John Eustace leaves sixth-place Rovers for Championship strugglers Derby County just one year following his appointment as head coach on two-and-a-half-year deal.
After Jon Dahl Tomasson’s acrimonious departure last February, Eustace was tasked with keeping the club in the second tier.
He initially struggled to make a big impression during a long winless run, although defensive improvements gave some hope.
Surprise wins at Sunderland, Leeds United and Leicester City were enough to ensure survival with Sammie Szmodics almost single-handedly saving the club.
Predictions for 2024/25 were bleak but with limited resources available, Eustace proved his value by guiding the club into the play-off places, largely thanks to an admirable six-match winning run before Christmas during which just one goal was conceded.
As a reflection of the transfer churn at the club, Eustace has fielded a whopping 46 players in a year (starts and sub appearances), which is just one short of the figure from Tomasson's 20-month spell.
Below are some statistics from Eustace’s tenure as head coach.
Appointment: Friday 9th February 2024
Departure: Wednesday 12th February 2025
Days in charge: 369
Results record:
Average league points per match: 1.32
Best winning run: 6 matches, November to December 2024
Best unbeaten run: 6 matches, April to August 2024 & November to December 2024
Worst losing run: 3 matches, October to November 2024 & January 2025
Worst winless run: 10 matches, February to March 2024
Biggest win: 6-1 v Stockport County (a), 12th August 2024
Biggest defeat: 0-5 v Bristol City (a), 10th April 2024
Players used: 46
Loanees used: 9
Most used player: Dominic Hyam, 50 appearances
Top scorer: Sammie Szmodics, 14 goals
Note that Eustace came down from the stands to take charge in the second half when Rovers played Stoke City on Saturday 10th February 2024. The win could arguably be credited to Eustace, although the above statistics assume credit went to the joint caretaker managers Damien Johnson and David Lowe.
Players Used by John Eustace (starts and sub appearances in all comps):