This article is part of the ‘League Preview’ series, in which every day we take a detailed look at one of Aldershot Town’s 23 prospective opponents for the upcoming National League season.
Today’s focus is 2021/22 League Two champions, and 2016/17 National League play-off winners, Forest Green Rovers.
Founded in 1889, FGR may be best known for their efforts in becoming the first fully vegan and carbon-neutral club, with a pioneering ethos of off-pitch sustainability. However, their on-field exploits have made just as many headlines in recent years, becoming a Football League club for the first time in 2017, and climbing as high as League One five years later.
While successive relegations finds the ‘Green Army’ back in their usual berth as a step-one club, the club’s intentions of returning to the EFL are clear, finishing in third place last time out. Tasked with achieving promotion at the second time of asking is among the most high-profile faces in the league this season, former Blackburn, Leicester and Derby County midfielder Robbie Savage.
The former pundit and ‘Class of 92’ member impressed upon his first foray into management, winning the Northern Premier League with Macclesfield FC last term. Though jumping two steps of the English Football Pyramid, this may prove a worthy test of the Welshman’s tactical acumen.
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Where is Forest Green?
The only side in the division whose location is not entirely clear from their branding, Forest Green Rovers are based in the town of Nailsworth, Gloucestershire. With a population of roughly 5,700, this civil parish is by some distance the smallest settlement in the county to possess a professional football team. Approximately 85 miles from the EBB Stadium, this 1h 53m journey will mark Aldershot’s eighth-closest away trip of the upcoming league season.
Hartlepool are one of just two professional football clubs in Gloucestershire, alongside League Two outfit, Cheltenham Town. In terms of local rivals, EFL stalwarts Swindon Town and Bristol Rovers are equidistant, while in this season’s National League, there is plenty of travelling to be done, as Brackley Town represent this season’s closest away day (65 miles). Outside of the town itself, Forest Green currently serves as the closest place to see fifth-tier football or higher in Dursley (~15,000 pop.), Cirencester (16,000) and most notably, Stroud (33,000).
Forest Green Rovers play their home matches at The Bolt New Lawn, originally known as simply The New Lawn. Opening its doors in 2006, this 5,147 capacity ground took just one year to built, and has been the side’s home for exactly 20 years come May. The New Lawn is the 16th largest ground in this season’s National League.
Forest Green finished the 2024/25 season with an average league attendance of 1,922, the 15th highest among teams in this season’s competition.
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Recent history and club highlights
As alluded to above, the past ten years have seen FGR supporters experience both unparalleled highs, and crushing lows.
2024/25 – National League (3rd)
2023/24 – League Two (24th, Relegated)
2022/23 – League One (24th, Relegated)
2021/22 – League Two (1st, Promoted)
2020/21 – League Two (6th)
2019/20 – League Two (10th)
2018/19 – League Two (5th)
2017/18 – League Two (21st)
2016/17 – National League (3rd, Promoted via play-offs)
2015/16 – National League (2nd)
The Green became a Football League club for the very first time in 2017, finally winning the National League play-offs after two unsuccessful attempts prior. The side beat Tranmere Rovers 3-1 in front of a Wembley Crowd of 18,800.
Having found stability in the fourth-tier for four seasons, they would go one better in 2021-22. Led by current Middlesbrough boss, Rob Edwards, Forest Green Rovers would claim the League Two title by virtue of goal difference, securing their first ever foray into third-tier football. However, while Edwards would go from strength to strength, leaving Gloucestershire to go and manage Luton Town, for whom he would achieve an unthinkable Premier League promotion the very next season, FGR would find League One a bridge too far, relegated at the first time of asking. Finishing rock bottom in successive EFL seasons, a somewhat excessive hangover to 2022’s promotion party saw decades of hard work undone in 24 months, returning them to the summit of non-league.
Outside of league action, the club have made the FA Trophy Final on two occasions (1999 & 2001), and won the 1982 FA Vase.
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Pre-season, incoming transfers and other news
At time of writing, Forest Green have made 9 first team signings.
| Player | Pos. | Age | Arriving from… | Highest level played |
| Jayden Clarke | LM | 24 | Gillingham | League Two |
| Cairo Mitchell | CF | 27 | Rochdale | National League (Rochdale) |
| Luke McNicholas | GK | 25 | Wrexham | LOI Premier (Sligo) |
| Laurent Mendy | CDM | 28 | Macclesfield | NL South (Dartford) |
| Yahya Bamba | CF | 26 | Eastbourne | NL South (Eastbourne) |
| Tre Pemberton | RM | 26 | Macclesfield | Northern PL (Macclesfield) |
| Neil Kengni | RW | 25 | Macclesfield | Northern PL (Macclesfield) |
| Abraham Kanu (loan) | CB | 20 | Reading | League One (Reading) |
| Isaac Moore (loan) | CM | 19 | Coventry U21 | N/A |
Robbie Savage has thus far entrusted three of his Northern Premier League winning Macclesfield side with a hefty step up, bringing Laurent Mendy, Tre Pemberton and Neil Kengni down from Cheshire with him.
Forest Green’s current pre-season schedule, which with only two fixtures seems bitesize in comparison with their peers, is as follows:
Slimbridge 0-3 Forest Green (04/07)
Forest Green vs Walsall (26/07)
After preparations conclude hosting League Two Walsall, the green army will begin their National League campaign in the West Midlands, with a trip to Solihull Moors on Saturday, 9th August.
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When will Aldershot and Forest Green play each other?
Following the release of the National League fixture list, the Shots are due to host the Green Army on Saturday, 8th November, while Tommy Widdrington’s men will make their trip to rural Gloucestershire on Saturday, 7th March.
The sides first crossed paths in January 2002, where a third-round FA Trophy tie required a replay to reach its conclusion. A 1-1 draw in Gloucestershire earned a midweek clash with home advantage. However, it would be Rovers who would advance, winning 3-2 in North Hampshire.
They would first share a division in 2003/04, where Aldershot got the early rub of the green with an emphatic 3-0 victory at the Rec. Since then, however, it has been the South-west side whose record fares better overall…
Games played: 23
Aldershot wins: 6
Forest Green wins: 11
Draws: 6
Aggregate score: 32-42
Record Shots victory: 3-0 (2003)
Record FGR victory: 4-0 (2016)
The sides last met in December, where the travelling Shots took a point away with them after drawing 1-1 at the New Lawn. A Ryan Jones opener was quickly cancelled out by FGR defender Charlie McCann around the half-time mark, with the scores staying level throughout the second.
