Bristol Rovers have begun the search for a new manager following the departure of Graham Coughlan, revealed today by the club, and the board at The Memorial Stadium will already be identifying potential candidates for the role.

One candidate that Rovers may well be considering is local boy and Gas legend Ian Holloway, who appeared over 300 times for the Pirates across three spells during his playing career and started his managerial career at the club, in charge from 1996-2001.

While the 56-year-old, born and raised in Bristol, has been out of work for the past year since leaving QPR in May 2018, has been vocal about the way that the club has been run in the past, his comments shouldn't deter the board from at least attempting to bring him back to The Memorial Stadium.

The experienced manager would likely jump at the chance to manage his boyhood club again if the opportunity arose at the right time, and now seems like the right time for Holloway to reacquaint himself with the Bristol Rovers faithful more prominently.

The Pirates supporters may have had their doubts about the club's board in the past, but the appointment of Holloway would definitely get them back on side and behind the team if they want to achieve their aims this season.

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Irishman Coughlan has done well during his year in charge after being appointed in January following a caretaker spell in charge, leaving the club fourth in the League One table and with January coming up, any new manager could have the chance to make adjustments to the squad straight away.

The long-term aim from the Rovers board appears to be getting the club up to the Championship, and while they appear to have been biding their time, now seems like the right moment for the club to make that appointment to take the club to the next level.

Holloway has that experience of getting promotions with clubs before, and is a proven manager in the Championship as well as having tried his luck at management in the top flight.

He would bring the contacts with him and have the respect of the Rovers squad through his status as a club legend, and he can help Rovers maintain their play-off push, a target that would have been laughed at by any Rovers fan at the beginning of the season.

If the right offer was given to Holloway, he would be as keen as anyone to lead Bristol Rovers in a promotion charge, and despite his outspoken nature, he could be the man that delivers Bristol Rovers' long-term aim.