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Bristol Rovers juggle with player dilemmas on Luke McCormick, James Connolly and Matthew Hall

Highlights

Bristol Rovers have hit the ground running on the transfer front this summer, delighting Gasheads with seven signings in as many days. And following what was widely seen as a campaign last time out during which the Gas massively underperformed, the club will see another high turnaround in their playing squad by the time the transfer window shuts.

With some untested and soon-to-be out of contract players on the books, Bristol Rovers manager Matt Taylor will have a number of tricky dilemmas to manage this summer.

Football League World has explored three of those potential playing squad dilemmas.

Luke McCormick

Luke McCormick is in the final year of his contract at Bristol Rovers and will need to see a huge increase in consistency should he wish to be offered a new deal by the club. Somewhat of an enigma in his time at the Gas, McCormick just hasn't been able to hold down a position in the starting eleven. McCormick has been unlucky with injuries but has also failed to consistently show those qualities that have occasionally lit up the pitch. When he has featured for Bristol Rovers, he created some unforgettable moments for the Gasheads.

“Chest, bang, goal” became a tagline for official club merchandise and inspired numerous internet memes. McCormick would make those infamous comments to describe his dramatic late winner away at Charlton Athletic last season, which invoked one of the Pirates’ most memorable “limbs” moments of recent times.

McCormick has shown plenty of signs of the pedigree which saw him journey through the Chelsea academy system before later settling at the Memorial Stadium, and he will need to have a strong pre-season, or he may find himself exiting Rovers as soon as this summer. Should he have a positive pre-season, the Rovers hierarchy may well see this transfer window as an opportunity to get a satisfactory fee for the 25-year-old midfielder.

Matthew Hall

Young goalkeeper Matthew Hall hasn’t yet had the chance to show Gasheads what he’s capable of after he joined Rovers as a replacement for James Belshaw, who left the Gas last season. With last season's loanee Matthew Cox returning to his parent club, Hall is one of only two goalkeepers, both 21, currently on the books. With Hall as yet untested at this level, Manager Matt Taylor appears to have decided to search for more experience between the sticks with the collapsed deal for Cameron Dawson, who was reported to be on the brink of signing for the Gas, only for Rotherham United to swoop in.

It's a big dilemma for Rovers, who only recently gave his fellow goalkeeper, England youth Jed Ward, a new contract.

Manager Matt Taylor will have a tough balancing act when it comes to the best opportunity for squad success and nurturing talent while keeping them happy as he seeks to bring in a new keeper this summer.

James Connolly

James Connolly spent the first half of last season out on loan as former manager Joey Barton would seemingly deem him surplus to requirements. That was, however, until he was recalled by Matt Taylor due to Rovers’ defence being depleted by injury. Connolly would close out the season featuring strongly for his manager and might expect to be given the opportunity to start this campaign at the heart of the Rovers defence.

The Gas, however, have made several defensive signings already in pre-season and Manager Matt Taylor now has multiple options for his centre-backs. This poses another tricky dilemma for the Rovers boss who, no doubt, will be focused on who has the best attributes to fit into his style. Connolly is also into the final year of his contract, so there may be an inclination from Rovers to raise a fee for the Welshman, who is still only aged 22.