The initial verdict from Bristol Rovers supporters on the signing of Romaine Sawyers seems largely positive with the experienced 33-year-old midfielder joining on a deal until the end of the season.

Experience within the squad Inigo Calderon has inherited isn't at an abundance with just five players in their thirties prior to Sawyers’ arrival, with the majority of the group aged 25 or younger.

The youthfulness of the squad has been evident on the pitch on numerous occasions this season with one possible criticism of the major summer overhaul that saw 16 players arrive being that the balance between youth and experience wasn’t quite right.

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It’s evident that Rovers’ ethos is to recruit young, high-potential players to then sell for a profit which is a well-tested and proven method elsewhere. However, a lack of leadership is something that has been pointed out as a clear frailty within this group of players and adding Sawyers to their ranks should help balance things out more evenly for the Gas.

With over 500 appearances at club level and 49 international caps for St.Kitts and Nevis, the 33-year-old could end up having as much impact off the pitch as he does on it, be that for the remainder of the campaign or possibly further beyond.

General character profiles from those who have either interacted with or regularly watched the midfielder play throughout his career have been excellent and he’s also a player who has been instrumental in teams that have been successful at higher levels.

Sawyers has played in all four divisions of league football with a decent handful of his appearances coming in the Championship. However, it was at the start of his most recent spell with AFC Wimbledon in League Two where the type of impact he could now have at Rovers was highlighted.

In his first interview with the Dons after signing a one-month deal in December, the 33-year-old detailed his ambitions to be a role model within a young squad, saying: “I’ve got to come in and show my worth to the manager and almost repay the faith that he’s shown by giving me this opportunity and I’m going to do that by trying to play, train and use my experience and voice to the younger boys in the group and just be a good character around the club both on and off the pitch.”

Sawyers only ended up making five appearances for Wimbledon after signing amid an injury crisis at the fourth tier promotion chasers but reviews have suggested that it was immediately clear that the midfielder’s footballing abilities still eclipse the standard of League Two.

The move came about after spending five months as a free agent on the back of being released by Cardiff City at the end of last season and, naturally, there will be concerns about his lack of game time over the past calendar year.

Since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, Sawyers has played just 11 games although a large part of that was down to his standing in the pecking order at Cardiff last term as opposed to repeated fitness issues.

Where he ranks alongside the likes of Kamil Conteh, Grant Ward and Jamie Lindsay in Calderon’s plans is yet to be seen but on a free transfer with a contract until the end of the season, it’s a pretty low-risk acquisition and could prove to be one the most shrewd bits of business completed by George Friend and his recruitment team within their first year in place.

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