovers have kept three straight clean sheets in Sky Bet League Two, with the whole team helping out to achieve impressive results. However, a factor that must be highlighted is Kilgour's relationship with loanee addition Kacper Łopata, who moved to the Gas from Barnley. The pair have been massive at the heart of the defence, with Kilgour getting on with his defensive partner on and off the pitch.
“Kacper is a great lad and another local lad, and we get on well on and off the pitch, and we complement each other on the pitch,” said the 27-year-old. “He’s a good lad and a good player, and it’s great to have him here alongside me like all of the lads. All of the lads are brilliant, everyone trains well, everybody is really to go on a Saturday for whatever is called upon them. Whether you’re on the bench or you’re starting, it’s a good squad here with top professionals, and that’s the most important thing.
“There is healthy competition, that’s what you need. We train hard, we train well, and I think it gives the gaffer decisions to make, which sometimes are difficult, but it’s a nice position to be in as a manager when you’ve got decisions to make on who you’re going to play and who your best team is and who can do a job on that Saturday. But every game is different, every game is a different project and whatever is required that week, the lads are ready to go, whoever it is, and that’s the sign of a good squad, players and good professionals.”
A frantic Deadline Day meant Rovers ended the transfer window with fourteen summer signings. A busy period means time is needed for all the players to connect on the pitch, but Kilgour is sure they have everything they need to succeed.
“It does take a while,” he said. “Everybody is different, everybody is moving to a new area, everybody is getting familiar with the training ground and how things are done here, and it does take time. It doesn’t just click straight away, so I think ultimately winning games gets everybody together and gets everybody on the same page and gets that feel-good factor in.
“Every game is different. The manager is brilliant, and all the staff are; all the information we get means we don’t have an excuse not to do well and not to do our jobs. It’s a good environment to be in, all the staff are amazing, the training ground facilities are amazing, and the fans are on board, which is the main thing because that’s the twelfth man at the end of the day. That spurs us on and gets us going, and sometimes will get us across the line. Everybody is here, and everybody looks good. It’s a good squad, we’re all close and hopefully, we’ll kick on.”
Before the start of the season, Kilgour was named Club captain, a role that the defender is greatly honoured by due to his connection with Rovers. However, the armband has not changed his mindset, with the centre-back suggesting he would still act the same way without the captaincy.
“I’ll always stick to my routines, and I always do the same thing, and even if I didn’t have the captain's armband on, I would act exactly the same as how I do right now,” he said. “I think that goes for quite a few players in there if they got the captain's armband on.
“They’re still going to lead the team; they’re still going to be ultimate professionals and encourage and help each other out. So, it hasn’t really changed a lot, to be honest. It’s nice to be the captain of Bristol Rovers Football Club, and I would have acted exactly the same and done exactly what I would have done whether I had it or not, but it’s a privilege to captain this side and this group of lads at this great Football Club.”
