The Bristol Rovers goalkeeper has been at Forest Green Rovers for nearly two months after initially signing a seven-day emergency loan in September.
James Belshaw has revealed that he is in contact with Bristol Rovers over his future with the on-loan goalkeeper clearly enjoying his time at Forest Green Rovers with the club.
The shot stopper joined the League Two outfit on a seven-day emergency loan at the end of September but the Gas have allowed him to remain with the Gloucestershire outfit in order to get game time after losing his number one spot to Brentford loanee Matt Cox. Since, he has made nine appearances for David Horseman’s side, keeping one clean sheet in a 5-0 thrashing of Colchester United.
Speaking to Forest Green’s media on life at the club, Belshaw was clearly cheerful, saying: “We’re already talking about the Christmas Do. I feel at home. Everyone has been very good to me since day one and it’s a really progressive club. They had big ideas about where they wanted to be and it was really great to be a part of that. It was important for me to play some matches and rediscover my love for football, which was great for me.
“I’m still contracted to Bristol Rovers. I spoke to Andy Mangan and watched their progress.” We’re still in touch about future plans, but I’m really glad to be here.
“I said I think this was the longest seven-day emergency loan ever and I really enjoyed my time here. Everyone has been so welcoming from day one and it’s been a really good club. Progress, I think you saw that.” The time I was here. There have been better performances and there have been mediocre performances, but we are putting the fundamentals together.”
Forest Green are currently 23rd in League Two after being relegated from League One last season. We’re still in the relegation zone. We still have a game left against Tranmere Rovers, who are 22nd on goal difference. The Horseman’s team is still struggling for consistent form. Belshaw has conceded 15 goals so far, but the Fourth Division side have won two, drawn one and lost six of the games in which the goalkeeper has started.
But the 33-year-old admitted it played a role in the injury, saying: I don’t think he played his best on the pitch in 11 games, but we have to make do with what we have. We’re under no illusions that we can do better in this league.”
As a loan player, the goalkeeper added: “When you come in as a loan player, you approach him and say, ‘It’s me. “I’m just here to play the game, which makes me selfish, but that’s what I want to do. I’ll contribute and help the team as much as I can. So, the positives here. Both positive and negative results affect me as much as any other player.
”Playing for this football club is important to me.” I don’t just come here on vacation, play a few games and then go home. No, I really want to make an impression here. And I hope my performance bears that out.
“I think the most important thing is to be a good person and to act professionally and respectfully. I felt welcomed here and everyone was great.”
Rovers’ Player of the Season during the 2021/22 League Two promotion campaign lost his place as first-choice ‘keeper during the summer when the club signed Cox and former manager Joey Barton went on record to share his frustrations with the 33-year-old, labelling the goalkeeper as “selfish” for seeking a move away.
Speaking to BBC Radio Bristol before the Gas’ 2-1 victory against Charlton Athletic in August, Barton said: “From our perspective, there’s a standard of behaviour. James is obviously going to be disappointed with Matthew Cox coming in and taking the starting jersey. But on two Saturdays on the spin, last Saturday at Portsmouth his agent phoned Eddy [Jennings] I think before a ball was kicked to try and speak about moving and Saturday, 10 o’clock before the game’s kicked off, Belly’s ringing me asking if he can go on loan to another club which I felt was very selfish.
“At that point, I decided he’s not going to be part of our group going forward and if he’s here beyond the deadline in September then we’ll have a discussion about that. But from my perspective, I think Belly wants to be number one and I can understand that. He’s been number one for a large period of his Bristol Rovers career but you’ve got to support the team and you’ve got to support the man in the jersey.
“I get, if he’d had phoned me Sunday or Monday to tell me about this opportunity, I’d have understood that. But ringing twice, getting your agent to ring once on Saturday morning before a ball’s been kicked for the first league game and then the following weekend to do it yourself as a 32-year-old I think that’s just wrong.
“I don’t think he’s focused on the team.
I don’t think he’s focused on anything other than what he wants to do. From my point of view, he can now step away from the football club and focus on that. He’s been great in the league the last two seasons and I like James. I think he’s a good person, but sometimes his emotions get the better of him and unfortunately he reached a breaking point with me.
”He was given a place in the starting eleven for the EFL Trophy and for the league. He was sent back to the bench.
However, the possibility of briefly playing football at Forest Green arose, after which Belshaw was allowed to leave. However, no one expected that the goalkeeper would still be in the Gloucestershire squad in mid-November.
However, since his transfer, Barton has naturally been released as Bristol Rovers continue their search for a new manager, with Andy Mangan still taking over as interim manager. It is unclear whether this will change anything, but Mangan has allowed Belshaw to play for Forest Green in the FA Cup, meaning a cup tie for the Gas, saying earlier this month: Ta. Coxy is doing well.” Things are going very well here and it would be wrong to suspend and bench James. I think we all know we think the world of Belly, so when Belly plays, it’s great for him. Matty Hall is obviously on the bench here. So, if the situation changes, Belly will soon return to us.
“If Belly is not allowed to play at Forest Green and someone goes to Forest Green while Belly is playing very well, he could lose his place in the team, so I think it was a mistake not to let him play at Forest Green. I also have to look after Berry in this situation, and I think that’s the best thing to do.
“As for when he will be back. I don’t have an answer.” I spoke to him. We need to get him once and for all.”
Compounding matters in the goalkeeping department, Rovers will play in the EFL Trophy game against Newport County Cox, who have been named in the England Under-21 squad. On Tuesday, Jed Ward was recalled from Wealdstone from his loan spell, national team. This leaves Brentford loanees Matt Hall and Ward as the club’s current options, who are all 20 years old.
Do you plan to refinance Ward? New year is undecided. The same goes for Hall, who has yet to play for the club since joining on a free transfer from Southampton in the summer. However, as it stands, if Belshaw returns to his parent club, the problem will be that the Gas will have four first-team goalkeepers.
The 33-year-old goalkeeper was given the opportunity to make a permanent move to Green, but has been a great servant to the club, helping them win promotion from League Two and qualify for League One last season. The basis of change should bless the gas. Of course, this assumes Belshaw is willing to do so.
A new permanent manager has yet to be announced, and while it is inevitable that he will seek guaranteed playing time, his days as first choice for Bristol Rovers’ Player of the Season are now likely over.
It seems there is.
A permanent move to a second-division team seems logical, as it’s not a big move both geographically and in terms of the playing time he’s currently guaranteed.