On a hill just off the quiet Cotswolds market, the town of Nailsworth, surrounded by forests and bucolic hills, is a road called Another Way.
“Another way” means a philosophy of choice, another way of life. The road leads to New Lawn, home of Forest Green Rovers, known as the most environmentally friendly football club in the world and the first to be rated carbon neutral by the United Nations.
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For years, visitors have been looking with interest at the electric car charging stations, the vegan menu (for fans and players) and the biological field, maintained with a solar-powered robot lawn mower and treated with chemicals or pesticides.
Car charging stations are commonplace these days, but Forest Green has taken sustainability to the next level: kits made from used coffee grounds and recycled water bottles, an electric bus to take the team to their away games, and plans for a new stadium designed in the past. Zaha Hadid will be made almost entirely from ethically sourced wood.
Owned by Dale Vince, a former New Age traveller and self-proclaimed “hippie defector” who is now Britain’s most prominent and successful green industrialist, Forest Green has been one of the richest stories in English football over the past decade.
A club that spent the first 128 years of its life betting on backwaters outside the league was promoted to the Football League in 2017 and promoted to League One, the third tier of English football, five years later.
Suddenly, improbably, ‘the little club on the hill’ was competing at the same point as Derby County, Ipswich Town, Portsmouth and Sheffield Wednesday. Vince said his ambition was for Forest Green to be a club capable of staying, in any and every way. – in La Liga, one step below the Premier League.
But last week, Forest Green were relegated for the second time in 12 months: from Ligue 1 to Ligue 2 and now, with a slight whimper, back to the relative wilderness of the National League.
The stories of groups squandering their prestige while football leagues stick to a familiar narrative: an oppressed city lamenting the struggles of an oppressed club, long-suffering enthusiasts holding back tears and worrying about what the long term holds.
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But that wasn’t the case at Nailsworth when The Athletic arrived in the morning after back-to-back relegations were confirmed.
No one in the line at Hobbs House Bakery was talking about their home team’s problems. Grahame Everett, who owns a barbershop on Fountain Street, said his consumers were talking about Liverpool and Queens Park Rangers that morning, but not Forest Green.
With a population of just over 5,000, this is your kind of city. In many ways, Forest Green is that kind of club.
And as Vince pointed out the next day: “Relegation is something nobody wants, but of course it happens in football, and it’s not the end of the world. “
Otherwise, this has been the case in football.
Shortly after Forest Green introduced its vegan-only menu in 2015, there was plenty of hilarity when a newspaper published photographs of its players outside the local branch of the Gregg’s bakery chain, adding star Jon “The Beast” Parkin dining on pepperoni pizza. .
Opposition supporters have been slow to appreciate the New Lawn’s hospitality, as if they yearn for the classic terrace meal with meat pie melts or undercooked or undercooked burgers. The mockery of diversity in the great outdoors, from “Where’s your burger van?”you know what you are” or even, in the case of Bath City, years ago, repeated chants of “Meat!Meat! Meat!”
But within the football industry, the initial sense of bewilderment gave way to a willingness to receive information from Forest Green.
Premier League clubs have asked for Vince’s recommendation on sustainability programs. In October, a delegation from German club Borussia Dortmund arrived in this quiet corner of Gloucestershire to walk “another path”.
Today, enthusiasts may see their clubs taken and used as automobiles to advertise the ambitions of a geographic region or an energy drink manufacturer, or even those of a larger club. Forest Green has become a vehicle for Vince’s environmental campaign, adding by his green energy company Ecotricity.
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It worked, in part, thanks to Forest Green’s good luck on the course. Over time, they have come to be admired not only for their sustainability agenda, but also for their smart, well-run and progressive football organisation.
They won promotions with Mark Cooper and then with Rob Edwards gambling in a horny style, bringing up players and, in the case of Kieffer Moore (now at Ipswich Town, on loan from Bournemouth), Ethan Pinnock (now at Brentford) and Liam Kitching. (now at Coventry City), promoting them to top clubs in the league.
In Edwards, Forest Green won gold. But then things went wrong.
Much to Vince’s chagrin, Edwards left for Watford in May 2022, shortly after Ligue 2 promotion was secured. Four months later, director of football Rich Hughes, who had appointed Edwards, left for Portsmouth, which had just won promotion to the Championship.
And everything that has happened since then in New Lawn — the departures of four other head coaches, two general managers and some other football director — has reflected the kind of turbulence that characterizes almost every story of a club in free fall. , even one in loose fall. As markedly different as Forest Green.
Among the large number of players and coaches who have come from Forest Green over the past two seasons, some have complained about the all-vegan menu on offer at the club’s educational pitch.
The complaints are less about the lack of meat on the menu and more about the lack of meat from one day to the next.
While the club’s hospitality at matches has been widely praised, the players’ food during the League One season has been described as “basic”, provided through an open-air catering service at the local council-owned educational flat in Chippenham, a 40-minute drive away. South of Nailsworth.
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“If you go that route, that’s fine, but you have to invest enough cash for the players to enjoy the meal and really buy into what the club is looking to do,” said a source, speaking on condition of anonymity. to maintain his relationship with his former club. ” Otherwise, some players will get takeaway food on the way home and that’s not what you want. “
But it was noted internally that the team had won two promotions on a vegan diet. To justify the effects of Forest Green over the past two seasons, this is a red herring. Or at least a plant-based red herring substitute.
In any case, significant investments have been made this season, with a full-time chef in education, a part-time nutritionist and a new high-end supplier, and the effects have not improved.
As for the team’s electric coach, presented with fanfare when the team travelled to Bristol Rovers on the day of their ascent in April 2022, it has barely been used since the 96km journey.
It’s an admirable move (in stark contrast to Premier League clubs who don’t hesitate to charter a plane for a 14-minute flight to an away game), but Forest Green have yet to find a way to make the electric coach work beyond the usual. the shortest of trips.
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The most important thing regarding Forest Green has been the decision-making.
In his speech the day after the relegation was confirmed, Vince referred to mistakes made “mainly during recruitment. “He declined to say whether he was referring to coaches or players. This applies to both.
A source says he “heard wonderful things” about Forest Green during the Hughes/Edwards period, but was immediately struck by a sense of dysfunction upon his arrival.
He cites the dramatic changes from a possession-based taste under Ian Burchnall at the start of last season to a more up-and-down technique under Duncan Ferguson last season and a replacement this season, from Ferguson to former Southampton boss David. Rider (via Troy Deeney) to Steve Cotterill.
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To the outside world, Deeney’s appointment last December smacked of desperation, or an exposition stunt on Vince’s part. The former Watford striker had been a player-manager at Forest Green since August but, despite having a UEFA A licence, there was no direct managerial experience.
The fact that his tenure lasted only 30 eventful days (adding a censure of the club for the scathing complaint of several of its players in a post-adjustment interview and a ban on four lineouts for threatening the fourth official with an opposing attack on the neighbours of Swindon Town) has been confirmed. Little surprise.
Vince felt that those two incidents had a negative effect on the club and made Deeney’s position untenable. Saying that he would “rather watch Antiques Roadshow” than his long-suffering team caused a stir. Claiming there were “too many babies” in the locker room. and that “the inmates run the prison,” harshly criticizing full-back Fankaty Dabo, only made matters worse.
But some within the club think the 35-year-old could have succeeded if he had mastered his language. Although Deeney didn’t win any of his six games in charge, there was a significant improvement in functionality that he deserved more than all three. Defeats and 3 draws resulted.
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Cotterill’s appointment in January certainly brought better results, with seven wins in 19 games since taking over, but the damage had already been done. Three days after a 6-0 away defeat to Wrexham on 13 April, relegation was confirmed.
It’s no surprise that recruitment is an issue. It’s not since January 2022, when Edwards was in charge, that Forest Green started and ended a move-in window with the same manager in charge.
There have been strong complaints from some of the players recruited, and from some of those concerned about the recruitment strategy. Hughes was well replaced by Stevie Grieve, who arrived as head of functionality and recruiting in November 2022 but disappeared after five months. Allan Steele arrived from Brentford as director of football but was sacked after nine months.
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There was an incident on a fan forum in March last year when a fan described Ross Doohan and Amadou Bakayoko, signed two months earlier by Tranmere Rovers and Bolton Wanderers respectively, as “the worst goalkeeper and striker in the world”. Vince responded by saying that the club’s opinion is “probably no different. “
This infuriated both players, as well as some of their teammates.
While Bakayoko failed to score in 19 appearances for Forest Green, he had already had respectable goals in League One with Coventry and Bolton. He spent this season on loan at Dundee, which lately ranks sixth in the 12-team Scottish Premiership, and has six. goals in 32 league games for them.
A general opinion within the club is that the Bakayoko episode summarizes the confusion of the last two years; It’s not that he is by any means a bad player, but rather that he signed through Grieve to meet Burchnall’s requirements, only to struggle with a new manager. with another taste (Ferguson) and discovers that he is being used as a stick to beat a deceased hiring manager.
In those few months, Ferguson, who signed a five-year contract in what was his first real managerial experience after two brief stints as caretaker with Everton, took the lead. But having won just one of his 18 games overall, he was fired days after the start of preseason education last July because of what resources describe as “a misalignment” between his vision and that of Steele, who was then on the scouting pace.
This was followed by the much-heralded appointment of academy director Hannah Dingley as interim head coach, overseeing the club’s pre-season preparations. Vince was accused of being a trainer for an exposure stunt, but under pressure that she was “all the way”. “top qualified” coach of the club and a selection of herbs, as well as, I hoped, an inspiring selection.
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It turns out like it did an eternity ago. Now, with Steele the latest to evolve, the whole vision of Forest Green must be built around Cotterill, a veteran of the lower department scene but very different, in terms of perspective and philosophy of play, from Edwards, Burchnall and Horseman and whatever. the past perceived as “the path of the FGR”.
If before it was thought that “Another Way” was related to football, now it is about pragmatism.
Despite the loss of leadership over the past two years, there are no howls of fury or outrage among Forest Green supporters.
The EFL’s relegation was greeted by most with “quite a bit of optimism”, according to Phil Doble of the FGR Supporters Club. Their final game of the season, a 1-0 win over Notts County on Saturday, was a joyous game, far from anger. that surrounded Oldham Athletic’s relegation from the Football League two years ago.
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“In a way, we’ve spent the last seven years rubbing our eyes lightly, especially going to places like Ipswich and Sheffield Wednesday when we were in League One,” Doble said. “You’re sitting around thinking, ‘Damn, that’s a village team. I can’t get to where we’re supposed to be. “
“Two consecutive declines are obviously disappointing, but I think most of our enthusiasts are pretty positive and pleased that Steve Cotterill is staying and that the president has made up his mind and promised to ‘move heaven and earth. ‘to get back on your feet.
It has seemed to be a much less solid club in recent times. February saw the abrupt dismissal of five key staff members, however, Doble describes the overall sentiment towards Vince as “95% positive”. “I think it’s recognized that he made the decision to go where he hasn’t been in 130 years,” he said.
Do the proponents agree with the environmental crusade?”The vast majority agree,” says Doble. At first, there were some suspicions, but they dissipated. While other people may think some things are a little weird, it’s weird. And that has benefited the club.
This is an understatement of Forest Green’s history.
The club made just over £4 million in commercial profits in the monetary year ending June 30, 2023. Much of this amount comes from Vince’s Ecotricity company, but he can point to genuine synergy between their companies. For eco-conscious brands, a deal with Forest Green has more resonance than a sponsorship deal with a more prestigious club.
Today, in many clubs, billboards are aimed at online bookmakers, unknown cryptocurrency companies, and giant global companies. At Forest Green, you’ll find green energy companies, vegan products, and charities.
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Despite advertising revenue, the club posted a pre-tax loss of £1. 36 million in its League One year, partly due to a wage bill that rose from £3. 5 million in the 2021-2022 promotion season to £4. 7 million. this season among the best in Ligue 2, but ended up being relegated again.
For a time, attendance increased significantly: from an average of 949 in the 2010-11 season, his first Vince property, to 2,772 in his first crusade as an EFL club seven years later.
But even that promotional crusade led by Edwards two years ago, the average attendance didn’t exceed 2,715 people.
It surpassed the following season (3,148), but is the second-lowest average in the Third Division and, with the team struggling on the pitch, crowds increased significantly thanks to away fans from clubs such as Derthrough, Ipswich, Portsmouth and Wednesday.
This season’s average attendance has fallen to 2,473 – just less than the other 71 clubs in the 3 EFL tiers, but also 10 clubs in the National League, one department below.
Saturday’s attendance of 3,610 was the second-highest of the season, thanks to heavily discounted costs for younger fans. But even then, the visiting fans made up 1,169 more people, and there were plenty of National League clubs with fans like Notts County.
With cuts in the Premier League’s solidarity bills now that it is on the verge of withdrawing from the EFL, Forest Green’s reliance on profits will increase.
Some enthusiasts wonder if Vince, whose media presence and influence has grown since he launched his aid and monetary aid to the opposition Labour Party for the general election that will take place in the UK over the next nine months, still has his centre in the Forest. Green project.
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He could not be persuaded to answer questions about the club for this article, but his commitment to Forest Green is unwavering.
This “heaven and earth” message was followed up a week later through a statement from the club detailing the investment and progress made at Eco Park, the site planned for its new ground. An application for a building permit has been submitted for the 5,000-seat all-timber building. Two pitches have been installed at the adjacent school, which the team hopes to be able to use for the start of pre-season in July.
The question has long been raised as to whether Forest Green could ever attract enough enthusiasts to fill a 5,000-seat stadium.
Vince believes that in time, in a more readily available spot near the M5 motorway, they will be, and that the Eco Park allocation will establish a popular green spot that the rest of the football industry will aspire to in due course. to.
As for Forest Green’s ambitions on the pitch, the club has been wearing 3 small stars on the back of their shirts for six years. The first, which is already full, signals his arrival in the Football League. The moment was fulfilled in 2022 after promotion to League One. The 3rd remains dimmed, waiting for the color when/if they triumph in the championship.
But Vince and Forest Green arguably wouldn’t apologize for thinking big or thinking differently.
In a game where the preference for global domination trumps the fear for the planet, your good luck has a sure appeal.
Almost everything in Forest Green is sustainable. Only the club’s ambitions don’t seem to be.
The hope here is that ambitions can already be recycled.
(Top photo: Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)