Football Rovers' Kilgour thrilled to wear captain's armband for his boyhood club

ALFIE Kilgour has confessed that being named as Bristol Rovers' new club captain is “surreal” after the defender returned to his boyhood club earlier this summer.

- Daniel HARGRAVES

The centre-back came through Rovers’ academy before going on to make 119 first team appearances. He then joined Mansfield Town in January 2023 before returning to BS7 in June to reunite with Darrell Clarke, who gave the defender his senior debut in 2018.

Throughout preseason, there has been uncertainty regarding who would take on the club captaincy following Scott Sinclair’s departure earlier this summer, but it was confirmed on Saturday, ahead of the Gas’ season opener against Harrogate Town, that Kilgour would be taking on the armband.

“(On) Friday he (Clarke) pulled me into his office early doors and said, you're a great lad, I think the world of you and you represent everything that I would like in a club captain, so it would be a great honour if you would be my club captain this season,” the 27-year-old said when asked about obtaining the captaincy. “It was a surreal moment. Obviously I was straight on the phone to the old man out of his office to tell him.

“It’s a privilege. I feel like I'm ready for it. I’m 27 years of age now, I've played a lot of games and obviously I've got a big, special affiliation with this club having been here for such a long time and to come back.