Last Update:
November 28, 2024
The New Lawn Ground is situated on the western edge of the picturesque Cotswold town of Nailsworth. The name Forest Green is taken from the area of the town where the clubs home is found. Opened in 2006, the New Lawn ground is situated on top of a fairly steep hill and is quite exposed to the elements. It is only a short distance from the site of their old Lawn ground, which has now been redeveloped for housing.
The stadium is dominated by the smart-looking Main (East) Stand at one side of the pitch. This stand is all seated and has a capacity of 1,881. It has a cantilever roof as well as a row of executive boxes running across the back of it. The team ‘dugout’ areas are located at the front of this stand. Opposite is the small open West Terrace, which is only seven steps high. On one side of this terrace, towards the South Stand, a small covered seated stand has been erected for use by away fans. This odd-looking prefabricated stand has just two rows of seats and is elevated above pitch level. Running along the back of this terrace are four floodlight pylons.
Interestingly both ends have to different degrees been relocated from the old Lawn ground to the new stadium. At the Nympsfield Road (North) end of the ground, is a covered terrace, the roof of which came from the Barnfield Road side of the old ground. Opposite is the South Stand. This terrace was originally the Trevor Horsley Stand at the old ground and was re-erected at the New Lawn. Overall the New Lawn is a small but tidy stadium that is well maintained.
Away fans are housed on the West side of the ground, mostly on the open terrace that has a capacity of around 1,000 fans. During the Summer of 2018, a small temporary covered area was installed towards the South Stand, which has a capacity of 200 seats. Although not ideal it at least does provide some shelter on what is otherwise an uncovered terrace. It may also help away fans generate some more noise from that side too. The entrance to the away terrace is at the back of the stadium from the main entrance and the access paths are quite narrow. Entrance to the ground is via electronic turnstiles, meaning that you need to scan your ticket to gain admittance.
If you are looking for a Meat Pie, Beef Burger or Hot Dog to buy inside the ground, then you will be disappointed, as the Club has decided not to sell any meat products and instead only sell Vegan ones. So on offer, are Veggie Burgers (£3.30), Q-Pies (filled with Quorn £3.50) Chips and Curry Sauce (£3.20), Chip Butties (£3.20) and Chips (£2.70).
My visits to The New Lawn (and the old ground for that matter) have been most enjoyable and it would be difficult to find a more friendly and welcoming club than this one. If the chance arises, a visit to this Gloucestershire ground is a pleasant day outing in a unique setting.
- The George Inn – New Market Road, GL6 0RF
- The Brittania – New Market Road, GL6 0DG
- The Village Inn – Bath Road, GL6 0HH
- Egypt Mill Hotel – Stroud Road, Gl6 0AE
For fans looking for a friendly atmosphere at The New Lawn, the North Stand is the best place to watch the match. This area of the ground is where families are located and is standing only.
At the other end of the ground is the South Stand, which is renowned for having the most passionate Forest Green supporters. The best viewing spots, though, are in the East and West Stands. At the East end of the New Lawn, you are extremely close to the action, and it is seating only. There are various VIP and hospitality facilities available in this stand.
Finally, the West Stand is where the visiting fans are located. This side of the New Lawn, which can be problematic in the event of cold or rainy weather conditions. On their website, Forest Green said: “This stand is exclusively available to visiting fans. The West is a mixture of standing terraces with a limited number of undercover seats.”
The New Lawn Seating Plan
Forest Green’s vegan range (@FGRFC_Official)
💷 £3-5 pic.twitter.com/xHArvyEUDD
— Footy Scran (@FootyScran) January 27, 2022
The Club club have been given planning permission to build a new 5,000-capacity stadium near Junction 13 of the M5. The new stadium is being billed as the ‘greenest football ground in the World’ being eco-friendly and constructed of wood. The Club selected World-renowned architect Zaha Hadid to design the new stadium. Zaha Hadid is currently involved in designing new stadiums for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and previous works have included the Aquatic Centre built in London for the 2012 Olympic Games. The image below of an artists impression of how the new stadium might look is supplied courtesy of the Forest Green Rovers website where more images of the proposed stadium can be viewed. No timescales have been published as to when construction of the new stadium will commence.
Forest Green’s current stadium is well known for the fact the club have followed innovative solutions to make their stadium green and has become the first carbon-neutral club in the world. They haven’t been at the New Lawn stadium forever though. They started life in a stadium called The Lawn Ground before a three-year hiatus at Nailsworth. That short spell ended in 1927 and they returned to the original Lawn Ground. They remained there through 2006 before the move to the creatively named New Lawn.
When planning a trip here, don’t try and find Forest Green on your map, look up Nailsworth, south of Stroud in Gloucestershire. The best way to approach is from the M5 exit at junction 13 and head for Stroud on the A419. At Stroud turn onto the A46 towards Nailsworth. This will bring you into the centre of the town when you reach the Information Centre take the first right at the mini roundabout into Spring Hill, which goes up a steep hill signposted by Forest Green. The Lawn is at the top of this hill. Turn left at the roundabout at the ‘summit’ into the stadium entrance. There is no parking available in the club car park for visiting fans unless you are a blue badge holder who has pre-booked a space. A short distance away down Nympsfield Road is Nailsworth Primary School which offers parking at £5 per car. Otherwise, there is plenty of on-street parking in the area, although please be considerate to residents.
Park & Ride
The Club operates a Park & Ride scheme from the premises of Renishaw plc, which are located on the main A46 Stroud Road (GL5 5EY). There are 200 spaces for cars and a cost of £3 per vehicle. Buses up to the ground commence up to three hours before kick-off and return after the match has ended.
There is no railway station in Nailsworth itself. The nearest is in Stroud which is five miles away. I would, therefore, consider getting a taxi from the station to the ground and booking one back for your return. Stroud Railway Station is served by trains from London Paddington, Swindon and Cheltenham Spa.
Otherwise, as Mike Chappell informs me; ‘You can also take a bus from Stroud to very near the ground in Nailsworth. Stagecoach Bus Number 63 operates a half-hourly service on Saturday afternoons, with the journey taking just under half an hour. You can catch the bus in Stroud from behind the Merrywalks Shopping Centre across the road from the Vue Cinema where there are three bus stops in a row. On passing through Nailsworth the bus loops around near the ground (which you can’t miss) and stops outside the nearby Nailsworth Primary School on Nympsfield Road. This is where you also get back on the bus after the game has ended. It takes around ten minutes to walk from Stroud Railway Station to the Number 63 bus stop.’ As you come out of Stroud Railway Station proceed up the station approach the road and at the top turn left. Then take the next right and just past Poundland there is the entrance to the Merrywalks Shopping Centre. Just walk to the back of the Centre following the signs for the Vue Cinema/Bus Station. The bus costs £3 single or £5.10, for an Adult Return ticket. A Number 63 timetable can be found on the Stagecoach website (PDF document). Unfortunately, the Number 63 does not operate late on weekday evenings, so if attending a mid-week game you will have to rely on other transport such as a taxi to get back to Stroud. A taxi costs around £15 each way.
Christopher Mott informs me; ‘We had hoped to get a taxi from the ground at the end of the game, but the local taxi firms refused to come to the stadium because “there was a football game going on”. The drivers seemed to fear that they would get stuck in the traffic as local cars left the ground and they wouldn’t be able to pick up easily. This caused my wife and me to panic and we had to leave the game early to catch a 63 bus that would get us back to Stroud in time for the train.’
Adult: £19-£23
Over 65: £15-£18
U21: £10-£14
U18: £7-£8
U11: £1
Official Programme £3
Forest Green vs Cheltenham Town rivalry: A study conducted a few years ago ranked this derby game as one of the biggest in the country. Bonkers, right? We’re not having that as factually accurate but clearly, the fans of the two Gloucestershire-based clubs have a beef with one another.
Forest Green vs Gloucester rivalry: Before Forest Green climbed the pyramid their meetings with Gloucester were quite regular and the two nearby clubs developed a rivalry. Now they don’t play very often the dislike has settled into friendly banter. We’re sure if the two play again consistently the spice will soon come back.
For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website.
Record Attendance
4,836 v Derby County
FA Cup 3rd Round, 3rd January 2009
Average Attendance
2023-2024: 2,381 (League Two)
2022-2023: 3,148 (League One)
2021-2022: 2,226 (League Two)
2020-2021: 120 (Covid) (League Two)
2019-2020: 2,542 (League Two)
Official Web Site:Â www.fgr.co.uk
If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I’ll update the guide.
Special thanks to Ben Laurens, Mike Cleave and Richard Smith for providing photos of the South side of the New Lawn Stadium and new Away Seated Stand.
Ground Layout
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Images
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Forest Green Rovers v Port Vale
EFL League Two
Tuesday 11th February 2020, 7.45 pm
David Adams (Port Vale)
Forest Green Rovers v Scunthorpe United
League 2
Saturday 7th December 2019, 3pm
Christopher Lynskey (Scunthorpe United)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the New Lawn Ground?
It was my first visit to The New Lawn and it was Scunthorpe’s first league visit only having previously played there once before in the FA Cup.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The journey down from North Lincs was excellent in the car with the motorways surprisingly ‘traffic-free’ if that’s the word. We drove up to the ground to see where we could park later after some refreshments in Nailsworth at the bottom of the very steep hill. The ground is signposted off the A46 Bath Road and was easy to find.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
In Nailsworth, we parked off Old Market Street in a free car park where you get 2 hours parking and the warden was patrolling so beware. We headed for the Village Inn on Bath Road and this was only a five minute walk. This pub allows you to take food in from Walkers Fish & Chips nearby which was very handy and we took advantage of that and they were very good albeit a little pricey. The local Forest Green fans were very friendly and this is definitely a family orientated club.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the New Lawn Stadium?
We parked locally near to the ground without any issues. The ground is very compact with small stands and terraces which are narrow from front to back. We had actually purchased tickets for the covered terrace in the West Stand which was hardly worth it considering you would more than likely get wet if it was raining. The view was good from the terrace and we had plenty of room due to the small away fan contingent of just over 200 supporters.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Scunthorpe rode their look in the first half but gradually came more into the game as their current form was good and went onto win 2-0. Forest Green had also missed a penalty. The game was marred by a racially motivated incident which was directed at a Scunthorpe player. This was disappointing to say the least and is not welcome in any sport. The game was stopped by the referee for a short time and there was an announcement from the public address system requesting any witnesses to report to the nearest steward and I believe some did, reading the press later.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Easy from our parking spot near to the ground and we were moving off at 5.10pm back down the hill and heading back up North to Scunthorpe.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
An excellent day out made more the merrier by taking the three points back up North and continuing Scunthorpe’s run of good form.
Forest Green Rovers v Plymouth Argyle
League Two
Saturday 16th November 2019, 3pm
Bryan Davis (Plymouth Argyle)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the New Lawn Ground?
A close ground for us and one that we hadn’t been to before. I believe that this was the first competitive match between Forest Green Rovers and Plymouth Argyle.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
It was easy enough until you get close to the ground which is at the edge of Nailsworth at the top of the hill towards Nympsfield. We came from the Nympsfield direction and the last two miles is a narrow country lane. We parked in the Nailsworth Primary School car park at a cost of £5. We arrived at about 1 pm and were one of the last cars to get a space. The car park adjoining the stadium is reserved parking only. There seemed to be a lot of supporters’ cars parked on the surrounding housing estate roads.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We got some snacks from the local shop before heading to the ground, we didn’t speak to any of the Forest Green supporters, but the atmosphere was fine.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the New Lawn Stadium?
The stadium is relatively new and has the feeling of a small non-league set up, although the Main East Stand is quite impressive. However, as a visiting supporter, it seems rather make-shift with a marquee tacked on to the back of the North Stand with a bar serving drinks, this area is not properly surfaced and is uneven gravel. There was nowhere obvious to buy any food from and little, if any, thought seems to have been given to direction signage for away supporters. By process of elimination we worked out where we were supposed to go to get into the West Terrace, the steward who we asked for help didn’t know which stand was for the away supporters!
There are only 2 turnstiles for the whole of the West Terrace, so we were glad that we had arrived in plenty of time, apparently there were long queues to get in towards kick-off time. Once inside the ground, the Main East Stand is opposite with the small North stand to the left and the slightly bigger South Stand to the right. We were fortunate to have tickets for the very small West Stand covered seating which comprises 2 rows of seats at the southern end of the West Terrace, maybe 80 seats in total. I say we were fortunate because the rest of the terrace was absolutely packed come 3 pm. The views of the action are good from where we were seated and quite close to the touchline.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.
Forest Green were top of the league coming into the game and Argyle were slowly improving having had a decent run of results (the loss at Exeter notwithstanding) after some indifferent performances earlier in the season. The pitch didn’t really lend itself to a great football match, the surface was just not good enough, but the match was entertaining all the same. Argyle started quite well and were attacking the goal closest to where we were sat so we were seeing plenty of the action. That said, Forest Green probably should have scored on a fast break after an Argyle corner, but good defensive work by Joe Edwards stopped that. Shortly afterwards, from a corner routine, Antoni Sarcevic, who has been having a good season, hit the target – 1 nil to Argyle! There was plenty going on but neither ‘keeper had very much to do.
After the break, Forest Green attacked a bit more, so again we were seeing the bulk of the action, but there was nothing the Argyle defence couldn’t handle. The six minutes of added time were a little bit stressful, but we needn’t have worried! Not the best match, but a great result.
The atmosphere was a bit subdued from the home support, especially after Argyle had scored and given the mainly open terrace for the away support it wasn’t the loudest from our side either, although it was loud enough in the tiny stand that we were in. The stewards were fine where we were, the right balance of preventing any nonsense without being heavy-handed. Forest Green is famous, or maybe infamous, for only serving vegan food. However, the queue to buy any was ridiculous, we queued from 2:10 until 2:55, there seemed to only be 2 people serving which was crazy given that Argyle had over 1200 supporters there. The food itself was okay, but nothing better or worse than that. The facilities generally seemed inadequate for the number of away supporters.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The traffic after the game was stupid, not helped by one of the Argyle supporters’ coaches being parked on the “main road”, I hope that they had not been directed to park there. It took 40 minutes to get out of the car park, but once out we were on our way easily. There is a park and ride but whilst it would be fine for getting to the ground I think you could be in for a long wait to get back to your car as the buses have to sit in the same traffic as everyone else.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A great result and an entertaining game. Not a great ground though, due to poor facilities.
Forest Green Rovers v Mansfield Town
League 2
Saturday 19th October 2019, 3pm
Paul Woodley (Neutral)
Forest Green Rovers v Mansfield Town
League 2
Saturday 19th October 2019, 3pm
Ian Cargill (Southampton fan doing the 92)
Forest Green Rovers v Coventry City
EFL Trophy Group Stage
Tuesday 8th October 2019, 7pm
Steve Bolland (Coventry City)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the New Lawn Ground?
It's not a big ground and we weren't able to get tickets for the league match when we were in the same tier last season. Therefore, an opportunity to tick off another ground in a midweek, low-key cup match seemed to be worth the trouble. Plus, who doesn't love a vegan-fuelled night out?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Approaching from the east the satnav tells you you're 5 minutes from the ground and you're still in open countryside. Are we in the right place? Then you spot the floodlights across what can only be described as a chasm with Nailsworth at the bottom. Then you drop down a road reminiscent of Alpe d'Huez with a series of switchbacks basically down a cliff. I wouldn't want to cycle up it.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We headed for the George public house on Newmarket Road mainly because it is halfway up the hill. There were no home fans about to tell if they were friendly but the landlord certainly was, commiserating us after the game when we dropped back in, talking us through the guest beers and giving us a sample of each. A great pub with easy parking.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the New Lawn Stadium?
First thoughts are difficult when you are in oxygen deficit. I take exception with the widely held view that The Hawthorns is the highest league stadium in England. The New Lawn is higher. I'm glad we only had to walk up half the hill. I'm presuming that they chose to put the stadium on top of the hill as that's the only flat bit of ground in town. I like some of the smaller Football League grounds, though, and the New Lawn certainly fits into this category. Apparently the club is building a new ground in the near future. Their old stadium was called the Lawn, the current ground is called the New Lawn. Am I alone in thinking the new one will be called the New, New Lawn?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
We know the ground is vegan, but oat milk for your half-time tea… Really? I should have smuggled a carton of proper milk in. Anyway, we were treated to a 0-0 thriller but how we didn't score in the second half I'll never know. And then we lost 8-7 on penalties! C'est la vie.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
It's downhill.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Kind of fun and a really good cardiovascular workout.
Forest Green Rovers v Colchester United
League Two
Saturday 14th September 2019, 3pm
Andrew Weston (Colchester United)
Forest Green Rovers v Newport County
League 2
Saturday 31st August 2019, 3pm
Steve Andrews (Doing the 92)
Forest Green Rovers v Newport County
League 2
Saturday 31st August 2019, 3pm
Tim Williams (Doing to 92)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the New Lawn Ground?
I completed the 92 a few seasons ago and since then there have been a few comings and goings and so some new places to visit. Forest Green Rovers were one of these. I was particularly looking forward to this visit because of what I had read about the club – its green credentials appealed to me as did the vegan pie.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The drive from London was okay. I went via Oxford to pick my son up and then drove through increasingly pleasant countryside to Nailsworth. The town itself is dramatically situated, especially driving in from the east. The road descends steeply into the town and then equally steeply out the other side and to the ground. Car parking was a challenge – there was a larger than usual crowd with Newport bringing a sizeable following. Rain in the morning led to the overflow car park being closed because the ground was wet so I had to search for a while to find some street parking.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We arrived five minutes before kick off so although we were starving we didn't get to sample the vegan pie until half time – but it was worth the wait. Everyone was very friendly and the stewards were helpful.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the New Lawn Stadium?
The ground is smart and the setting is very attractive with the Cotswolds countryside stretching into the distance. The visiting supporters filled their section and this made the atmosphere lively. The ground has a curious unfinished feel mainly due to the visitors section – there's a tiny stand with two rows of seats and then a large open terrace section so the away support is spread along the whole of one side. But on a sunny August day and with a decent size crowd this wasn't a problem. A smaller following might find it difficult to make much of an atmosphere.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was surprisingly spikey and turned on three goalkeeper errors. The first was from a back pass that the home keeper failed to control. The Newport forward took the ball off him and fired into the empty net. Shortly after the home keeper was again in trouble trying to control the ball and this time brought the visiting forward down. The referee showed him the red card. The verdict in the home end was, unsurprisingly, that this was a bit harsh and the ref took rather a lot of abuse. But Forest Green played well after this setback and, if anything, came more into the game. They created a few chances and hit the post from a free kick in the second half. But right at the death, Newport scored a second when the substitute home keeper was beaten by a long shot on his near post.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
A shortish downhill walk back to the car and then a little bit of traffic towards the town centre. Once this was cleared we were in the open country on quick roads and back in Oxford by early evening.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A great and unique day out. It's a very different football experience but definitely worth the trip.
Forest Green Rovers v Tranmere Rovers
League Two Play off Semi Final Second leg
Monday 13th May 2019, 7.45pm
Craig Perkins (Tranmere Rovers)
Forest Green Rovers v Tranmere Rovers
League Two Play off Semi Final Second leg
Monday 13th May 2019, 7.45pm
John Hague (Tranmere/Sort of neutral)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the New Lawn Ground?
Living in Leicester it's surprising how many friends I've made who are Tranmere fans. So when they drew Forest Green in the play offs the chance of a new ground was just too hard to resist. I was also interested in the ethics behind Forest Green too.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
For once I was a passenger and we had a trouble-free journey down from Leicester. We came in from the Nympsfield direction with the hope of stopping off at the ground to pick up our tickets but even at 6pm, it was chaos around the stadium. I don't envy the locals on match days as Nailsworth just isn't designed for a Football League club.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We had identified The George at Newmarket as a base camp for our pre-match pint. We also planned to walk from the there to the ground. The locals were friendly and there was a good mix of locals with home and away fans. One local showed us a shortcut up to the ground and up is the operative word here. I can't believe, after the climb up to The New Lawn, that The Hawthorns is still the highest league ground in England. Sir Edmund Hillary is reputed to have trained for Everest by having an Forest Green Rovers season ticket!
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the New Lawn Stadium?
The New Lawn is a tidy ground bit is still very non-league. The away end is an uncovered, pitch length, terrace with a small stand of covered seating at one end. The Main Stand opposite is functional as are the covered terraces at both ends. As Vinnie Jones might have said at the end of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels 'it's functional.'
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was a nervy affair and Forest Green went ahead early after a mistake from the Tranmere keeper. At that point, the home fans were making a lot of noise and the home team responded. Rovers slowly got back into the game and the away fans managed to generate a good atmosphere to urge them on. When Man of the Match, James Norwood, volleyed Tranmere level there was absolute pandemonium in the away end. Thankfully Rovers held out, helped by another red card for Forest Green.
At the end there were ecstatic scenes led by Premier League referee Mike Dean (as seen on Sky TV). I was quite interested to try the food and the chips and curry were excellent. I didn't go for a Q Pie as I really don't like Quorn (despite having a house there) or meat substitutes. If I'm eating veggie or vegan I think trying to make something look or taste like meat defeats the object and just isn't really very nice.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
A walk back to the car was thankfully downhill all the way and we were soon on our way home. The journey was trouble free until we discovered that Junction 2 on the M6 to get us onto the M69 was shut and on our diversion the A426 at Lutterworth was closed…
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A great day out, thanks to Ian for driving and Steve and Paul for the company. I'd also like to thank Mike Dean for his celebrations at the final whistle… goes to show referees are human.
Forest Green Rovers v Milton Keynes Dons
League Two
Saturday 30th March 2019, 3pm
David (Milton Keynes Dons)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the New Lawn Ground?
It was a top-six clash at the business end of the season. We had we'd just got back into the top three and the game earlier in the season at Stadium MK was a good one so I was hoping for more of the same at The New Lawn.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Getting to the ground was a doddle. I took the train from Milton Keynes to Birmingham, then Birmingham to Cheltenham and finally Cheltenham to Stroud. I then took the No. 63 bus (I got a Stroud plusbus ticket for £3.50) which was a nice simple journey too.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I went straight to ground and had a couple of Lagers at the 'Fan Zone'. There appeared to be a decent selection of Beer and Cider. I only really spoke to home fans on the way back to the station, but they all seemed like a nice bunch and weren't negative about us or the fact that we had won 2-1 when it looked nailed on for a draw.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the New Lawn Stadium?
I've been here before and always enjoy a terrace. The new covered section looks a bit odd on the away side. The rest of the stadium looks in good nick.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The curry sauce and chips were very nice. The vegan only menu restricted my options as I can't stand Quorn, although lots of our fans loved the sausage rolls. I'd love to know the ingredients for the 'Vegan' Gravy! The atmosphere was good, once they started to threaten their fans made a good noise, our fans made a decent effort as is usually the way with away fans. The stewards weren't the best (if you're going to threaten ejection for people swearing at players you need to be willing to actually carry out the threat!), although they were unobtrusive for the most part and pleasant.
The game was as entertaining as League Two has been this season and should probably have ended in a draw, but we snatched a 2-1 win with a late goal. Forest Green will be a difficult opponent for whoever gets them in the play offs.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
However, the traffic caused a near one hour wait after the game for a bus back to Stroud so don't plan on making any train out of Stroud before 18:10 if using the bus! For 'the greenest club in Europe' their fans have a LOT of Range Rovers and Jags! The road to/and from the ground is completely unsuitable for the purpose and I'm sure those who drove were getting a bit hacked off with the slow movement.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Forest Green Rovers are a very welcoming club and having been twice I can definitely recommend a visit. I hate to say this but the current set up is very 'quirky' and obviously the emphasis on being green and Vegan makes it a very different place than any other in the league. I heard on my visit that they've been granted permission to build their new wooden ground, hopefully the issues with infrastructure are dealt with too, as the issues leaving the ground were the only slight downside to a great away day.
Forest Green Rovers v Milton Keynes Dons
League Two
Saturday 30th March 2019, 3pm
Kevin Pullan (Milton Keynes Dons)
Forest Green Rovers v Lincoln City
League Two
Saturday 2nd March 2019, 3pm
Matthew McCaughan (Lincoln City)
Forest Green Rovers v Notts County
League Two
Saturday 9th February 2019, 3pm
Jim Pedley (Doing the 92)
Forest Green Rovers v Bury
League Two
Saturday 19th January 2019, 3pm
Malcolm Parr (Bury)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the New Lawn Ground?
This was my first visit to the New Lawn Ground. I was intrigued by the publicity surrounding the stadium. Additionally, I was looking forward to seeing whether we could maintain our excellent recent form.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I travelled on one of the official coaches. The journey was straightforward. However, it took some time to park the coaches because of the lack of appropriate space. There is very little parking around the ground.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We were directed to a hospitality tent which contained a bar. The bar service was incredibly slow. Toilet facilities were inadequate. However, the staff were friendly.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the New Lawn Stadium?
The stadium is built from "sustainable materials" and it blends in with its environment. Home supporters are accommodated in covered seating and two small covered terraces. We were allocated a terrace with a shallow roof at one end. The roof covers a small block of seats but not the terrace in front of it!
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Fans are compelled to choose items from a vegan menu. The toilet facilities are clean but limited. The Forest Green team are strong, well organised and well drilled. They dominated most of the game and they held on comfortably to an early lead until we made a double substitution after 60 minutes. This turned the game in our favour. We equalised and then scored the decisive goal in the last ten minutes.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The coaches were ready to move by 5.00pm. By 5.30pm we had moved 100 yards. Almost all match traffic uses the same steep and narrow lane to exit the area. We got to the bottom of the lane by 5.45pm.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I enjoy visiting new grounds and the victory maintains our momentum at the top of League Two. However, I was disappointed by the ground. The atmosphere was poor; catering is subservient to a vegan agenda; the away terrace is inadequate, the entrance is via a small gate, (inadequate for 600 Bury fans!); the stewarding is erratic; access to the stadium is very poor, as is the parking. The New Lawn, in my opinion, is barely fit for purpose at this level.
Crewe Alexandra v Forest Green Rovers
League Two
Saturday 22nd December 2018, 3pm
Callan Rowland (Crewe Alexandra)
Forest Green Rovers vs Mansfield Town
League 2
Saturday 15th December 2018, 3pm
Jack Richardson (Mansfield Town)
Forest Green Rovers v Crawley Town
League Two
Saturday 22nd September 2018, 3pm
Geoff Thornton (Crawley Town)
Forest Green Rovers v Swindon Town
League 2
Saturday 25th August 2018, 3pm
Mike Weston (Swindon Town)
Forest Green Rovers v Oldham Athletic
League Two
Saturday 11th August 2018, 3pm
Joe McDonagh (Oldham Athletic)
Forest Green Rovers v Notts County
League 2
Saturday 10th March 2018, 3pm
Dave Watson (Notts County fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the New Lawn Ground?
I hadn't been to the ground before and looking forward to a nice day out in the Cotswolds. I'm also a fan of non-league football so was nice to a see a team like Forest Green making it to the Football League.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
An easy enough journey. I parked in Nailsworth behind the Britannia pub as I got there at lunchtime. This is a free long term car park so an ideal place to park for the afternoon. The walk to the ground was about 20 minutes all uphill but not as bad as I'd feared. There is also a bus from Nailsworth up to the stadium but I didn't see it on my walk.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Went to the Village Inn to watch the lunchtime match (Man Utd v Liverpool). It is a nice pub with very friendly staff, didn't serve food but said they were happy for me to bring in fish and chips from the chippy next door. Chippy friendly but only average food.
The New Lawn
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the New Lawn Ground?
I walked to the ground from Nailsworth which is a 20 minute uphill walk. So first impressions were relief on making it! The away fans had a Marquee to themselves outside the ground which had a couple of guys selling organic ale and hot drinks. I noted that the beer was sold in biodegradable cups. The tent is outside the ground so you can bring in your own food and drink, last chance before the enforced veganism inside the stadium. Overall the New Lawn ground looked small but fairly modern except for the away end.
The Away Fans Marquee
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Notts took about 700 fans but were spread out on a very shallow terrace alongside on the pitch. This is the only stand in the ground that is open and it rained for about 20 minutes so we were pretty wet for the rest of the afternoon. The enforced veganism inside the ground is a nice thought but having no choice did make a few of us quite grumpy. The game was pretty good, Notts County having the best of the first half and Forest Green the second, County won 2-1, Having maybe just had the better of the game but could have gone either way. It was difficult to make any noise as we were in a long open terrace and the home fans were fairly quiet.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The walk back into Nailsworth made me glad that I'd parked in the center rather than near the ground as it was certainly quicker to walk than it was to drive back down the hill. When back in the car it was an easy enough drive home, only 2,800 in the ground so not a great deal of traffic once you'd got out of the bottleneck of the road out of the ground.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Lovely setting in the Cotswolds but having to stand in the rain while only having vegan food and soya milk in my tea made it quite an unwelcoming feel. Glad to have crossed the ground off my list but will not be rushing back.
Forest Green Rovers v Crawley Town
League 2
Saturday 24th February 2018, 3pm
Dan Maguire (Crawley Town fan)
Forest Green Rovers v Crawley Town
League 2
Saturday 24th February 2018, 3pm
Mike Fox (Crawley Town fan)
Forest Green v Coventry City
League Two
Saturday 3rd February 2018, 3pm
Frank Alsop (Coventry City fan)
Forest Green Rovers v Cambridge United
Football League 2
Saturday 20th January 2018, 3pm
Rob Graddage (Cambridge United)
Forest Green Rovers v Cambridge United
Football League 2
Saturday 20th January 2018, 3pm
Brian Scott (Neutral fan)
Forest Green Rovers v Port Vale
League Two
Saturday 6th January 2018, 3pm
Matt Bullock (Neutral fan)
Forest Green Rovers v Port Vale
League Two
Saturday 6th January 2018, 3pm
Matt Forrester (Port Vale fan)
Forest Green Rovers v Wycombe Wanderers
League Two
Monday 1st January 2018, 3pm
Hugh Connor (Wycombe Wanderers fan)
Forest Green Rovers v Crewe Alexandra
League Two
Saturday 18th November 2017, 3pm
Glen Laing (Crewe Alexandra fan)
Forest Green Rovers v Macclesfield Town
FA Cup 1st Round
Saturday 4th November 2017, 3pm
Rob Dodd (Doing the 92)
Forest Green Rovers v Macclesfield Town
FA Cup 1st Round
Saturday 4th November 2017, 3pm
David Wells (Doing the 92)
Forest Green Rovers v Morecambe
League Two
Saturday 28th October 2017, 3pm
Phillip Bell (Doing the 92)
Forest Green Rovers v Accrington Stanley
Football League Two
Saturday 30th September 2017, 3pm
Paul Dickinson (Doing the 92)
Forest Green Rovers v Exeter City
Football League Two
Saturday 9th September 2017, 3pm
Gary Parker (Exeter City fan)
Forest Green Rovers v Yeovil Town
Football League Two
Saturday 19th August 2017, 3pm
John Birch (Doing the 92)
Forest Green Rovers v Barnet
Football League Two
Saturday 5th August 2017, 3pm
Michael Lenihan (Doing the 92)
Forest Green Rovers v Bristol Rovers
Pre-Season Friendly Match
Saturday 22nd July 2017, 3pm
Mike Chappell (Doing the 92)
Forest Green Rovers v Chester
National League
Friday 14th April 2017, 3pm
Phil Graham (Chester fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the New Lawn ground?
The New Lawn is another ground I have never been to before.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Long and challenging. Journey up by train from London Paddington via Swindon. The train was jam packed which led to a few frayed tempers but apparently this is a common practice with Great Western Trains! Then the Swindon to Stroud Train only had two carriages! Not too clever on a public holiday. Once at Stroud, it was a short five minute walk down to the Bus Station to catch the Number 63 Bus to Nailsworth which drops you about two minutes from the ground.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
After the previously mentioned nightmare train journey to Stroud a pint was in order so we called into the Queen Victoria Pub near the Bus Station for a Guinness. Quite a few Forest Green fans on the bus so anyone unsure what stop to alight the bus should just follow them. Went into the Green Man at the ground but the line to the Bar was at least 20 people deep so never bothered getting a pint.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the New Lawn Stadium?
The away End is actually quite similar to Torquay United. A covered terrace of about ten steps. The only seating is in the Main Stand which runs the whole length of the pitch. The rest of the ground is pretty basic but I guess there is not much point them improving it anymore if they get the go ahead for their new stadium.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Forest Green Rovers hit a post and had a shot cleared off the line in first minute and things didn't get any better for Chester as they were comfortably beaten 2-0. The all Vegan menu in my mind is an example of the club owner forcing his opinions and preferences on fans (Although the Curry & Chips on offer was a pleasant surprise!) Not much atmosphere which I guess was to be expected. Interesting that in the programme a mention is made of the club's desire to be "Britain's most sustainable Football Club" I guess the irony is that at the moment they are anything but that, without the owners considerably investment.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Short wait for the Bus back to Stroud. A steady flow of traffic and small queue back on too the main road but nothing too long and was back at the train station in plenty of time for the 18:10 to Swindon. Which thankfully was nowhere near as busy as it was earlier.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A long day on packed trains to watch my team get beat is never a good day. If as I suspect Forest Green Rovers do not get promoted then although I'll go back next year it certainly won't be a trip I'll look forward too. There is something false about the place that It could all come crashing down one day if the owner pulls out, but at least we can have a meat pie then!
Forest Green Rovers v Dagenham and Redbridge
National League Premier
Saturday 29th October 2016, 3pm
Garry Procter (Dagenham and Redbridge fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the New Lawn Ground?
Forest Green Rovers are currently top of the league. Plus the New Lawn Ground is one that I have not visited before.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
This was easy as I came on the supporters coach.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Had a quick beer in the Green Man bar at the stadium itself. The home supporters were very welcoming.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the New Lawn Ground?
The New Lawn is a nice modern ground. I had a good view of the pitch. I also noticed the energy saving installations (solar PV etc.) around the stadium.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was pretty even and played in a good clean manner. The atmosphere was generally good and the stewards friendly. Food wise was the only let down unfortunately. The vegan only option wasn't popular with the away fans. I think the club have missed a trick and should offer traditional fare as well as the vegan option. Most away fans didn't chose to buy food from the kiosk. Also the soya milk in tea and coffee wasn't popular and much of it was discarded after one sip (real shame). I don't really understand why the club continue to pursue this ethos.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Surprisingly it took nearly an hour to get down the hill from the ground into the town centre. I guess the nature of the location of the New Lawn Ground up above the town (a very pretty town by the way) doesn't lend itself to a quick get away.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
All good with the exception of the food option (we. Carried out a poll of fans after the game and this was pretty unanimous) and the slow getaway after the game. Other than that the club and its fans were pleasant.
Forest Green Rovers v Eastleigh
Conference National League
Saturday 20th February 2016, 3pm
Peter Laggan (Neutral fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the New Lawn football ground?
This was a special game for me as I was taking my daughter to a game for the first time since I promised to take her to one 20 years ago! It was also her birthday and, as she is a vegan, I was taking her to the only "meat free" ground in the country (world?), so she was happy.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I picked my daughter up from Bristol and from there it is an easy 45 minute drive via the M32, M4 and A46. Anyone coming from the South should allow approximately 30 minutes to get from the M4 to the ground.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
As this was a special occasion I pre-booked 2 VIP Dining tickets by phone from the Forest Green Rovers Reception. The cost was £35 plus VAT. So for the cost of a ticket to a Premier League game I got priority parking, premier seating in the Main Stand, a programme, a drink on arrival, a hot lunch and tea and cakes at half time! I must give a plug for the food here. Despite being a life-long carnivore and a football pie aficionado, I found the that the food was spectacularly good. I had the 'famous' Q-Pie – with chips and gravy – which was delicious and one of the best pies I have had in a football ground (I think Q stands for Quorn, but it tasted just like a chicken and leek pie). The burgers looked yummy and were selling extremely well and there was even an Indian curry dish if you wanted it. I think a lot of clubs could learn from Forest Green Rovers on how to cater for their fans. I would go to this ground for the food alone.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the New Lawn stadium?
The ground itself is, for the Conference League, one of the best I have been to. I was in the Main (East) Stand where the restaurant and directors boxes are and most of the home fans are seated here. The North Stand holds the away fans (standing) and there is a small food outlet called the Devil's Kitchen which, I presume, also serves vegetarian food only.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Forest Green Rovers are challenging for the top spot in the league (although they are playing second fiddle to their bigger local rivals Cheltenham). Eastleigh are mid-table and the game reflected the league positions with Forest Green looking like a better balanced team. The result went with current form and Forest Green won 2-1.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground was a doddle (although I was in the priority parking area). A short drive downhill into Nailsworth and a sharp right turn onto the A46 gets you back onto the M4 in less than 30 minutes.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
This a very nice ground (although fans were handing out leaflets about moving to a new ground when I went in) and well worth a visit. If you can afford to splash the cash, for less than £40 you can dine like a king and, if it's too cold, you can even stay at your dining table and watch the match from the comfort of the dining room! Well done Forest Green Rovers!
Forest Green Rovers v FC Halifax Town
National League
Saturday 2nd September 2013, 3pm
Michael Cromack (FC Halifax Town)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the New Lawn Ground?
Another ground not yet visited.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Getting off the train at Stroud I should have done my homework and worked out a bus route to the ground or asked a local. I elected to get a taxi to the ground. I won't embarrass myself by telling you the fair……..live and learn!
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I got to the ground far too early which made the taxi fair even more annoying. I filled the time up in the clubhouse watching Crystal Palace v Manchester United game on tv.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the New Lawn Stadium?
As I had read in this guide a brand new ground but unlike a lot of purpose-built grounds which are just soulless concrete bowls the New Lawn is bright, visually attractive and deserving of the Football League.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was a usual Halifax Town away day horror show. Town were undeservedly 1 up at half time. In the second half forest Green threw the kitchen sink at them with no reward until 2 goals in four added on minutes won the game for them. The away fans hearts were sunk.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
I got talking to a home fan who very nicely told me which bus to catch to get me back to the station. I told him about the taxi incident and he said "ooh you didn't get a taxi did you they charge a bomb around here" to which I thought "don't I just know it pal".
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A very cruel way to lose a game of football and a long journey back. The only bright moment was a pint of Flowers IPA in a pub on the way home to drown my sorrows!
Forest Green Rovers v Luton Town
Conference Premier League
Saturday, August 24th, 2013, 3pm
Michael Pala (Luton Town fan)
This was my second visit to Forest Green Rovers and I was looking forward to a day out in this picturesque part of the Cotswolds. Prior to going to the stadium, we stopped in the centre of Nailsworth to visit the chip shop. When we pulled up, someone came out of the pub and said we could take our chips into the pub as they don’t serve their own food. The people in the village were very friendly and would welcome us and provide any help with directions (in my case, I needed an ATM).
Reaching the stadium, the car park attendants were very helpful and directed us to a disabled space next to the stand as two of the people in our group are disabled.
Since our last visit, the stadium has become very high tech for a club in that league. Taking pride in the environment, the club is aiming to reduce their carbon footprint and impact on the environment by having a fleet of electric vehicles with electric charging points in the stadium car park, solar panels, sourcing food from local providers, collecting rainwater and also recycling wherever possible. Your ticket has a QR code on it and you enter the stadium by scanning your ticket into the QR reader – again, very impressive for a club outside the football league.
Inside the stadium, the stewards, catering and other staff were very welcoming and friendly. I had a friendly conversation with a steward comparing the set-up of our two clubs and she was amazed to hear that Luton have an average attendance of 6,500.
As we were travelling with disabled supporters, we were allocated the limited amount of seats for disabled in a part of the home stand. This meant that when going to the toilet or food outlets, we came into contact with home supporters. Despite wearing our colours, the home supporters were very friendly to us and in no way did we ever feel intimidated.
Due to visiting the chip shop before the match, I didn’t need any hot food in the stadium but I purchased a cup of tea and a bar of chocolate at prices similar to other grounds.
The atmosphere in the ground was fairly quiet from the home supporters since they only have a small average attendance and a significant percentage of the crowd were the visiting Luton supporters who made all the noise. For a club in the middle of nowhere and non-league, you don’t expect a large number of supporters. Don’t let this put you off visiting Forest Green Rovers because the friendliness and welcoming nature of the staff and fans provides a welcome change from visiting other grounds. I recommend visiting the centre of Nailsworth and sampling the chip shop as this alone also makes the trip worthwhile.
Final result was a draw and given Luton’s recent poor performances, most Luton fans would have taken the point away at Forest Green Rovers – who are also challenging for promotion.
Getting away from the ground after the match can be quite slow since the bulk of the traffic is heading back down the hill towards the centre of Nailsworth to connect onto the roads leading away from the area. Please allow an extra 15-30 minutes if attending a match with a bigger attendance.
Overall, a trip to Forest Green Rovers is a lovely day out in a picturesque part of the Cotswolds in the company of what is probably the most friendliest club I’ve ever visited. If we (Luton) get promoted, I hope Forest Green Rovers joins us so we can look forward to another trip to this lovely and friendly club next season.
Forest Green Rovers v Hyde
Conference Premier League
Saturday, August 10th, 2013, 3pm
Myles Munsey (Neutral fan)
1. Reasons for going:
I have a friend who lives in the Stroud area and who I introduced to the delights (!) of professional football last season. Suitably impressed, he wanted more of the same. As Forest Green Rovers is his local side and as I had heard good reports about the New Lawn, I thought we would give this a go. Besides, I hadn’t seen a Conference game for about 4 years. I’m still intrigued by the notion of a small town club performing at level 5.
2. Getting there:
Stonehouse station being closed owing to Engineering work, so I travelled instead to Cam and Dursley from where my friend collected me and took me over to Nailsworth.
3. Before the game:
En route to the ground I was treated to a fish and chip lunch at the Badger at Eastington and very good it was too. It is a very scenic ride over to Nailsworth where the ground is located, so we stopped at the popular Frocester Hill viewpoint which gives spectacular views over to the Severn Estuary
4. First impressions:
There wasn’t a lot of time to take in the facilities as we were running a little late then there was a bit of a queue for tickets. Close to the ground I noticed brown tourist signs pointing to FGRFC almost pleading for your interest. Great, but you need to know who they are! The ground is modern and well appointed but with very regular features. Actually the appearance and rural aspect of the ground are more readily apparent from the inside. We took up position in the in the Main Western Thermal stand and from there one is able to appreciate the splendid backdrop, of wooded slopes with sheep grazing contentedly. I was reminded of Adams Park, Wycombe, another modern stadium on the edge of town backed by woods.
5.The game:
In all my 45 years of watching football I had never seen a game like this. Not that there was any sign of what was to unfold, because the programme notes made quite an issue out of the fact that in 15 previous seasons Forest Green had won just one of their opening day encounters. Hyde had performed well over the final stretch of the 2012-3 campaign so a ‘tight encounter’ was predicted.
Hyde started brightly but then their world fell apart when Josh Brizell was sent off after 19 minutes for a rash challenge on Al Bangura. Debutant Marcus Kelly scored on 25 minutes with a right foot screamer, and then five minutes later added to his tally with a classy left foot finish. In a torrid afternoon for Hyde the goals just kept coming. Further efforts on 33 minutes by Wright and a close range header on 38 by Norwood saw Rovers cruising at the interval. An interval which I used gainfully to get that elusive programme which had supposedly sold out. There was no let up in the second half with further goals by Matt Taylor 60, Barnes –Homer 71, Matt Taylor again on 72 – a terrific flicked header into the top corner and then Kelly wrapped up his hat trick and the scoring with 14 minutes still left on the clock.
Despite all of this, Hyde’s goalkeeper, David Carnell had an excellent game and he is to be commended. But for him, things could have been a lot worse.
6. Getting away:
A bit of a wait to exit the car park but no real problems getting down the hill into Nailsworth and my friend kindly conveyed me back to Swindon for the 18.12 train back to Reading.
7. Overall:
A most enjoyable afternoon if somewhat surreal, both in terms of the setting and the result. Do go to the New Lawn. It is a very well run club with a manager intent on good football (and we saw plenty of that) and ultimately promotion to the Football League. I wish them well in their quest.
Forest Green Rovers v Luton Town
Conference Premier League
Saturday October 27th 2012, 3pm
Paul Willott (Luton Town fan)
On a bright crisp autumnal morning my daughter and I departed home in Kent and following a brief detour into the Croydon area to collect a colleague from my workplace, returned to the motorway network to continue heading westwards. I must say I was looking forward to this match, not only has the achievements of what is effectively a village based club in staying in the fifth tier of English football pretty remarkable, but on the evidence of this season with both teams at the top end of the table, then the match promised to be a cracker.
We followed the M4 westwards up until Swindon where we left the motorway and proceeded along the 'A' road networks firstly in the general direction of Cirencester before bearing left towards Stroud. The beautiful sunshine enhanced what rapidly became a very scenic drive through Thomas Hardy country, although when we stopped for refreshments there was a really cold bite to the stiff westerly breeze that did make me worry that we might be in for a very cold afternoon.
We arrived in the picturesque linear village of Nailsworth, home to Forest Green Rovers, significantly in advance of kick-off but nonetheless drove up the hill from the town centre to the ground itself and parked in their car park. The lie of the ground indicated that it would be a complete bottleneck to get back out at the end of the game, but that was a price worth paying for being so close to the ground on such a cold day.
Once we had wrapped ourselves up in as much warm outer clothing as we could muster, we wandered round to the away fans terrace, applauded the Luton players and staff as they disgorged from the team coach and then made our way into the ground.
Fortunately there was a sufficiently high enough wall at the back of the terrace to shield us from the wind, and we inspected what sustenance was on offer. As the ground was now allegedly a vegetarian one, I was slightly intrigued to see Badger Pastie on offer, but decided to plump for the tray of chips , and what gorgeously big chunky chips they were too. So much so, that my voraciously appetited 8 year old politely demanded a second tray . . . . . well it would have been rude not to! they were pretty good!
As more and more Luton fans poured into this compact but tidy stadium, I was increasingly glad we were early birds with a place at the front, or else the little one may have struggled to see much of the action, It was a nice touch of the mascot to make a bee-line for all the children in the ground , not just the home fans, and hand out bags of maltesers and the likes to keep little faces smiling.
There was some lively banter between a small number of home support and the Luton fans, but police and stewards quickly moved the 3 or so individuals from the home terrace adjoining the away enclosure out of the ground, and things settled down. There was a noticable police presence, which I suspect was purely for the sizable Luton contingent and I doubt that normally there would be such numbers of police on duty. Worthy of mention is the policeman in full riot clobber trying to surreptitously "peep" round a corner with a video camera to film the "naughty" Luton fans; he was so indiscreet he might as well have worn a pink neon helmet….
The match itself wasn't actually a classic at all ; both sides seemed to cancel each other out in the midfield, and for most of the game, it looked as though a simple goalkeeping error would decide the match in the favour of the home team; but a moment of magic near the end from Luton's Stuart Fleetwood levelled the match, before a penalty was awarded and converted to send the Luton fans into raptures shortly before the final whistle.
As predicted, getting away from the ground took some time, but such delays seem far less inconvenient when you have won……..