Bristol Rovers assistant Paul Raynor reveals bowel cancer diagnosis
Bristol Rovers assistant head coach Paul Raynor has revealed he has bowel cancer.
He is 60. He spoke about the diagnosis in an interview with the club's media team on Thursday, 1 October, as reported by the Bristol Post.
Doctors found a tumour. It has not spread to any major organs. He has been told the chances of successful treatment are high, according to the BBC.
He will have chemotherapy, which uses drugs to destroy cancer cells, and radiotherapy, which uses targeted radiation. Treatment will start later this month. He said it will begin on Monday, 12 October, according to EDP24.
Raynor plans to stay with Rovers as much as possible. He wants to be there on matchdays when he feels well enough. That support matters to him.
He explained how the tumour was found. His wife encouraged him to send off a bowel screening sample. A week later he was told the result was abnormal. A full check with a consultant then confirmed a tumour.
Raynor joined Rovers in December 2025 alongside manager Steve Evans. The two have now worked together at nine different clubs. Their partnership started at Boston United.
For supporters, this is about more than the dugout. Raynor has spent decades beside Evans, through promotions and relegations and long road trips. Now he faces a different kind of test, and he wanted fans to hear it from him.
