A club that shows them all, how it’s done
If Manchester City can be considered the most modern club in the world on the football field – leaving aside their recent collapse – then outside of that, without any doubt, it is Forest Green Rovers.
Those who are surprised by this can rest assured. Not everyone needs to know about the club founded in 1889. But they should, because there is simply no other like them in the world. Although the journey of the greens – as the club’s fans are called – began 135 years ago, their current chapter, which is why we are writing about them, started in 2010.
It is then, that the British green entrepreneur Dale Vince decided to buy a majority stake in the club. The reason for this was simple: his renewable energy company Ecotricity, valued in the billions, was located in Gloucestershire, where Forest Green also resided.
Official: the greenest club in the world
As the new owner, Vince was ready to open his wallet for the sake of a football, but his investments had a catch. Namely, the money started flowing in to the club only on one condition, and that condition was – green!
The new direction was even taken so purposefully that in 2018 they were issued a carbon neutral certificate under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, as a result of which Forest Green officially became the greenest club in the world.
Or, in keeping with the 21st century, it would probably be more appropriate to write that the most sustainable club in the world.
Bamboo and algae to the rescue
So what did Forest Green do? For example, their club does not serve meat, but the entire menu consists of completely vegetarian food. This is true for both players and fans.
While their shirts were originally made from bamboo, which requires significantly less water to grow than cotton, they have now switched to recycled plastic and coffee bean waste.
Their stadium has solar panels on the roof that produce 20 percent of the energy they need. They get the rest from a nearby wind generator, which Vince’s company Ecotricity built.
What else? They maintain the pitch with algae, not chemicals, and the lawn tractors are of course powered by electricity. As is the rest of the team’s fleet, where you can also find a large team bus.
From an object of ridicule to trendsetter
While they were initially ridiculed due to such changes – in 2015, when the vegetarian menu was introduced, paparazzi specifically went to find and photograph players in pizza places, and opposing fans taunted them during games with cries such as “Where is your burger stand?” and “Meat! Meat! Meat!” – the situation has now changed.
In recent years, Forest Green’s front men and owner Vince have been giving their rivals more and more lectures on how to manage a club sustainably (read: green). And this is not only done in England: they were recently visited by a delegation from Borussia Dortmund.
“It’s great to see that sustainability is becoming important in football too. Ten years ago we were a lone voice with a radical idea, but in today’s world it is becoming more and more normal,” said Vince.
“Football clubs have exactly the same responsibility as everyone else to reduce their footprint. But unlike many others, we also have the opportunity to be a platform for millions of people around the world,” he added.
The vision continues
It is important to emphasise that, although already carbon neutral and sustainable, Forest Green are not resting on their laurels. They are constantly looking for ways to reduce the club’s footprint, whether it is something simple and small, like a “park and ride” system for fans, or big, like a carbon neutral stadium.
Namely, they have plans in the works for a new 5,000-seat Eco Park, built entirely from wood – the most environmentally friendly material.
Considering that the town of Nailsworth, where Forest Green Rovers are based, has a population of just 6,000, it is ambitious (and perhaps even contradictory to the club’s green vision?), but according to Vince, they are simply looking to the future and assessing their growth potential.
Because already, on average, 3,000 people attend their home games, and their (basic) fan base includes over 100 nationalities from all over the world. Because this is not just a football club, but the most knowledgeable football club in the world.
Nobodys for a long time
As for the football, this is also something that cannot be overlooked when talking about the green direction. Namely, Forest Green Rovers are currently enjoying the best period in their history. Or, well, were enjoying it…
Although the club’s trophy cabinet contains a number of trophies, most of them are of local importance and/or at the national league level. For example, the Stroud Charity Cup, which has been lifted 16 times.
In reality, Forest Green spent its first 109 years in the mud leagues and only in 1998/99 did they rise to the Football Conference, the fifth strongest league level.
Even there, they generally languished in the bottom end and on two occasions they should have fallen back into the mud, but the financial difficulties and bankruptcy of their competitors were what saved the club.
The green revolution also brought success
Anyone who thinks that things changed when Vince contributed with his green money … well, they are only half right. Because although Ecotricity’s financial muscle has been a great help, these investments have been more principled and off the pitch.
On the pitch, they continued to push forward, but in the 2016/17 season, Forest Green finally managed to earn the coveted promotion to the English professional system, League Two.
Not only that, in 2021/22 they were promoted to League One, but this was followed by two relegations, which is why this year they will play in the fifth level again, which for sponsorship reasons is now called the Vanarama National League.
But as this article shows, that is not the most important thing. “Relegation is of course not what anyone wants, but it is part of football. “It’s definitely not the end of the world,” was Vince’s thoughtful pun after falling back into the “amateurs”.
