In the 1989/90 season, Bristol Rovers clinched promotion to the old 'Second Division', thanks largely to the tremendous team spirit of a side exiled in Bath, away from its traditional Bristol home. The 'Ragbag Rovers', as they became known, set an outstanding club record, remaining undefeated in 41 matches throughout the season, the highlight of which was a 3-0 victory against local rivals Bristol City in the penultimate game of the season. This remarkable time is remembered with many previously unpublished photographs, statistics and reports from every match, interviews with the players involved, plus a feature on the club's first ever visit to Wembley Stadium for the Leyland Daf Cup Final. Anyone who was there will relish in reliving some of the magic through the memories and illustrations collected here, while those who are too young to recall it themselves can discover the thrill and anticipation that made it a season to remember.

Harold Jarman is a Bristol-born sporting legend. A highly talented winger for Bristol Rovers, he made almost 500 League appearances for the club, scoring over a century of goals. Although he has taken on many different roles for clubs in the UK and the United States, his heart has always belonged to Bristol - he returned initially as youth team manager, then caretaker manager (saving the Rovers from relegation) before coaching and managing the youth and reserve teams During the summer months between 1961 and 1972, Harold also enjoyed playing professionally for Gloucestershire County Cricket club, delighting crowds with his skill and particularly his astute fielding. In this book, Mike Jay and Ian Haddrell explore a remarkable life, accompanied by fascinating pictures, many unpublished from Harold's own collection.

Features a collection of over 200 images of Lockleaze and Romney Avenue Schools, using photographs from the archives of the local schools and from former Lockleaze residents' personal collections. This work offers a photographic record of the schools from their post-war origins to school reunions in the 1990s.

In 1897 Herbert William Rudge founded Dings Crusaders Rugby Club as a part of the Dings' Club, one of the activities of the Shaftesbury Crusade, a Christian and social mission founded in the 1880s in the Dings, a notorious area of poverty and degradation in the St Philip's area of Bristol. This book tells the story of how the rugby club grew from humble beginnings to competing in the fourth tier of English rugby. The club's move to Lockleaze in 1948 established close links with the local community and schools, and the publication of this history coincides with Dings Crusaders' move to a new home, Shaftesbury Park, heralding an exciting new chapter in the club's story.

Having been lucky to suvive a German air raid on his Bristol home, Herbert Haddrell's personal account of the harrowing experience of being called up and sent to Normandy, where he was seriously wounded after 43 days of battle, is a fascinating and moving story. Using Herbert's recollections and some valuable letters, diaries and accounts of fellow soldiers, this book reveals the tale of a nineteen-year-old caught up in the midst of one of history's darkest moments. Supplemented with background information about the war and life in Bristol, this volume also includes rare photographs and archive material from the author's personal collection. Compiled by Herbert's son, this book is a poignant reminder of the terrible ordeal that so many brave young men had to face in order to defend king and country, and perhaps even more importantly, their families and homes.

Bristol Rovers' most famous player is undoubtedly Geoff Bradford. He holds the club record for goals scored (242 in 461 Football League appearances) and remains the only player to win a Full England International cap while with the club. To research this book, the authors have been given access to an archive of information and original photographs from his family. Bristol-born Geoff was a loyal one-club man having turned down the option of a transfer to First Division Liverpool. He suffered two very severe career-threatening knee injuries and returned to play football for his club, who rewarded him with a Testimonial match at the end of his fifteenth season. Besides representing England, he also won other honours for Rovers winning the Third Division (South) Championship in 1952/53 and also played in many representative matches for the English Football Association including a six-week tour to the West Indies in 1955. There has never been a biography of Bradford, so this will be a welcome title for all dedicated Rovers fans.

In the 1973/74 season, Bristol Rovers clinched promotion to the old 'Second Division' in one of the club's most memorable campaigns. Thanks largely to the prolific goalscoring partnership between Bruce Bannister and Alan Warboys, dubbed 'Smash and Grab' by the national press, and a superb team spirit, manager Don Megson's side went unbeaten for thirty-two games, setting a new club record. This is the story of that remarkable season, featuring many previously unpublished photographs, statistics and reports of every match. It also includes biographies of the full squad and interviews with all the players involved. Also included is a chapter on Rovers' only major cup success, the Watney Cup victory in 1972, plus their two successful League Cup runs which led them to quarter-final glory in the early 1970s. Anyone who witnessed this exciting period in the club's history will enjoy reliving some of the magic through the memories and images collected here, while all those fans who are too young to remember it for themselves can also gain some idea of just what made this season so special.

This captivating book illustrating Lockleaze contains over 200 rare and, in many cases, unpublished images that explore the social history of this close-knit area of Bristol. Compiled using residents' photographs and archive material, this collection recalls the people, places and events that have shaped Lockleaze's past. From its modest, rural beginnings, several notable organisations and projects such as the Shaftesbury Crusade, the Dings Crusaders Rugby Club and the famous passion play A Man Dies are all shown to have played a crucial role in creating the thriving community that exists today. Produced by the author of Lockleaze Schools, informative captions compliment the images to reveal the story of how the neighbourhood has developed in the post-war era. This nostalgic reminder of the past is sure to delight anyone who has grown up or lived in Lockleaze.