Bristol Rovers v Grimsby Town
Sky Bet League Two, The Memorial Stadium, Saturday 21 February 2026, 3:00pm KO
Bristol Rovers will return to The Memorial Stadium when they welcome Grimsby Town in Sky Bet League Two.
The Pirates have lost three straight fixtures in the fourth tier, falling to a 2-0 defeat away to Oldham Athletic in midweek. Kane Drummond broke the deadlock inside the opening minute for the Latics with a superb strike before Joe Quigley and Luke Thomas missed chances for Steve Evans' men. Rovers got punished for squandering opportunities, and Mike Fondop scored Oldham's second after Brad Young saved his penalty.
The Gas will be hoping a return to The Mem will see them get back to winning ways. The Pirates dominated during wins over Newport County and Walsall before a narrow 3-2 loss to Chesterfield in a game that could have gone either way.
The Mariners were in Emirates FA Cup action in their previous match, losing 1-0 to Premier League outfit Wolverhampton Wanderers at Blundell Park, with Santiago Bueno scoring the only goal.
Read everything you need to know about the fixture below...
Tickets...
Tickets are still available for our fixture at home to Grimsby Town!
A streamlined pricing structure means a single price band is now operating at Bristol Rovers for the 2025/26 Sky Bet League Two season, with Early Bird pricing available for online purchases up until the start of kick-off!
Tickets purchased in person at our Matchday Ticket Office will include a minor price increase of two pounds across the board, implemented to encourage supporters to purchase tickets in advance and help the Club to forecast required staffing and stewarding appropriately.
You can purchase your tickets here!
Opposition...
Grimsby are one of the most in-form teams in Sky Bet League Two and are only four points behind Salford City in the final playoff spot. The Mariners went nine straight games without a victory from the end of October until Boxing Day, but have been one of the toughest sides to beat since.
David Artell's men are now unbeaten in nine outings in the fourth tier, winning six games and keeping eight clean sheets, only conceding in their 2-2 draw against to promotion hopefuls Milton Keynes Dons.
Grimsby made a few additions in the January transfer window to help bolster their squad. Experienced striker Andy Cook moved on loan from Bradford City after netting 12 goals in 22 appearances for the Bantams in the fourth tier last season, with Tyrell Sellars-Fleming and Jackson Smith also joining on temporary moves from Hull City and Barnsley, respectively. They also made a defensive addition, bringing in centre-back Maldini Kacurri on a permanent deal from Arsenal.
(Written before Grimsby's fixture against Walsall on Wednesday night).
Previous Meetings...
Rovers will certainly remember their last meeting with Grimsby. The Mariners were coming off the back of a mouthwatering victory over Premier League giants Manchester United in the Carabao Cup. However, Rovers got the better of their upcoming opponents on the road, with Macauley Southam-Hales scoring a sublime volley from the edge of the box to separate the two teams.
The Pirates have won four of their last five fixtures against Grimby and have only lost two out of the previous nine meetings, stretching back to 1198. Rovers' last victory against the Mariners at The Mem was in August 2006, with Andy Sandell scoring the only goal.
Grimsby beat Rovers at The Mem in the EFL Cup back in 2005, but you would have to go all the way back to 1997 for their last win over the Gas at in the league on Rovers' soil.
Opening Times...
Club Store: 10am – 3:00pm and full-time - 5:30pm
Ticket Office: Midday
Thatchers’ Bar: Midday
BRFC Legends Bar: Midday
Hospitality: Midday
Home Fanzone: Midday
Away Fanzone: Midday
Access for disabled supporters: 1:15pm
Bars after Turnstile: 1:30pm
Home Turnstiles: 1:30pm
Away Turnstiles: 1:30pm
Staying safe at The Mem...
Bristol Rovers wants all attendees to enjoy football in a safe and inclusive environment.
Seated tickets come with an allocated seat and row number, and supporters are kindly reminded to sit only in the seat that comes with the ticket.
Furthermore, Bristol Rovers must ensure we operate in full accordance with EFL ground regulations. A particular issue that has been fed back by some fans is persistent standing. Supporters wishing to stand for matches are kindly advised to locate themselves in one of the available terraces.
Additionally, Bristol Rovers would like to remind all supporters that throwing objects onto the pitch or entering the field of play is strictly prohibited. Both offences are criminal acts under UK law. Anyone involved can face arrest, fines and potential banning orders. We ask all fans to support the team responsibly and help us maintain a safe and respectful matchday environment.
Bristol Rovers is committed to removing and eliminating any direct or indirect discrimination of any form or kind within club structures and will, under no circumstances, condone unlawful discriminatory practices. To discover how to report any incidents of discrimination, click here.
Match Officials...
Referee: Ollie Yates
Assistant Referees: Thomas Staten and Stuart Kane
Fourth Official: Aaron Farmer
