"If he wants to progress his career, and he wants to be at serious football levels going forward, he needs to cut that nonsense out"

Bristol Rovers manager Steve Evans described Tommy Leigh as a "genius" but admitted that the Bradford City loanee "needs to cut that nonsense out," with the midfielder now set to return following his second red card of the 2026/27 season.

Leigh scored two goals in the first five League Two games as the Gas were top after four straight wins. He picked up a straight red card for an off-the-ball incident against Grimsby Town, though, and following his three-game suspension, the 26-year-old was dismissed again for a two-footed tackle against Barnet, meaning he has missed Rovers' last four league matches.

In the seven games that Leigh hasn't featured for the Pirates in the fourth tier this season, they have lost five, drawn one, and won one, which has seen Evans' side drop to 17th in the table.

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The "maverick," as Evans often likes to call him, will be available for Rovers' FA Cup tie against Cambridge United at The Mem on Friday, and while the manager is pleased to see him back, he stressed that his ill-discipline cannot continue.

When asked by Bristol Live about Leigh's return following Saturday's 3-1 defeat at Fleetwood Town, the 64-year-old said: "Listen, I've called him a nomadic genius. And he is. You take all the geniuses in this world who have invented everything that we love, telephones, and televisions, and stuff like that.

"They're all nuts, aren't they? They've all got a degree of nuttiness about them. But they're a genius. Tommy Leigh is just a top, top talent.

"If he wants to progress his career, and he wants to be at serious football levels going forward, he needs to cut that nonsense out."

Leigh was not the only player suspended for the visit to Highbury Stadium last weekend, with Kofi Balmer ruled out due to picking up five yellow cards, while Bobby Kamwa, Ellis Harrison, Riley Harbottle and Jack Aitchison were all sidelined with injuries.

Harbottle and Aitchison are expected to be out until at least December. Still, there is a possibility that Evans could have four players returning for the FA Cup game on Friday, with Kamwa's and Harrison's injuries short-term knocks.

It comes at a time when Rovers desperately need players back following a run of seven defeats in the last nine league games, so the manager will be hoping that the return of key squad members, such as Leigh, will help to inspire a much-needed revival in the coming weeks.

Bristol Rovers upcoming fixtures in November:

- Bristol Rovers vs Cambridge United - Friday, November 6, 7:30pm kick-off, FA Cup

- Bristol Rovers vs Reading - Tuesday, November 10, 7pm kick-off, Jersey Mike's Trophy

- Bristol Rovers vs Chesterfield - Saturday, November 14, 3pm kick-off, League Two

- Cheltenham Town vs Bristol Rovers - Saturday, November 21, 3pm kick-off, League Two

- Bristol Rovers vs Tranmere Rovers - Saturday, November 28, 3pm kick-off, League Two

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