The threat of relegation back to League Two is very real for Bristol Rovers, who surrendered a two-goal defeat in their defeat to Charlton Athletic in midweek. 

Joey Barton's start to life at the Memorial Stadium has been a difficult one but there have certainly been some positives.

The 38-year-old coach will be hoping that he can steer the Gas to survival and then look to build ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, one that he'll be hoping isn't spent near the relegation zone.

Barton has won two and drawn one of his six games in charge, giving him a points per game ratio of 1.17.

Rovers fans will no doubt be hoping he can push that up to near or above the 1.51 it was during his time at Fleetwood Town boss.

We've looked back through the records at how previous managers of the Pirates go on and have compiled this list based on the coaches that Transfermarkt has full statistics for...

The lowest place on this list is taken up by one of Rovers' recent bosses.

There was a fair bit of excitement when the 40-year-old was appointed in 2019, having been mentored by Jose Mourinho and coached at a number of Premier League clubs.

It's fair to say that his tenure did not live up to that expectation and in November 2020 he was relieved of his duties as Rovers boss.

Garner's spell at the club started with a 13-game winless run so it's no surprise to see his points per game ratio below 1.

In total, the Gas won six times and drew eight times in his 33 games in charge – giving him a points per game ratio of 0.79.

Rovers fans are unlikely to need much of a reminder how poor Tisdale's tenure was either, having only left the club last month.

The 48-year-old came in after Ben Garner's dreadful spell in charge last November and though there was an early upturn in form, things quickly went downhill for the former Gas youth player.

With the club only out of the League One relegation zone on goal difference he was sacked, with Joey Barton replacing him.

Tisdale's 19-match tenure saw Rovers win five times and draw three times – meaning he finished with a points per game ratio of 0.95.

Taking over from Paul Buckle in January 2012, McGhee inspired an upturn in form at Rovers to help them escape the relegation battle and finish in mid-table.

The Gas were expected by some to be competing for promotion in the 2012/13 campaign but that's not how things panned out.

Instead, Rovers were scrapping near the bottom of the table again and with them in the relegation zone, McGhee got the sack in December 2012.

He wasn't out of a job, however, as he joined Gordon Strachan's Scotland coaching staff in January 2013.

With 12 wins and 12 draws from his 44 matches, he finished with a points per game ratio of 1.09.

One of a number of managers that Rovers gave a go in a frustrating period at the start of the 2010s, Buckle's time at the club didn't last more than a season.

In fact, having been appointed in July 2011 he departed in January 2012 on the back of a 2-0 defeat to Barnet after just 29 games in charge.

His side won nine of those and drew five, giving him a points per game ratio of 1.10 and that leaves him at number seven on this list.

Roles at Luton, Cheltenham, Sacramento, and Southampton would follow – though he is now the technical director at USLC club Hartford.

The current Rovers boss features at number six on this list, though he'll want to end up much, much higher than that by the end of his tenure – whenever that is.

Barton took charge in February 2021 after the sacking of Paul Tisdale, in what is his second job in management.

The 38-year-old flirted with the play-offs during his time with Fleetwood Town and Rovers fans will be hoping he can do better at the Memorial Stadium – though he'll have to help them survival first.

Under his management, the Gas have won twice and drawn once in six games – giving him a points per game ratio of 1.17.

Atkins' arrival at the Memorial Stadium was a dramatic one, having been sacked by Oxford United for speaking to the club about taking charge.

He was subsequently appointed by the Gas but his time at the Bristol club lasted little more than a year.

After a poor start to the 2005/06 campaign, he was given the sack in September 2005, in what would end up his second last job in management.

Atkins side won 15 and drew 24 of his 55 matches in charge, giving him a points per game ratio of 1.25.

Trollope's 1910 days as Rovers boss make him the longest-serving manager on this list but in terms of points per game, he's only fourth.

The Swindon-born coach finished his career as a player at the Memorial Stadium, becoming caretaker boss before taking up the role permanently.

Under his stewardship, they made the EFL Trophy final and won promotion to League One before going on to make the quarter finals of the FA Cup later on in his tenure.

He was sacked in 2010 with the club in the relegation zone, finishing with a points per game ratio of 1.34, and has spent much of the time since as Chris Hughton's assistant.

Ward is one of few men to manage both Bristol City and Bristol Rovers.

The 69-year-old had two spells at the Memorial Stadium and it's his second that's our focus today because it puts him at number three on this list.

Having originally managed the club in the 1990s, Ward returned in December 2012 becoming the fourth manager in two years.

The experienced coach helped them avoid relegation in the 2012/13 campaign but the next season would prove his last as manager as he became their director of football - a role he was sacked from after 41 days.

His record puts him at three on this list, with his side winning 24 and drawing 21 of their 69 matches to give him a points per game ratio of 1.35.

The second-longest-serving Rovers manager on this list, Clarke spent more than four years at the Bristol club.

Clarke originally joined as John Ward's assistant coach but took the big job permanently in March 2014.

Rovers were relegated out of the EFL in 2013/14 but under Clarke's leadership, they returned in 2015 and won promotion back up to League One the following season.

Clarke turned down an offer from Championship club Leeds United in 2016 to stay at Rovers but was gone just two years later, replaced by his assistant and the man on the top of this very list.

Coughlan's reign at the Memorial Stadium will likely leave many Rovers fans pondering what might've been.

Having been Darren Clarke's assistant, the Irishman took permanent charge in January 2019 but lasted less than a year in charge.

That was not due to poor performances, however, and Coughlan is at the top of this list for that very reason.

His side earned 84 points from 51 matches (23 wins and 15 draws) giving him a points per game ratio of 1.65.

However, due to personal reasons he left to join League Two side Mansfield Town in December 2019.