Matt Butcher revealed that playing in front of the fans at The Memorial Stadium was one of the big reasons he decided to join Bristol Rovers.
The midfielder became the Club’s second signing of the January transfer window on Thursday, when the 27-year-old joined the Gas on loan from Wycombe Wanderers until the end of the season.
Butcher has a wealth of experience in Sky Bet League One and has made 146 appearances in the third tier, playing a key role in the Plymouth Argyle team that gained promotion by winning the title in the 2022-23 campaign.
After making 13 appearances for Wycombe this season, Butcher cannot wait to get going in the blue-and-white quarters.
“I’m really excited,” Butcher stated. “It’s a club that I’ve played against many times in the past. I’ve been down to The Mem and experienced what it can be like, so I’m really looking forward to getting out here on Sunday. I’m really excited and can’t wait to get going.
“It’s one of them clubs that I’ve played against in the past. It's an enjoyable place to play in terms of atmosphere but a tough place to come. It's a feeling you get with certain clubs that you go to up and down the country, and when I knew Rovers were interested, it was always one that perked my ears up a little bit and made me want to definitely consider.”
Butcher came through Bournemouth's academy and has played for the likes of Yeovil Town, St Johnstone, Accrington Stanley and Plymouth, with the midfielder looking to help Rovers push up the table.
The Portsmouth-born player was encouraged by the talks with Director of Football George Friend and Head Coach Iñigo Calderón, suggesting that they match his ambitions.
“They were really positive,” said Butcher. “I always like to get a feel of what someone is looking for, and I feel like the way they work and the way they’ve spoken about the club and what they want to do really mirrors my ambitions for the rest of the season.
“I think it’s a club where we all look at it and think it should be higher than where it is currently. But obviously, understand that it’s not always as easy as that. So, everyone is on the same page, of wanting to improve that position.”
Butcher joins a squad with plenty of midfield quality, with Rovers having already added Romaine Sawyers earlier in the transfer window to compete with the likes of Grant Ward, Jamie Lindsay and Kamil Conteh.
Butcher hopes to bring experience to the group and is hoping that his previous involvement in a battle towards the bottom of the table will help the Pirates.
“I am a player that brings energy and can hopefully bring a bit of experience, especially after being in this situation last year when I joined Wycombe,” he said. “I think we were three points off the relegation zone, so hopefully, a bit of experience in terms of that, and hopefully, I can chip in with some goals and assists.”
After back-to-back defeats on the road to Wigan Athletic and Charlton Athletic, Rovers return to action against Peterborough United at The Memorial Stadium on Sunday, looking to get back to winning ways.
The Gas beat Barnsley 3-1 in their last outing at home, with Butcher confessing that playing at The Memorial Stadiums was one of the reasons why he wanted to join the Club.
"It was one of the big pulls that I wanted to come here to experience that," he said. "I love playing in front of an atmosphere, and how I’ve seen it in the past, I can only go off that. It was an amazing experience in the games that I’ve been involved in here. I can’t wait to get out in front of them and lace the boots up here."
