Bristol Rovers head coach Steve Evans has set upon reshaping his squad following confirmation that Isaac Hutchinson has been recalled from Cheltenham Town, whilst five loanees have departed.
The 63-year-old returned to football last month for the first time since leaving Rotherham United in March. He replaced the outgoing Darrell Clarke, who only rejoined the club in the summer.
Having guided the Gas from the National League to League One during his first stint, the former Barnsley boss was seen as the ideal candidate to restore some optimism following their relegation from the third tier last season. However, it’s fair to say that his reappointment didn’t go to plan.
No fewer than 14 new faces arrived through the door during the summer transfer window, leading to a much-changed squad as they kicked off life in League Two. A poor start was soon replaced by a run of good form, resulting in a seven-game unbeaten run between mid-August and the end of September. That’s as good as it got though, and a run of 10 successive defeats saw Clarke leave the Memorial Stadium for a second time.
Evans Upsets League Rivals With Recall Decision
Hutchinson made the temporary switch to Cheltenham at the end of the transfer window, joining on a season-long loan deal. The move was followed by Rovers issuing a statement condemning some abuse the midfielder had received from sections of the fanbase.
Under the guidance of Steve Cotterill, the former Walsall man thrived. He hit eight goals and contributed three assists in 19 appearances across all competitions.
🗣️ Head Coach Steve Evans welcomes Isaac Hutchinson back to the Club…
— Bristol Rovers (@Official_BRFC) January 6, 2026
This led to Evans admitting last month that he was keen to recall the player, stating it was up to the Robins to get in touch with him if they were to retain his services. This was then emphatically shut down by Cotterill.
After returning to the club for talks, the news was confirmed this evening, with the head coach stating that all previous issues are in the past:
“My plan was always to come in and have a fresh look at him (Hutchinson). I got the kid back for a chat, amongst ignoring the media words, and there is a future here for him. I understand that there have been some issues in the past, but as I said to him, we go forward under me, and we call it the future. So, he has to come in, work hard, ignore the hype around him and just concentrate on playing.”
One In, Five Out
Amongst the influx of signings last summer were five loan arrivals. In came Kacper Lopata from Barnsley, Stephan Negru from Oxford United, Joel Cotterill from Swansea City, Alfie Chang from Birmingham City and Freddie Issaka from Plymouth Argyle. The quintet have now all returned to their parent clubs after it was also confirmed via official platforms earlier today.
We can confirm that loanees Kacper Lopata, Stephan Negru, Joel Cotterill, Alfie Chang and Freddie Issaka have returned to their respective parent clubs.
Thank you for all your efforts lads 👏
— Bristol Rovers (@Official_BRFC) January 6, 2026
The decision to return all of them is somewhat of a surprise, especially that of Lopata, Chang and Cotterill. The trio had all featured regularly, although this indicates that Evans is hoping for a clean slate when it comes to loan moves this month.
Rovers picked up their first win under their new boss on New Year’s Day when they recorded a 3-0 triumph over fellow strugglers Shrewsbury Town. Two days later, they announced their first capture of the transfer window when midfielder Ryan de Havilland arrived from League One outfit Peterborough United.
