Our Supporters of the Year

Over 25 years together supporting FGR home and away, John and Pat Whiffen are this season’s winners of the FGR Supporter(s) of the Year Award. They are pictured here standing by the Supporters Club coach with the Brian Fream Trophy, at the lunch stop on the way to Morecambe on Saturday 20th April. They have been Travel Club members since it was introduced, benefiting from the special rates for regular away travellers. John and Pat were travelling away when Brian was organising the away travel in the early 2000s.

John and Pat have been married for over 60 years, but Pat’s interest in rugby union and her commitment to Gloucester Rugby was sustained for a further two years after John started supporting FGR home and away in 1997. Their eldest son gave up playing football several years ago leaving their youngest son and granddaughter playing. She recently won the Gloucestershire County Cup with her team AEK Boco based in Hanham, Bristol.

John started watching FGR standing in the corner by the Social Club at The Lawn – the former home of FGR which was redeveloped for housing in 2006. They then sat in the main stand and were founder members of The Green Club, which raised money to support the football club. Club members, approx 20 then, would enjoy Debbie’s hot lunches in the Boardroom. That Boardroom now houses the groundman’s equipment, as the main stand from The Lawn was moved 300 metres up the hill, and is the South Stand today.

When The New Lawn opened, John kept The Green Club going in a lounge at the south end of the East Stand overlooking  the school field. The Green Club then relocated to one end of the Black and White lounge when its space was needed for FGR offices in 2017 and subsequently disbanded in 2019. Since then John and Pat have shared a box with friends on matchdays.

Long may they enjoy supporting FGR home and away.