[themaclad]

Glenn Whelan, Brett Pitman and Leon Clarke are among 13 players released by promoted Bristol Rovers.

Rovers secured a return to League One with a dramatic dramatic 7-0 victory over Scunthorpe United on the final day of the season.

Irish international Whelan, 38, made 33 appearances since joining last summer, including the victory against the Iron.

Pitman, 34, scored four goals but spent the second half of the season on loan at National League side Eastleigh.

Veteran striker Clarke, 37, scored on his Bristol Rovers debut after signing on transfer deadline day last August from Shrewsbury Town. He endured a long period on the sidelines, however, after suffering a hamstring injury in his second match and was limited to only 11 appearances for the club.

Junior Brown, Cameron Hargreaves, Cian Harries, Ollie Hulbert, Ben Liddle, Pablo Martinez, Tom Mehew, Jon Nolan, Kieran Phillips and Lucas Tomlinson are also all released from Joey Barton's side following the end of the 2021-22 season.

Left-back Sam Heal, 19, who has been part of the Rovers academy, has been offered a six-month contract with the club, while academy graduates Jamie Egan and Harvey Greenslade have signed professional contracts.

[themaclad]

Bristol Rovers midfielder Sam Nicholson is to leave the club and re-join Major League Soccer side Colorado Rapids.

Nicholson, 27, joined Rovers in 2020 after spending two seasons with Colorado in the MLS, having previously played for Minnesota United in the USA.

The Scot, whose contract expires this summer, made 75 appearances for Rovers, including 40 last season as the club secured promotion to League One.

He scored 14 goals in total, including six in the past campaign.

[themaclad]

Bristol Rovers defender Trevor Clarke has returned to Shamrock Rovers on loan, with the view of making the deal permanent.

The 24-year-old has signed for the Irish side until 30 November 2023, having previously played there between 2016 and 2019.

Clarke joined League One Bristol Rovers in July 2021 and has since made 24 appearances for the club.

He scored his only goal for the team in the Papa John's Trophy last October.