Matches played at Eastville, Bristol | Date of match | Type of match | Name of team | Name of team | Score | Attendance | | 19 September 1934 | Division Three (South) Cup 1st round | Bristol Rovers | Reading | 2-1 | 3,000 | | 31 October 1934 | Division Three (South) Cup 2nd round | Bristol Rovers | Torquay United | 1-1 | 3,000 | | 27 March 1935 | Division Three (South) Cup semi-final | Bristol Rovers | Exeter City | 2-1 | 2,000 | | 11 November 1936 | Division Three (South) Cup quarter-final | Bristol Rovers | Watford | 0-1 | 1,000 | | 17 November 1937 | Division Three (South) Cup 2nd round | Bristol Rovers | Crystal Palace | 5-0 | - | | 29 July 1972 | Watney Cup 1st round | Bristol Rovers | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2-0 | 12,486 | | 5 August 1972 | Watney Cup final | Bristol Rovers (won 7-6 on pens.) | Sheffield United | 0-0 | 19,768 | | 11 August 1973 | Watney Cup 1st round | Bristol Rovers (won 6-5 on pens.) | West Ham United | 1-1 | 19,974 | | 14 August 1973 | Watney Cup semi-fnal | Bristol Rovers | Hull City | 0-1 | 12,693 | | 25 February 1975 | UEFA international youth tournament | England | Spain | 1-1 | - | | 30 July 1977 | Anglo-Scottish Cup English qualifiers Group 2 | Bristol Rovers | Plymouth Argyle | 0-1 | 2,786 | | 9 August 1977 | Anglo-Scottish Cup English qualifiers Group 2 | Bristol Rovers | Birmingham City | 1-1 | 2,317 | | 1 August 1978 | Anglo-Scottish Cup English qualifiers Group 3 | Bristol Rovers | Cardiff City | 1-0 | 5,095 | | 13 March 1984 | Associate Members Cup 2nd round | Bristol Rovers | Port Vale | 2-0 | 2,585 | | 19 March 1985 | Freight Rover Trophy Southern section 1st round 2nd leg | Bristol Rovers | Swansea City | 0-0 | 2,223 | | 21 January 1986 | Freight Rover Trophy Southern section 1st round Group 4 | Bristol Rovers | Swindon Town | 2-1 | 2,335 |
Bristol Rovers moved to the Eastville Football and Athletic Ground at Stapleton Hill in 1897. Its location between the River Frome and the Stapleton Gas Works unsurprisingly led to the club’s fans being named ‘Gasheads’. This photograph from 1926 shows the recently-built (1924) South Stand casting its shadow over the side of the pitch. It survived until 1980 when it was suspiciously destroyed by fire. The desire for extra revenue resulted in greyhound racing being introduced to Eastville in 1932. To facilitate the track, sections of the end terraces had to be removed, changing the look of the ground for the remainder of its existence. Financial pressures resulted in Rovers leaving Eastville in 1986, taking up temporary tenancy at Bath City’s Twerton Park. Eastville eventually closed in 1997 and the site was redeveloped as part of a larger retail park. 
|
