Bristol Rovers captain Sam Finley has hinted that he would leave the League One club when his contract ends in the summer, and Gas co-owner Wael Al-Qadi’s response appears to cement his departure.
On Sunday, the 31-year-old shared a photograph on the social media platform ‘X’, previously known as Twitter, with a comment that simply said: “Scouse Mafia – It has been a pleasure”.
The image below shows Finley with colleagues Antony Evans, James Connolly, and Jordan Rossiter.
Wael Al-Qadi, Bristol Rovers’ club president and co-owner, was among the first to respond to Finley’s post, sending a remark that appears to confirm his departure.
Mr Al Qadi responded to his skipper’s post on the social networking site X, writing: “Thank you for everything, dear Sam, club captain, legend, and leader – true to your vow that you’d get us promoted when you first joined. “See you soon, mate.”
On Instagram, Al-Qadi would receive a flurry of comments on a post he shared. Nick Anderton, Josh Grant, and Jack Hunt were among the former and current Rovers players who joined supporters in expressing their admiration for the retiring captain.
Finley was a major member of the League Two promotion-winning campaign in his first year with the club, scoring five goals and assisting seven times in 36 games, and has been a mainstay in the Bristol Rovers midfield throughout his three-year tenure.
Former manager Joey Barton appointed Finley as club captain at the start of the 2023-24 season, and he made 38 appearances in all competitions, scoring once and assisting twice, before suffering an injury that could have terminated his time at Rovers prematurely.
Finley became a fan favorite at the Gas because of his hard work, guts, and leadership on a high-achieving club. Some consider Finley to be a midfield marshal, but he has demonstrated the qualities of a natural leader and was frequently seen motivating the players to maintain their energy levels and positional discipline.
Never hesitant to take a stand for the team, the Rovers skipper acquired a reputation among Gasheads as a player who was more than eager to get involved during those ugly “Old School” moments of a game, getting his fair share of bookings along the way.
Finley was one of a small handful of Scousers that joined Bristol Rovers after following Barton from Fleetwood Town.
If, as feared, injury ends his season and he does not play in the last game against Wigan Athletic on Saturday, Finley will be able to reflect warmly on his time at the Gas, having made 121 appearances and scoring eight goals with 12 assists.
Along the process, they achieved one of football’s most remarkable promotions.
While Sam Finley’s departure from Rovers appears imminent, the club has yet to publicly confirm it.
Absolute confirmation might come as early as next week, with the Gas generally expected to disclose their retained and released lists within days of the season’s conclusion.
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