They gather firm repeatedly left escort adrift (10)

I believe the answer is:

collectors

'they gather' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'firm repeatedly left escort adrift' is the wordplay.
'firm' becomes 'co' (a firm is a company).
'repeatedly' indicates the doubling of some letters.
'left' becomes 'l' (common abbreviation**).
'adrift' indicates an anagram.
'l' duplicated is 'll'.
'escort' anagrammed gives 'ectors'.
'co'+'ll'+'ectors'='COLLECTORS'

(Another definition for collectors that I've seen is " They gather".)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.

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