The 2006–07 season was the 124th year of football played by Bristol Rovers, and their 80th season in The Football League, and covers the period from 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007. After finishing sixth in Football League Two, Rovers won the playoff final for the first time in their history, and won promotion for only the fourth time since joining The Football League. The previous promotions were all automatic, and came in the 1952–53, 1973–74 and 1989–90 seasons. The season began with a subdued atmosphere among fans, caused by six previous seasons of poor performances and a bitter boardroom split, resulting in four directors leaving the club. However, as the season progressed the team gradually climbed up the league and reached the fourth round of the FA Cup, and the final of the Football League Trophy. Review and events The pre-season period was a turbulent one, with a potential take-over of the club by Mike Turl being rejected by then-chairman Geoff Dunford. Directors Kevin Spencer and Colin Williams left the club in protest at the rejection, followed shortly after by the Bristol Rovers Supporters Club representative on the football club's board, Kim Stuckey. Ryan Green had signed for the club from Hereford United at the end of the previous season, and he was joined by three more new players before the start of the 2006–07 season. Sammy Igoe, who had been on loan at Rovers from Millwall the previous season, joined on a full-time basis, young defender Byron Anthony, who had yet to make an appearance in the Football League, joined from Cardiff City, and experienced goalkeeper Steve Phillips crossed the city to join from local rivals Bristol City. A number of players left the club following the end of the 2005–06 season. Senior players John Anderson, who had been assistant manager to Paul Trollope during his spell as caretaker manager the previous year, Ali Gibb, Jon Bass and Christian Edwards were released, while Jamie Forrester moved to Lincoln City on a free transfer. Also leaving the club were a number of younger players who had failed to earn extensions to their contracts. These were Mark Preece, Matt Thorne, Ben Willshire and goalkeepers Ryan Clarke and Martin Horsell. The first game of the season was away to Peterborough United in League Two, and ended in a 4–1 defeat, resulting in the lowest league position, 23rd, that Rovers would