Hello and welcome to the newest Gloucester Groundhopper blog post.
We are immersing ourselves in some Carabao Cup action for this episode.
As they compete for a spot in the third round, League One's Forest Green Rovers and the Premier League's Brighton & Hove Albion square off. The game is being played at Forest Green Rovers' stadium, the New Lawn.
Forest Green Rovers are based in Nailsworth, a village close to Gloucester. The Forest of Dean, Berkeley Castle, and Stroud are all within easy driving distance of Nailsworth. People can also enjoy a good pub and a few eateries nearby. We explored Nailsworth before making our way to the stadium.
It’s All In The Name
Forest Green Rovers have the moniker ‘The Green Army,’ which is a nod towards their name. You could argue it is also a reference to their kit colour, but until only recently, the club played in black and white.
Some Notable Former Players
Gavin Caines
Jerry Gill
Jonny Hayes
Jon Parkin
Robert Sanchez
A History Lesson With AFC Finners
Forest Green Rovers were founded in 1889 and joined the Gloucestershire League in 1894. They spent decades switching between regional leagues, winning several league titles and finishing fourth in their first season in the Hellenic Premier Division in 1976. They won the Hellenic league and the FA Vase at Wembley in 1982.
After a number of mid-table seasons in the Southern League's Midland Division, they were promoted in 1997, and the following season they were promoted again, entering the football conference for the first time.
Their early years in the Conference saw them twice reach the FA Trophy final, the second time under former Aston Villa keeper Nigel Spink's management, but they were defeated both times.
They remained in the conference, avoiding relegation twice as a result of other teams being expelled from the league, and their fortunes would be forever changed in 2010 when Eco-tricity owner Dale Vince took over, establishing a mission to make Forest Green eco-friendly, as well as prohibiting the consumption of meat at the club.
With Vince's investment, the club fought for promotion, and in 2017, they defeated Tranmere Rovers in the Conference playoff final at Wembley to become a football league team for the first time. The following year, they were also the first football club to be certified as carbon neutral. They began playing in a football kit made of recycled plastic and coffee grounds in 2021.
In their first season in League Two, they finished fifth, and in 2022, they won League Two to secure promotion to League One. They want to stay in the third tier and climb the football pyramid while also finding new and innovative ways to operate in an environmentally friendly manner.
Here's a fun fact: With a population of around 5700, Forest Green's hometown of Nailsworth is the smallest ever suburb to host a football league team.
Honours
🏆 League Two (Champions: 2021–22)
🏆 National League (Play-off winners: 2016–17)
🏆 Southern League Premier Division (Champions: 1997–98)
🏆 Southern League Southern Division (Champions: 1996–97)
🏆 FA Vase (Winners: 1981–82)
🏆 Hellenic League (Champions: 1981–82)
🏆 Gloucestershire Northern Senior League (Champions: 1937–38, 1949–50, 1950–51)
🏆 Gloucestershire Northern Senior League Division Two (Champions: 1955–56)
🏆 North Gloucestershire League (Champions: 1920–21, 1921–22)
🏆 Stroud Premier League (Champions: 1934–35, 1935–36, 1936–37)
🏆 Stroud & District League (Champions: 1911–12, 1920–21)
🏆 Dursley & District League (Champions: 1902–03)
🏆 Northern Junior Cup (Winners: 1920–21, 1921–22)
The Rise Of Forest Green Rovers
Dale Vince, a local entrepreneur, invested in and eventually purchased Forest Green Rovers in the same year that the club was saved from relegation by Northwich Victoria's demotion. After this, he began his transformation of the team into his distinct vision of what a football club could be. Forest Green Rovers, a fifth-tier football team from Nailsworth, England, faced financial difficulties in 2010. The team approached Dale Vince, who had a childhood interest in the sport. A lot has happened and a lot has changed in the years since, almost entirely for the better.
On the field, Forest Green Rovers have had no trouble winning. In 2017, they defeated Tranmere Rovers 3-1 in the National League play-off final, securing their first-ever place in the Football League. The Forest Green Rovers group exuded naiveté, with Dale Vince openly declaring that "reaching League One will be easy." With claims like that, you need to back them up on the field, but the Gloucestershire team finished 20th in their first season in League Two in 2017-18. That was too close for comfort, especially given that no club has been immediately relegated to the Conference since the Football League's restructuring in the early 2000s.
Off the field, the team has worked to become the world's most carbon-neutral football team. Dale Vince focused on the food consumed by Forest Green Rovers players and supporters to accomplish this. Food options at sporting events have historically been limited... and unhealthy, particularly at football matches. Vince was a vegan before he became a businessman. When the team chairman attended his first Forest Green Rovers training session, the chef fed the players beef lasagne and Vince spotted a problem. Since then, the team has abstained from all meat, fish, and dairy products. Dale Vince achieved his aim, and became the chairman of the world's first vegan sports team in 2015.
In addition, the team collects rainwater to use around its stadium. In stadium kitchens, cooking oil is recycled into biofuel. The soccer field is mowed by a robot equipped with GPS navigation and solar power. In July 2018, the United Nations recognised these efforts by naming Forest Green Rovers the first football team to achieve carbon neutrality. Dale Vince, on the other hand, hopes to go even further by constructing an environmentally friendly stadium.
Overall, Forest Green Rovers may have more success if they continue to operate as they have in recent years. It is clear that the team is attracting more prominent football players now that former Arsenal player Hector Bellerin is a shareholder. If the Football League deems this experiment to be successful, it may grant permission to other clubs planning to do the same.
Matchday: Forest Green Rovers 0-3 Brighton & Hove Albion
The stadium is located in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire. When we arrived, there appeared to be a severe shortage of parking options. We attempted to park at the school next to the ground, but the person in charge of parking said it was only for pre-paid customers, so our search continued. We eventually found some parking down a residential road. I'm not sure what to say about this one; it's possible that people will have to park in town and walk up the hill.
There were four stands on the ground, and it appears that Forest Green has done a lot of work on the ground since my last visit. In all honesty, it's a nice little ground, clean and functional, but in comparison to some other clubs in League One, it could be argued that the ground falls short of League One standards. This, combined with the parking issue, emphasises the importance of Forest Green moving to their new stadium in the near future if they are to compete in League One.
The people working on the ground were wonderful; they were friendly and helpful as we explored the area. The lady at the food bar in the North Stand in particular. The ground serves vegan options such as a veggie burger, a Q pie, and a veggie pasty. I chose the veggie burger. I have to say things the way I saw them, and the burger did not taste good in my opinion. To me, it tasted like baby food and vomit. It also made me very ill. My vegetarian friend, AFC Finners, said it was okay, but he knew of at least three better veggie burgers. The chips and Green Cola were delicious. Overall, I would buy the food again, but skip the burger.
The atmosphere was adequate for a game against a Premier League team, but not spectacular. From where we were, the Brighton fans were making the most noise. There was a small group of Forest Green fans who were singing nonstop, and credit to them for keeping the atmosphere going. The Brighton fans were incredible; they never stopped cheering on their team.
Teamsheets
Forest Green Rovers
Manager: Ian Burchnall
Luke McGee
Corey O'Keefe
Dominic Bernard (c)
Oliver Casey
Bailey Cargill
Ben Stevenson
Regan Hendry
Armani Little
Sean Robertson
Connor Wickham
Josh March
Substitutes
Lewis Thomas
Jamille Matt
Jacob Jones
Kyle McAllister
Myles Peart-Harris
Reece Brown
Murphy Bennett
Brighton & Hove Albion
Manager: Graham Potter
Jason Steele (c)
Ed Turns
Jan Paul Van Hecke
Levi Colwill
Tariq Lamptey
Steven Alzate ⚽️
Jack Spong
Kaoru Mitoma
Julio Enciso
Evan Ferguson ⚽️
Deniz Undav ⚽️
Substitutes
Cameron Peupion
Jack Hinchy
Tom McGill
Antef Tsoungui
James Furlong
Odeluga Offiah
Andrew Moran
Forest Green Rovers had the majority of the ball possession at the start of the game. Brighton had a scoring chance after 27 minutes when Undav's flick from Julio Enciso's corner deflected over the goal, but Rovers kept up the pressure without posing any threats to Jason Steele. Apart from that chance, the home team played well defensively, and when Undav scored eight minutes before halftime, Brighton appeared to be in trouble, so the goal came at the right time . For the first time, the Seagulls outclassed Forest Green Rovers, and Undav intercepted Ferguson's pass to beat Oliver Casey and score. If the first goal wasn't harsh enough on the hosts, the second goal, which came in first-half injury time and was Alzate's first in 18 months, was even more difficult for them to accept. The midfielder picked up the ball and shot from 20 yards into the bottom corner, giving Forest Green, who were never outmatched but never looked like scoring in the first half, plenty to think about.
Jason Steele expertly denied March after Baily Cargill's wonderful pass sent McAllister away shortly after the half time break. Undav missed a great chance for a third goal after 64 minutes when he headed wide, and Brighton had to endure some awkward moments as Forest Green tried to rally. Steele had to be on guard when McAllister broke through with four minutes left to avoid a tense finish. After storming through, he denied the substitute. Evan Ferguson, on the other hand, scored his first goal for the Seagulls in stoppage time, giving Brighton a more rosy final score.
Scores on the Doors
Atmosphere: 5/10
Food and Drink: 2.5/10
Stadium: 4/10
Welcome: 8/10
Overall Experience: 5.5/10
GG
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