Sam Slocombe
I don’t have a picture of Slocombe from Bubs, because his performances have come in games he missed, but if I did they’d be a rarity. The truth is this; Josh Vickers injury isn’t as bad as feared and it leaves Slocombe right on the edge of everything.
Slocombe started the season as a League One keeper, but he’s now third in line in League Two. He might be a local lad, he might want to be closer to home, but he’ll want games to. Here’s some harsh news for him; it isn’t going to happen.
Grant Smith (pictured) is our number two, an ambitious young keeper with designs on the number one jersey. He’ll have his work cut out though, Josh Vickers (below) is perhaps as good as we’ve seen at the Bank since Rob Burch, maybe even further back. Vickers is out number one and if he remains injury-free, that will be the order of things.
That means no place for Slocombe, not even for the cup games. Danny will want Grant Smith in the sticks for the EFL Trophy, meaning the Bristol Rovers man is out in the cold. He was signed as an emergency cover and, once Josh’s fitness is assured, he’ll surely depart, joining the likes of Paul Pettinger, Simon Rayner and Aiden Duffy as the unlucky understudy who just doesn’t get a look in.
