Dale Vince arrived in 2010, bringing an organic pitch and vegan burgers and patronising tabloid headlines.
The Ecotricity founder boosted Forest Green’s playing budget like a shot of nandrolone, yet progress on the pitch remained steadfastly incremental.
Top-half finishes. Play-off defeats. Plod, plod, plod. By the time Mark Cooper finally managed to win the play-offs in 2017, the club had been in Non-League’s top flight for 19 years. They would spend the next five in League Two, making similarly stately progress.
So what happened? How has an ostensibly wealthy, stable club that won a historic promotion to League One in 2022 found itself back in the National League by 2024?
Analysing Forest Green’s dramatic collapse is difficult, for the simple reason that they don’t fit the usual template.
Vince is still there. He’s still got plenty of money, as evidenced by heavy outlays in each of the last three transfer windows. This is not the familiar story of a disillusioned owner pulling the plug after years of covering losses. A glance at the 62-year-old’s Twitter feed is enough to confirm that Vince remains invested, financially and emotionally.
There were no administrations or points deductions. No supporter protests. No tales of late wages, unpaid utility bills or visits from the bailiffs.
Denne historien er fra May 26, 2024-utgaven av The Non-League Football Paper.
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Denne historien er fra May 26, 2024-utgaven av The Non-League Football Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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I'M READY FOR A NEW PROJECT
LEAGUE One, League Two, National League John Coleman doesn't care. He just wants to manage a club with scope for 'doing an Accrington'.
BEARNE'S DOUBLE IS A PITMEN TRIUMPH
HEDNESFORD Town marched on as this tie was settled in the first 21 minutes with a glut of goals in favour of the Pitmen.
STAG-DO SPOILED BY LIAM DOUBLE
AFC Totton and Basingstoke played out an entertaining draw at The Snows Stadium.
FOALLE'S THERE AT DEATH TO STEA IT!
A GOAL with almost the last kick of the game from Jack Foalle saw Ashton's unbeaten start to the season go up in smoke at Hurst Cross after they had hit the post in each half.
TUDORS STAY TOP THANKS TO AJAYI!
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD TOWN secured a crucial victory over Slough Town that solidifies their position at the top of National League South.
MOLS ON ROLL AS NASH GO SECOND!
CURZON ASHTON moved up to second place after doing a job on former boss Adam Lakeland and his King's Lynn Town side at the Walks.
REAL DEAL HEED KEEP PILING ON THE POINTS
GATESHEAD scored early in each half to strengthen their position at the top of the table after they stretched their unbeaten start to the season to seven games.
JOSH JOY DELIGHTS DAGGERS BOSS BEN
JOSH UMERAH marked his first league start for Dagenham & Redbridge by grabbing the goal that ensured a share of the spoils at Maidenhead.
DOGGED DALE WILL NOT BE MOVED!
ROCHDALE cruised to victory with a superb first-half performance which settled the age-old debate as Dale's immovable defensive object blunted Aldershot's previously irresistible attacking force.
SPITFIRES BACK IN THE GROOVE
EASTLEIGH bounced back from their last-gasp defeat at Gateshead last weekend as they edged past lowly Tamworth in a lackluster affair at the Silverlake.
