Phil Butterworth – Chair
My addiction to the club from the town of my birth, Bury, waned in the 1990s. With a young family long road trips were not on; I began to watch a few matches at Shortwood & Forest Green. The latter won my affections & I became a regular at the New Lawn in the seasons they climbed to the summit of non-league football.
In the last 20 years I’ve been active on the club forum, tried to watch most matches home & away and worked to raise the profile of the club in the local community. I started the club’s Ambassador scheme which has grown to 90 enthusiastic advocates from 70 schools.
I fully support the eco credentials & the sustainability values of the club. It’s great that FGR is a prime mover in green agenda and this attracts fans to our club from all over the world.
Ian Crawley – Secretary and Newsletter Editor
Born a few miles from White Hart Lane and first attending a Spurs match there in 1959, that will always be my spiritual home. I was a regular in the 60’s, carrying my wooden box to every game in the early years, to stand on at the front of the terracing in the enclosure. Season tickets for 20 years from 1986 and a lot of away travel, reinforced that commitment.
Having moved to Nailsworth in 2003, I discovered the little club on the hill, in walking distance from home. I was not previously aware FGR existed, even though I was often in The Jolly Foresters. A few matches then captured my interest.
A regular home and away FGR supporter now for over 10 years, confirms me as a ‘blow-in’, to the club, Nailsworth and the Stroud valleys. I am now a complete convert to the lower leagues, the honesty; the camaraderie with home and away fans; and the unique journey the Club is on, under Dale’s ownership and leadership. Long may it continue.
Viv Kennedy
My name is Viv Kennedy my family and I are season ticket holders, I’m a member of the FGR travel club but more recently I joined the FGR Supporters Club Committee.
I joined the FGRSC Board as I want to get more actively involved with the club by listening to fellow fans and “football family” about how we can improve facilities, offerings and the overall match day experience.
My aim is to bring some fresh ideas, fun and energy to the committee as behind the scenes the committee works very hard in partnership with FGR Management Team on behalf of the fans to improve all aspects of our club. Its a great opportunity to get involved and have a voice.
Rachel Twinning
Hello! I am Rachel and I live close by in Minchinhampton with my husband Luke and our 4 children, Noah, Poppy, Hollie and many of you will know our littlest Twinning, Martha!
We moved to Forest Green in 2007 and that’s where we first found our little club on the hill. We attended the odd game but it wasn’t until much more recently that we became regulars! For the past 5/6 years we have been season ticket holders and over the past 3 seasons Luke and Martha have attended virtually every game, home and away!
Martha and Poppy have been ambassadors for the past 3 seasons and love to get involved in all things FGR!
We support the green values of the club and are loyal supporters of our team! The rollercoaster of a ride FGR brings can be tough but we wouldn’t have it any other way! #WeAreFGR
Chris Gardner
I am an exiled sexagenarian Bristolian who has lived in Stroud since the mid eighties. Aware of Forest Green Rovers well before then through franchised reports in the Bristol Evening Post, I had no idea where in Gloucestershire Rovers were located.
Interest peaked by the Stroud News & Journal’s reports, I saw my first few home matches about 36 years ago, but only when my own sporting commitments – football, hockey, cricket & dry-slope skiing – permitted. As my joints screamed for mercy and body parts seized up, adrenalin though sporting competition was traded for a gradual addiction to supporting Rovers, home & away. Later, I played sidekick to Bob Hunt in live BBC Radio Glos commentaries
In the late 80s, a cricket injury deprived me of the hearing in one ear, and gradually my deafness worsened. Nonetheless, I found that yelling support from the anonymity of The Old & New Lawn’s stands (where no one can hear what anyone else says anyway) meant a level playing field for my depleted senses. Eventually, severe & profound deafness led to early retirement in 2010. That left me more time for putting in volunteer work with the Club, the more so on Dale Vince’s arrival as initiatives like the Ambassador Scheme met increased support.
I’m proud to be the author of 2 books about FGR, ‘The Rise of Forest Green Rovers – The Road to Wembley’ (2015), and ‘We Did It Our Way – Forest Green Rovers’ Triumph at Wembley’ (2016). All the sales proceeds were paid to Gloucestershire’s excellent local deaf charity, GDA for whom I am past Chair, Trustee and now Friend.
Already in our mid 60s, 2 years ago my wife and I adopted vegan diets, proving you can teach old dogs and bitches new tricks!
Currently, I am delighted to be Members Secretary for FGR Supporters Club.
Stephen Thatcher
Hello, my name is Stephen Thatcher, or some of you may know me as voodoobluesman. I am a Guitar-slinging, Motorbiking, Mortgage Adviser living at the top of the top of the hill in Nympsfield.
As a child I started to support Manchester United having the excellent credentials of living in Gloucestershire. I continued to be an armchair supporter right up to the point where I realized that I didn’t care about them winning any more.
A client of mine took me to my first ever proper football match at FGR in 2013 and I’ve been a fan ever since and sit in the library section of the East Stand. I also like to go to various away games and love the opportunity of a good shout for the team!
Dale and FGR’s ethics have bled into my everyday life and I now share their environmental ethos and am Veganish with my diet.
I am proud to be associated with FGR and proud to be a member of the Supporter’s Club Board.
