A 9ct. gold Western League Tournament medal awarded to G. Brown of Eastville Rovers FC [later Bristol Rovers] in season 1895-6, inscribed THE WESTERN

A 9ct. gold Western League Tournament medal awarded to G. Brown of Eastville Rovers FC [later Bristol Rovers] in season 1895-6, inscribed THE WESTERN LEAGUE, TOURNAMENT, 1895-6, G BROWN, WINNERS, EASTVILLE ROVERS F.C. The origins of Bristol Rovers FC can be traced back to a meeting in Stapleton Road, Eastville, in 1883. For their first season they played under the name of Black Arabs, owing to their black shirts. In their second season they renamed themselves as Eastville Rovers and won their first honour in 1888-89, lifting the Gloucestershire Senior Cup. At the time the present medal was awarded Rovers were playing in the Western League and shortly afterwards in 1897 the club adopted professionalism and from season 1898-99 finally became known as Bristol Rovers FC. Like many clubs, Bristol Rovers entered the Football League in season 1919-20 when the League expanded creating a Third Division with southern and northern sections.