It comes as a surprise to us when a club loans someone in from a lower division, but that’s what we did with striker Ryan Brunt in November 2014. Graham Westley made the call to Bristol Rovers, then of the Conference, and got his man. To be fair, our forward line was in disarray due to injuries affecting almost everyone at our disposal in that department. So, with us scrapping for consistency in League Two, it was up to Brunt to get those goals we craved. Sounds like a rough deal, but at least the lad would get some valuable Football League experience as part of it.

Ryan Brunt: Before Boro’

Of course, we weren’t the first League club he’d been at. Before arriving at the Memorial Ground, Brunt had started out at city rivals Bristol City as a young ‘un. Later, it was north to Stoke City. In his time at the Britannia, he was loaned out to Nantwich Town and Luton Town, as well as Tranmere Rovers and Leyton Orient.