Isaac Hutchinson is confident that Bristol Rovers can compete with the best teams in League One as the Gas head into the 2024/25 season opener against Northampton Town.
The Pirates host the Cobblers at The Memorial Stadium later today and will be eager to get off to a winning start to push on from the fifteenth place finish last campaign.
“I’m very confident that we can have a successful season,” Hutchinson said. “I think we can compete with the likes of Birmingham City and Huddersfield Town. We’re all in the same league for a reason and it's a level playing field as far as we’re concerned.
“We’re going to keep pushing and go to these places with the belief that we can win games.”
Hutchinson was the first of Rovers’ thirteen summer signings, moving from League Two side Walsall on a three-year-deal after netting twelve goals and eleven assists for the Saddlers last season.
The 24-year-old has settled quickly after moving to Rovers and suggested that it helped that he was in the same situation as many of his new teammates.
“I’m enjoying it. All the boys have been class and the staff as well,” he reflected. “I think it helps everyone joined together. It's not just a couple of players trying to integrate into the team, I think the whole team is coming together as one, so it's been good.
"We’re here together every day. You get to know everyone; we had the trip away which helped massively just being with each other all the time."
The Gas played their first pre-season match in early July, going onto win five of their seven games with fans in the stands.
Matt Taylor’s side ended their preparations with two outings at home, beating Plymouth Argle 2-1 before a 2-0 loss to Cardiff City, with Hutchinson excited to see the home fans in attendance for the first competitive game of the campaign.
Hutchinson added: “It’s always good to get a win on the first day. It’s important you don’t get too carried away either way with a win or a loss because it's a long old season, but it definitely gives you a good feeling.
“I can't wait [to play at The Memorial Stadium]. You get a little taste for it in pre-season but it's not the same so I’m looking forward to experiencing that on Saturday."
