Bristol Rovers is saddened to hear of the death of former Rovers stalwart Roy Dolling on 1 June 2025.
Roy served Bristol Rovers in many capacities during a 38-year association with the Club, which came to an end with his testimonial match against Leicester City in May 2003.
As a young goalkeeper Roy, born and raised in Rose Green Road just a stone’s throw from Eastville, spent two years on the club’s books and played for the junior sides the club ran at the time.
He then played in local football for Rose Green whilst undertaking a printing and packaging apprenticeship with DRG and although invited back to the club to play in a trial match in 1958, the offer of a professional contract never materialised.
He continued to play football, for Lovells Athletic, Frome Town and Weston super Mare, before injury brought an end to his career between the posts.
In 1965 he joined Rovers, on a part time basis, to assist with the youth setup. He also began helping out with the club’s goalkeepers and after 16 years of part time work at the club he was offered a full time position, initially as Youth Development Officer and then as Physiotherapist.
Although not a qualified physio, Roy dealt with his fair share of serious injuries, and saved the lives of Aiden McCaffery, who swallowed his tongue in a match at Southend in 1984, and Ian Alexander who swallowed his dental plate in an FA Cup Tie against Fisher Athletic at Twerton Park in 1988.
Football Association rules led to clubs having to appoint a Chartered Physiotherapist, so he was unable to continue in that capacity for the first team, though he still undertook physio duties for the reserve team.
During the last six years of his association with the club Roy was, primarily, working with the Youth Department and he often mentioned that his ambition was to see a Rovers first team comprising of 11 players who had graduated through the club’s youth system though the closest that came to happening was when John Ward, in his first spell as manager, included eight former youth team players in one of his matchday squads.
Whilst his official duties for Bristol Rovers took in roles as Youth Development Officer, Physiotherapist and Goalkeeping Coach, Roy carried out many other, unofficial, duties, such as helping Kit Manager Ray Kendall pack the van to transport everything needed for a matchday from the training ground to Twerton Park, making sandwiches for the trainees on the club’s books, fixing the club minibus, and mopping the dressing room floors.
More importantly, there was the PR Role he carried out on behalf of the club every time he visited the parents of any of the boys who would go on to represent the club.
A true club stalwart Roy will be remembered, by players and supporters alike, as someone who made a significant contribution to our Club. Everyone at Bristol Rovers joins the Supporters Club in sending our condolences to his loved ones at this sad time.
Read this article on the Bristol Rovers Supporters Club website.