Forest Green Rovers FC  

The picturesque Cotswold town of Nailsworth isn’t the kind of place you would normally associate with a thriving football club.   

With a population of around 6,000 the Gloucestershire town should be more of a Mecca for hill-walkers and ramblers but instead is home to one of the most incredible success stories in NonLeague football history. 

Forest Green Rovers, the club on the hill, have got to be the most overachieving club in NonLeague football.   

Proving once and for all that size really doesn’t matter Forest Green have established themselves as one of the top clubs in the country and have now moved into a brand new multi-million pound stadium apparently built with full support of the entire local community. 

The origins of the Rovers club date back to the 19^th century though it wasn’t until late 1960s that they began to play senior NonLeague football.   

Formed in 1890 as Nailsworth and Forest Green FC the club began life playing in the Stroud & District League.  The clubs first real taste of success came in 1920 when they were involved in a three way tie at the top of the table only to lose out in a hastily arranged round-robin with Chalford eventually crowned champions. 

Forest Green Rovers then graduated into the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League but resigned in 1934.   

But Rovers soon bounced back and, after winning the Dursley & Wotton-under-Edge League in 1937, they landed the Northern Senior League title scoring over 100 goals and remaining unbeaten in the process.   

Back-to-back championships followed in 1950 and 1951 as success on the field was matched by development off it with the clubs ground at ‘The Lawn’ evolving from little more than a field into a recognizable football stadium. 

Senior NonLeague football arrived in Forest Green in 1968 when the club joined the newly formed Gloucestershire County League.  During their seven years in that league Rovers only once finished outside the top ten and twice occupied a top three spot.   

1975 saw Rovers switch to the Hellenic League and quickly established themselves as a team to be reckoned with.   

Under the management of Bob Mursell Rovers completed a memorable double in 1982 when they not only won the Hellenic Premier Division but also landed the FA Vase with a 3-0 win over Notts Alliance side Rainworth Miners Welfare.   

Over 12,000 fans turning up at Wembley to see the small Gloucestershire side win their first ever national trophy. 

Promotion to the Midland Division of the Southern League saw them finish third in 1983 though subsequent seasons saw the club struggling to maintain their status.   

A name change to Stroud FC in 1989 brought only protests from the terraces and the club soon reverted back to their traditional name and in the mid-1990s the club really took off. 

Frank Gregan had taken over as manager as the club switched the Southern Division of the Southern League and he inspired Rovers to win the league in 1996/97.   

And, once again, success on the pitch was matched off it as club built new stands at The Lawn.  Promotion was immediately followed by winning the Premier Division and, remarkably, Rovers were now a Conference club.   

They made a return visit to the Twin Towers in 1999 when they lost to Kingstonian in the FA Trophy Final.  Another final appearance came in 2001 though Rovers were again the losing side; this time to Canvey Island though the club had by that time established themselves as a Conference team with a best finish of ninth in 2003. 

The club have now embarked on a new era by moving further up the hill to their new purpose built new stadium as they look for further success.