Barton adds plenty of leadership to his Rovers squad
JOEY Barton has stayed true to his word and delivered a blockbuster day of signings for Bristol Rovers with the Gas bringing in four new faces - all who have been captains at previous clubs.
Former Fleetwood Town midfielder Paul Coutts will be joined by his team-mate at Highbury Stadium in Sam Finley, plus left-back Nick Anderton, who was at Carlisle last season, and experienced centre-back Mark Hughes, most recently of Accrington Stanley.
All arrive on free transfers and send a significant message about Barton’s intentions in how he envisages his version of Bristol Rovers taking shape, with all providing presence and leadership.
Coutts, 32, and Hughes, 34, have signed one-year deals, while Finley, 28, and Anderton, 25, arrive on two-year contracts and met this week at The Quarters alongside the coaching staff.
“It’s nice to get business done early in the window, as we see a new team for next season emerging,” said Barton, who had promised fans that three to four signings were close, towards the end of last season.
“They are all lads that have predominantly played for northern clubs, so to attract them down south, it had to be a project that really excites them.
“We have been speaking to them about the ambition of the football club and the direction we want to move in. They have been shown around our new training ground, which is attractive to new players, but they can also sense the ambition that’s in the building.
“The four of them are certainly a foundation for a nucleus of a new team, alongside the existing play
ers, as we start to build a platform to help us get promoted next season.
“We want people that aren’t going to be freaked out by some of the away grounds in the division and that have been promoted out of the league and have been part of title-winning sides.
“We’ve got further recruitment to do, but to add the level of leadership and the level of experience, with lads already having the experience of playing together - it’s not entirely putting a new team together, it’s people that know each other.”
The last paragraph is telling because one of Barton’s significant gripes since arriving in north Bristol in February has been the lack of
leadership and self-management among the Rovers squad.
The Bristol Post understands that Coutts is in line to be made club captain, having enjoyed a long and impressive EFL career with more than 400 appearances for Peterborough, Derby, Sheffield United and Fleetwood.
Former team-mate Finley signed for the Cod Army after his Accrington contract was cancelled last summer and is a similarly combative midfield presence.
The former Everton youth product, who progressed through the game in the Welsh Premier League and non-League, has a controversial recent past.
Finley served an eight-match ban for Accrington last year after being found guilty by a FA panel for using foul and abusive language towards former Rochdale defender Paul McShane.
Fellow Scouser Hughes has vast experience in League Two with Accrington and Morecambe and before that Northampton and Bury and can help bring together a talented but vulnerable Gas backline.
Anderton, meanwhile, brings in much-needed presence and ability on the left-hand side of defence with former captain Luke Leahy having left for Shrewsbury last week and Ali Koiki and Michael Kelly released.
The 25-year-old made 53 appearances for Carlisle in League Two and was with Blackpool in League One before that.