Bristol Rovers sack Inigo Calderon after League One relegation

Bristol Rovers have sacked Inigo Calderon following their relegation from League One.

Spaniard Calderon was appointed on Boxing Day 2024 with Rovers 19th and three points above the relegation zone, but the ex-Brighton defender was unable to secure the club's safety.

An official club statement from Bristol Rovers announcing Calderon's departure read:

Everyone at Bristol Rovers would like to thank Inigo Calderon and Miguel Llera [first-team coach] for their hard work, dedication and commitment and wish them both every success in their respective future careers.

Calderon's final game in charge was a 4-1 defeat by Blackpool at Bloomfield Road, with Bristol Rovers dropping down to the fourth tier for the first time in three years.

Formerly Brighton's under-18s manager, Calderon won only six of 26 matches in charge of Bristol Rovers.

Rovers moved nine points clear of the drop zone with impressive back-to-back wins against Huddersfield and Bolton in early March, only for a subsequent run of eight defeats in nine matches landing them in big trouble.

A struggle for goals and a wretched away record were two of the fundamental issues leading to Rovers' relegation.

Rovers' total of 44 goals scored was the fourth-lowest in League One, while 'The Gas' won only three of their 23 away matches in England's third tier.

Along with the departure of Calderon as manager, Bristol Rovers have also announced that nine players will exit the club upon the expiry of their contracts this summer.

One outgoing player is club captain Scott Sinclair who will leave Bristol Rovers after two-and-a-half seasons at the club.

The other released players are Grant Ward, Luke McCormick, Romaine Sawyers, Jerry Lawrence, Jack Hunt, Jevani Brown and Matt Hall.