Jamie Lindsay has only played at The Memorial Stadium once. But it was an occasion he has never forgotten.
The midfielder is Bristol Rovers’ tenth signing of the summer, joining the Club on a three-year deal with the option of a further season, and moves to the Gas after five years with Rotherham United.
It was in his first campaign with Rotherham - his very first playing in England - that the midfielder travelled to BS7 for a League One outing in September 2019. He and his Millers teammates would be on the end of a 1-0 defeat.
The result may have been a forgettable one for Lindsay, but the atmosphere created by the Gasheads in attendance that day was certainly one to remember.
“I’ve only played at The Mem once,” the 28-year-old said. “It was my first year at Rotherham and we lost 1-0. It was my first year in England and it was a really tough game.
“I will always remember as we came out of the tunnel, the Rovers fans to the left were really loud, noisy and passionate, and I remember thinking what an incredible atmosphere they must create for the home players. That’s the only time I’ve played at The Mem but it’s always stayed with me
“You can see the Club is going the right way with the new stand and the plans to further develop The Mem even more, so I’m excited to step out there as a Rovers player.”
With that memory fixed in his mind, the opportunity to join the Pirates was one that simply could not be passed up.
Also key to his decision was the chance to work once again with manager Matt Taylor, who Lindsay spent a year being coached by at Rotherham United, as well as Wayne Carlisle and Scott Brown.
He continued: “It’s really good to join Bristol Rovers. I’m really excited and happy to be here. I am hungry to get down to work and play here.
“When you drive into the training ground and you see the place, you can tell this is a proper Club with a lot of ambition. I’m really excited and I’m looking forward to getting fit and getting back out on the pitch again.
“The conversations with the gaffer have been really good. When we spoke, he told me everything about the Club and I could see his excitement for the project here. He spoke in such a positive way and then I also spoke to Wayne [Carlisle] and Scott [Brown], who were also both previously at Rotherham and they were also really positive. Anyone I asked about Rovers have only given positive feedback and I’m glad to be here.”
Injury limited Lindsay’s appearances in the first half of last season and, with the challenges that come with battling at the wrong end of the division, the midfielder admitted to finding the 2023/24 campaign a challenging one.
With a new team comes new beginnings, new opportunities and new optimism. A fresh start gives Lindsay the platform he was looking for to get back to his very best.
He added: “I really feel like this is the best place for me. I spent five years with Rotherham and had a great time there, a really successful time. We got promoted to the Championship twice but last season was a real tough one for everybody at the Club. I didn’t get to enjoy playing as much as I’d want to enjoy playing, and I had an injury that meant I didn’t get to play at the start of last season.
“I think this is a Club that’s on the up and I’ll be working with a manager I know, so I’m looking forward to playing my football, enjoying coming to work and having a smile on my face.”
