German midfielder Fabian Broghammer joined Rovers in the summer of 2012 after having been recommended to manager Mark McGhee by his former Hamburger SV teammate Felix Magath, who at this point was managing VfL Wolfsburg. Although he agreed terms with the club on 12 August, he was forced to sit out the first game of the 2012–13 season, a 3–1 defeat to Ipswich Town in the League Cup on 14 August, while his international clearance was pending. He was able to make his debut the following Saturday in the opening League Two fixture of the campaign, a 2–0 reverse at the hands of Oxford United.