Bristol Rovers boss Matt Taylor says Blues centre-half Elkan Baggott has been a credit to himself and to Town during his spell with the Gas.

Baggott, 21, joined Rovers in January and after a difficult start having made only four cup appearances for the Blues in the first half of the season, the last at the start of November, has been hugely impressive in recent weeks, netting his first goal of his spell in the 3-1 win away against one of his former loan clubs Cheltenham earlier this month and was named in the League One and EFL Teams of the Week as a result.

“He’s been a credit to himself and to his parent club in the time he’s been with us,” Taylor told Bristol Live.

“The way he’s conducted himself, the way he’s trained, the way he’s played as well and then his performances on top of that.

“It’s a perfect example of a loan player who has had [a lack] of proper football, competitive football for the first half of the season.

“He obviously went away with Indonesia in a tournament [the AFC Asian Cup in early January], which is totally different to Stevenage and the rigours of League One.

“He’s a young player and he will have needed that first six, seven games which were quite painful, we have to be honest, in terms of where he was in terms of game time, and he needed that.”

Quizzed on whether he might like Baggott, who is contracted to the Blues until the summer of 2025 with the club having an option for a further season, to return to the Pirates next season, Taylor said: “Anyone that performs like that you always want to keep as a manager. We will have those conversations further down the line.

“But first things first for him is finish the season well, stay fully fit and healthy and then he’ll go back to his parent club whose league will still be going on and see where that takes him.”

Photo: Imago Images Sports

ArnieM added 18:24 - Apr 22 A future first team CB is our EB ….
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Suffolkboy added 19:16 - Apr 22 Cannot see we’d be wanting him to depart ; he’s young ,learning fast, quick about the pitch and both earnest and enthusiastic . Just the character we are likely looking to bring on ,AND already well thought of by ITFC Management team . Very well done to date EB ! COYB
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TheReturnOfCthulhu added 19:36 - Apr 22 Classy comments on a loanee from a manager I always admired as a player. Take note Charlton.
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SickParrot added 19:37 - Apr 22 If we're still in the Championship next season he should be here, pushing for a place in the first team.
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Karlosfandangal added 19:31 - Apr 23 Loan to a Championship club next season if Town go up, if not I would expect to see him in the first team more
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