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Barnet v Forest Green Rovers

Nationwide Conference
Saturday 13 April 3.00pm

Updated 12/04/02

Forest Green Rovers are currently fighting off relegation. Losing 0-2 at home to fellow strugglers Chester last Saturday didn't help and neither did losing 2-0 again, away to Morecambe on Monday. They are now in 18th place.

Earlier this season The Bees went down to The Lawn and came away with a point after a 2-2 draw.

Rovers havn't won a game since the 9th of March, 2-1 at home to Hayes. The match previous to that was at Woking where they also won 4-3. Since then they've only picked up two points.

This could be a tough match for the men in Black and Amber, we'll be without Heald, Gledhill and Doolan, all suspended, so Rovers latest goal-machine Mark Cooper (not that one) will be looking to add to his recent tally.

Peter Shreeves Record

Rovers' Last Six

All League games
L L D D L L

Home
W W L L D L

Away
D L W L D L

Updated 12/04/02

Peter Shreeves has three players suspended for Barnet’s game with Forest Green. John Doolan and Greg Heald both serve the first of two-game suspensions imposed for 10 bookings, while Lee Gledhill misses the first of three after his sending off at Stevenage. Rob Sawyers is hoping to be involved after injury.

Austin Berkley was carried off during the Boston game a couple of weeks ago. He collided with an opposition player which resulted in him twisting his right ankle to some severity.

Ben Strevens went to Lilleshall last Monday and was due back toady. It puts him in new surroundings with fellow pro's with similar injuries which helps the player. He's doing really well and hopefully we can see the return of Ben before the season ends. He's responded well to treatment and rehab and is hopeful that he will be fit for selection for tomorrow's game.

Relegation-threatened Forest Green will give Rob Cousins a late fitness test before the crucial game with Barnet. The 31-year-old defender has missed the last two games with a hamstring tear and boss Nigel Spink rates him as only 50-50. After Monday’s 2-0 defeat at Morecambe, Spink’s team now sit just two points above the Conference drop zone.

Below is Barnet and Forest Green Rovers' league details based on their Home and Away performances.

Once again, the Sunday Times Illustrated History of Football yields nothing on Forest Green Rovers. However, it does tell the interesting story of one Jim Forrest, a striker for Celtic Rangers. In 1966/67, the famous Scottish side were sensationally knocked out of the Scottish FA Cup in the first round - after winning it four times in the previous five seasons.

The lowly (second?) division side (whose ground was actually in Northumberland, and may still be for all I care) that beat them 1-0 were called Berwick Rangers. Jim Forrest and fellow striker, George McLean, were held responsible for not getting past Berwick's goalie/manager, Jock Wallace and were summarily transferred. Interestingly (or not) Jock Wallace was appointed as coach for Celtic in 1970. Ho Hum...

History

In 1890 Forest Green were founded by Rev Perch a local clergyman. The club originally played on a small sloping field by what was called the Foresters Inn.

Now formed as Forest Green they entered the Stroud&District Football league finishing their first season claiming second place in 1903. 1920, Forest Green came level on points in the Stroud League only to lose out in a play-off for promotion.

In 1922 The Gloucestershire Northern Senior league was formed in which Rovers were invited to play and finished a highly respectable fourth.

Forest Green won their first 'major' honour in the 1927/28 Season beating Sharpness 4-3 in the final of the Northern Senior League Cup. Rovers moved 200 yards up the hill in 1931 to the lawn (now their present stadium) building a small tin shed as their first proper changing rooms. They eventually won the Northern Senior league in 1938 with an undefeated record.

In 1950 purpose built changing rooms were constructed complete with showers for both teams and by 1961 The Lawn had developed into a proper stadium. But, despite these facilities the club struggled to live up to the new surroundings on the pitch.

Eight years later the Gloucestershire County League was established, bringing together select clubs from the Northern Senior League and the Bristol area. However, Rovers only managed to qualify because of their new ground. In 1975 the Hellenic league was formed and once again Forest's superior facilities enabled them to join, finishing the first season in a creditable fourth spot.

Within six years Forest Green were accepted into The Southern League after capturing the Hellenic League title and the FA Vase in the same season. The club continued to prosper until 1983 when they slipped into a mid table trough and in 1989 changed the name to Stroud Football Club in an attempt to 'kick start' the club's ambitions.

This experiment left the club with a legacy of debt as gates dipped below 50 for some home games. In 1992 the Forest Green name was re-adopted under new directors led by Chairman Trevor Horsley, surviving relegation from the Southern League by one place. The following year an unknown manager, Frank Gregan was appointed but with little immediate effect. A re-organisation of the Dr Martens (Southern) League the following season moved Forest Green into a different pool of clubs, which co-coincided with the construction of a new purpose built main stand complex, completed in 1996.

In May 1997 Forest Green became Southern Division Champions thanks to Gregans emphasis on a direct attacking style supported by strong defence. The following season saw them promoted to the Football Conference with dramatic home wins against Merthyr and Bath City 3-1 and 2-0 respectively.

Their first season in the Conference initially proved to be a struggle from which they emerged with great credit to finish 12th. This season also saw the bonus of an FA Trophy Final place at Wembley. The writer and a handful of Barnet fans watched their lamentable display against Kingstonian, never dreaming that we would ever become league opponents!

The 98/99 season almost saw Rovers relegated as a last gasp win over Kettering saw other results go in their favour. By November 2000 Trevor Horsley felt that he had no option but to replace Gregan who had never managed to fully adapt to the more sophisticated tactics required of conference teams whose pitches boast the occasional blade of grass! Ex Villa Keeper Nigel Spink and initially David Norton became joint managers, leading the team out of the relegation zone and into another Trophy Final, this time at Villa Park. Again your correspondent made the journey only to witness another disappointing display, this time against Ryman League side Canvey Island.

This season has seen the team continue to build for the future and sole manager Nigel Spink has been rewarded has been rewarded with a fine run of results. Undefeated since a 1-5 disaster at Doncaster on 5th October, the Barnet Fixture will be their first league match since beating Chester City away 3-2 on 10th November.

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