McGhee given cash for Pirates

Bristol Rovers chairman Nick Higgs is heavily backing Mark McGhee as the Pirates boss looks to strengthen his squad this summer.

McGhee returned from holiday this week and is looking to step-up his recruitment drive in preparation for the forthcoming League Two season. Higgs said McGhee has been handed one of the biggest budgets in the division as he looks to build a squad capable of promotion. "Mark is happy with the budget we have given him and has based his list of targets around that," he told the Bristol Evening Post. "We have a list of players we'd like to bring to the club and I'm in day-to-day contact with Mark. We've got a list of names that would strengthen the centre of defence and midfield areas, so all in all there are lots of things going on behind the scenes." Rovers failed in their bid to land Oxford hitman James Constable last week.