Bristol Rovers F.C.–Swindon Town F.C. rivalry

The fixture between Bristol Rovers and Swindon Town is a local football rivalry, sometimes referred to as a West Country derby or M4 Derby.^[1][2] The distance between Bristol to Swindon is just under 35 miles,^[3] and both clubs are situated in the South West region of England.

Bristol Rovers and Swindon Town rivalry

Other names	West Country Derby, M4 Derby
Location	South West England
Teams	Bristol Rovers Swindon Town
First meeting	24 October 1891
Latest meeting	Swindon Town 1–1 Bristol Rovers (22 January 2022)
Statistics
Meetings total	142
Most wins	Swindon Town (62)
All-time record	Bristol Rovers: 60 Draw: 20 Swindon Town: 62
Largest victory	Bristol Rovers 5–0 Swindon Town (25 March 1939)
Current win streak	None
Bristol Rovers Swindon Town The locations of the teams shown in southern England

History

The first meeting between the clubs was in a friendly match held in Swindon on 24 October 1891. Swindon beat Rovers (known at the time as Eastville Rovers) 5–2, and just under two months later they met for a second time, drawing 2–2.^[4]

Having been in the same division in only two seasons out of 13 between 1993 and 2006, the clubs would then be in the same division for the next six seasons in a row, even being promoted (League Two in 2007) and relegated (League One in 2011) at the same time.

Head-to-head record

All-time record

As of match played 2 October 2021^[5][6]

Competition	Played	Bristol Rovers wins	Draws	Swindon Town wins
Western League	4	1	0	3
Southern League	34	18	3	13
Football League	94	35	17	42
League total	132	54	20	58
FA Cup	5	3	0	2
Division 3 (South) Cup	1	1	0	0
Football League Trophy	4	2	0	2
Totals	142	60	20	62

Last meeting

22 January 2022 (2022-01-22)

15:00 BST

Swindon Town	1–1	Bristol Rovers
Simpson   16' Iandolo   57'	Report	Taylor   25' Finley   32'   35' Loft   40' Coutts   74' Grant   90+4' Hoole   90+6'

County Ground, Swindon

Attendance: 12,695

Referee: Tom Nield

Derby double

When one team beats another in both their league meetings in a single season, this is known as a league double. It is considered to be a sign of superiority of the winning team over the losing team and seen as an impressive achievement, particularly if the losing team is generally thought of as being a strong side. Swindon Town have completed the league double over Bristol Rovers a total of thirteen times: once in the Western League, once in the Southern League and eleven times in the English Football League (EFL). Rovers meanwhile have recorded double victories over Swindon ten times: four times in the Southern League and six in the EFL.

Season	Division	Winner	Results
			Home	Away
1897–1898	Western League Professional Section	Swindon Town	3–0	1–0
1900–1901	Southern League Division One	Bristol Rovers	1–0	1–0
1901–1902	Southern League Division One	Bristol Rovers	1–0	1–0
1902–1903	Southern League Division One	Swindon Town	2–1	3–2
1903–1904	Southern League Division One	Bristol Rovers	2–0	2–0
1905–1906	Southern League Division One	Bristol Rovers	2–1	2–1
1924–1925	Football League Division Three (South)	Swindon Town	3–0	1–0
1925–1926	Football League Division Three (South)	Swindon Town	4–2	2–1
1926–1927	Football League Division Three (South)	Bristol Rovers	3–1	5–3
1928–1929	Football League Division Three (South)	Swindon Town	2–1	4–1
1931–1932	Football League Division Three (South)	Swindon Town	2–1	2–0
1937–1938	Football League Division Three (South)	Swindon Town	2–1	2–1
1950–1951	Football League Division Three (South)	Bristol Rovers	1–0	2–1
1965–1966	Football League Division Three	Swindon Town	4–3	1–0
1966–1967	Football League Division Three	Bristol Rovers	3–0	1–0
1967–1968	Football League Division Three	Swindon Town	4–1	2–1
1981–1982	Football League Division Three	Swindon Town	5–2	4–1
1990–1991	Football League Division Two	Bristol Rovers	2–1	2–0
1995–1996	Football League Division Two	Swindon Town	2–1	4–1
2007–2008	Football League One	Swindon Town	1–0	1–0
2009–2010	Football League One	Bristol Rovers	3–0	4–0
2016–2017	EFL League One	Bristol Rovers	1–0	2–1
2020–2021	EFL League One	Swindon Town	1–0	1–0

Records

• Highest aggregate score: 9
  • Bristol Rovers 7–2 Swindon Town, Southern League Division One, 11 November 1899
• Highest Bristol Rovers score: 7
  • Bristol Rovers 7–2 Swindon Town, Southern League Division One, 11 November 1899
• Highest Swindon Town score: 5
  • Swindon Town 5–0 Bristol Rovers, Southern League Division One, 26 December 1913
  • Swindon Town 5–2 Bristol Rovers, Football League Division Three, 6 March 1982
• Biggest margin of victory: 5
  • Bristol Rovers 7–2 Swindon Town, Southern League Division One, 11 November 1899
  • Swindon Town 5–0 Bristol Rovers, Southern League Division One, 26 December 1913

Crossing the divide

Players

Numerous players have represented both Bristol Rovers and Swindon Town in their careers during the 136 years since both clubs have been in existence. A list of some of the most notable examples are given below. To be included in this list a player must have made at least 50 league appearances for both Bristol Rovers and Swindon Town.

Name	Nation	Bristol Rovers			Swindon Town
		Years	Apps	Gls	Years	Apps	Gls
Gary Emmanuel	Wales	1978–1981	65	2	1981–1984	111	8
Andy Gurney	England	1992–1997	108	9	2001–2004 2005–2006	160	23
Sammy Igoe	England	2006–2008	72	2	2003–2005	79	9
Tim Parkin	England	1981–1986	206	12	1986–1989	110	6
Mark Walters	England †	1999–2002	82	13	1996–1999	112	27
Steve White	England	1977–1979 1983–1986	135	44	1986–1994	200	83
Andy Williams	England	2007–2010	87	8	2012–2015	89	31
Brian Williams	England	1981–1985	172	21	1978–1981	99	8

† Players with highlighted nationalities were capped at full international level by their countries.

Managers

Only two men have managed both Bristol Rovers and Swindon Town. Fred Ford was in charge of Bristol Rovers between April 1968 and July 1969, winning 26 of the 70 games played during that spell.^[7] Later in 1969 he took charge of Swindon, where he won 35 out of 83 matches in a 20-month spell at the club.^[8]

Ben Garner has also managed both teams. He was appointed manager of Bristol Rovers in December 2019 and was relieved of his duties in November 2020 after managing for 36 games. Then in July 2021, he took his next appointment as the manager of Swindon Town where he was in charge for 56 games and achieved a creditable 50% win ratio before leaving the position in June 2022 to take up the managerial position at Charlton Athletic. On 02 October 2021, Ben Garner lead Swindon in a League Two fixture against Bristol Rovers and achieved a 3-1 away win. He was also in charge for the 1-1 draw between the two sides at the County Ground on 22 January 2022.

See also

• Bristol Rovers F.C.
• Swindon Town F.C.

References

• Soccerbase

1. "Go For Goals in M4 Derby". Betrescue. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
2. . Independent Media Center. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
3. "Distance between Bristol united kingdom and Swindon united kingdom". mapcrow.info. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
4. Byrne & Jay (2003), p34
5. Byrne & Jay (2003)
6. "Bristol Rovers football club: record v Swindon Town". 11v11.com. Association of Football Statisticians. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
7. Byrne & Jay (2003), p.480
8. Fred Ford management career statistics at Soccerbase

Bibliography

• Byrne, Stephen; Jay, Mike (2003). Bristol Rovers Football Club: The Definitive History 1883–2003. Stroud: Tempus. ISBN 0-7524-2717-2.