Bristol Rovers F.C.–Swindon Town F.C. rivalry
| Other names | M4 Derby |
|---|---|
| Locale | South West England |
| Teams | Bristol Rovers and Swindon Town |
| First meeting | 15 January 1921 |
| Latest meeting | Bristol Rovers 1–0 Swindon Town (28 January 2017) |
| Statistics | |
| Most wins | Swindon Town (43) |
| Largest victory | Bristol Rovers 5–0 Swindon Town (25 March 1939) |
The fixture between Bristol Rovers and Swindon Town is a local football rivalry, sometimes referred to as a West Country derby or M4 Derby. The distance between Bristol to Swindon is just under 35 miles, and both clubs are situated in the South West region of England.
Both clubs will meet next season for the first time since the 2011–12 season, following Rovers' promotion to League One. The most recent meeting between Rovers and Swindon was a League Two match in the 2011–12 season which finished in an 0–0 draw.
The first meeting between the clubs came in 1921 with Swindon winning the inaugural match 2–1 in a Third Division match. Including this match, there have been 94 games with the most recent being a 0–0 draw at Swindon's County Ground on 31 March 2012.
Having been in the same division in only two seasons out of 13 between 1993 and 2006, the clubs would then be in the same division for the next six seasons in a row, even being promoted (League Two in 2007) and relegated (League One in 2011) at the same time. However, following Swindon's promotion back to League One the two sides are not set to meet for the first time since 2005.
Football matches between Bristol Rovers and Swindon usually contains a heavy police presence. Helicopters are also in place to scan the area for any violence or fights between the fans prior to, during and after the game. Matches between Bristol Rovers and Swindon Town can sometimes be moved to a 1pm kick-off to ensure trouble is prevented erupting between rival fans on Saturday. Violence occurred between prior to a match between the sides on Saturday 28 April 2007. The incident occurred in the Inn on the green pub garden in Horefield, Bristol, just a 5-minute walk from the Bristol Rovers stadium. The Bristol Rovers yobs in question were armed with bats, glasses, bottles and bits of wood. Shortly after the incident riot police arrived but were too late to catch the perpetrators. Swindon Town fans were also reported to be injured during the incident.
Swindon Town 42 Wins
Bristol Rovers 34 Wins
14 Draws
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