Forest Green Rovers

Forest Green Rovers
Former Nottingham Forest and West Brom defender Des Lyttle is one of six players to be released by Forest Green. Steve Perrin is also leaving relegated Rovers as are Ben Cleverley, Michael Green, Stuart Roberts and Hugh McAuley. Damon Searle, Darren Davies, Matt Gadsby, Mark Beesley, Mark Danks, Richie Appleby and Tom Gould are all under contract for next season. And the club, which parted company with manager Alan Lewer, is in negotiation with a further 13 players.

Conference increases loan quotas
The Conference has increased the number of loan players clubs can use next season after the enforced introduction of the transfer window system. Clubs can register four short-term and four long-term loan players and can play five loan players in a game. Clubs can also sign a keeper for a minimum period of seven days outside the transfer window if they do not have a registered keeper available. The changes are being brought in to soften the blow of the transfer window.

Forest Green pair sign new deals
Forest Green Rovers boss Gary Owers has been boosted by the decision of two more players to sign new contracts. Midfielder Matt Gadsby, 26, has signed a new two-year deal at The Lawn, while 21-year-old defender Adam Garner has penned a one-year contract. Gadsby appeared in 38 of Rovers' 42 Conference games in 2004/05 after joining from Kidderminster last summer. Meanwhile, Garner arrived at The Lawn last September after being released by Oxford, and made 26 league appearances.

Taylor joins Rovers as assistant
Forest Green Rovers boss Gary Owers has named his former Bristol City team-mate Shaun Taylor as his assistant. Taylor, 42, had been a youth coach at City before leaving Ashton Gate by mutual consent just under a month ago. Born in Plymouth, he made over 200 League appearances for both Exeter and Swindon before joining Bristol City. He started 108 League games in four years for City before turning to coaching - and was a contender for the Exeter manager's job last year. Meanwhile, another former Bristol City coach, Terry Connor - currently with Wolves - has held talks over a possible return to the Ashton Gate coaching staff.

Atkins eyeing Clarke replacement
Bristol Rovers boss Ian Atkins has told goalkeeper Ryan Clarke not to expect to be first choice next season. Atkins may send the 23-year-old on loan to Conference Forest Green Rovers as he seeks an more experienced replacement. "Forest Green want to take Ryan on loan and I think that would be good for him," Atkins told Rovers' website. "I'm the first manager that's given him a run in the team but I just feel if we are to be successful this season we need more in the way of experience." Atkins added: "Ryan is still under contract here, but if he's not playing in the first team with us then with few reserve games this season, it will be good for him to be playing elsewhere."

Conference fixtures are announced
Cambridge United's first Conference game, following their relegation from the Football League, will be away at Forest Green Rovers on 13 August. Meanwhile, Kidderminster Harriers start life outside the League with a home game against Woking. Conference newcomers Altrincham, Grays and Southport have all been handed ties away from home on the opening day. Grays visit Burton Albion, Southport travel to Dagenham & Redbridge while Altrincham go to Stevenage Borough. All the Conference fixtures As is customary, Boxing Day features a number of "derbies" - such as York v Scarborough - with the return fixtures on 2 January. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nationwide Conference opening day fixtures (Saturday, 13 August): Accrington Stanley v Canvey Island Aldershot Town v Tamworth Burton Albion v Grays Athletic Dagenham & Redbridge v Southport Forest Green Rovers v Cambridge United Gravesend & Northfleet v Exeter City Hereford United v Scarborough Kidderminster Harriers v Woking Morecambe v Halifax Town Stevenage Borough v Altrincham York City v Crawley Town Tuesday, 16 August Altrincham v Accrington Stanley Cambridge United v Hereford United Canvey Island v Aldershot Town Crawley Town v Dagenham & Redbridge Exeter City v Kidderminster Harriers Grays Athletic v Gravesend & Northfleet Halifax Town v Burton Albion Scarborough v Morecambe Southport v York City Tamworth v Forest Green Rovers Woking v Stevenage Borough

Foster makes Forest Green switch
Forest Green Rovers have bolstered their strikeforce with the signing of Kidderminster forward Ian Foster. The 27-year-old has agreed a two-year deal at The Lawn following his departure from the relegated Harriers. He has twice won the Conference - with Kidderminster in 2000, and with Chester last year before he returned to Aggborough for a second spell. He becomes manager Gary Owers's first new signing since Rovers were spared relegation from the Conference.

Alsop training with Forest Green
Striker Julian Alsop is training with Forest Green Rovers, who are keen to sign him for a second time. Alsop, 32, played three times for Rovers last season before a lengthy FA ban imposed for an incident while he was at Oxford curtailed his stay. The former Swansea and Cheltenham target man is also wanted by Tamworth. Rovers boss Gary Owers is also looking at former Bristol City pair Sekani Simpson and Craig Loxton, and ex-Yeovil duo Chris Giles and Jamie Gosling. Alsop's last competitive game was for Forest Green against Aldershot on New Year's Day - during which he was sent off

Owers angry with referee Rayner
Forest Green boss Gary Owers was angry with referee Amy Rayner after defender Jon Beswetherick was sent off in their goalless draw at Tamworth on Tuesday. Beswetherick saw red after collecting his second booking on 76 minutes. "The first tackle by Jon was never a booking as he won the ball," an angry Owers told the Gloucester Citizen. "The second was probably a booking but there was nothing malicious in it. He didn't do anything worse than their lad (Adie Smith, who was booked)."

Forest Green close to Abbey deal
Forest Green Rovers boss Gary Owers is hoping to conclude a permanent deal for former Norwich City striker Zema Abbey. Abbey, 28, has signed for Rovers on non-contract terms and made his debut as a substitute in Saturday's defeat away to Altrincham. He ended last season at Torquay following short spells with both Wycombe and Bradford. Abbey also spent time on trial with Forest Green's Conference rivals Stevenage Borough during the summer

Exeter 0-0 Forest Green
Exeter dropped their first points of the season in a goalless match of few chances against Forest Green. The visitors produced a dogged display as the Grecians twice went close through Lee Phillips. Zema Abbey produced Rovers' first effort at goal just after the hour mark but his right-foot drive from just inside the penalty area flew wide. Alex Meechan went close towards the end but his shot was covered by Exeter goalkeeper Paul Jones.

Forest Green 1-2 York
York City maintained their impressive start to the season with a victory at Forest Green Rovers. James Dudgeon gave York a first-half lead when he scrambled home Darren Dunning's corner. York doubled their lead in the second half when Joe O'Neill supplied the pass for Mark Convery to fire into the bottom corner. Rovers substitute Bruno Teixeira converted Alex Meechan's cross a minute from time to set up a tense finish. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Forest Green: Clarke, Simpson, Garner, Richardson, Graham, Meechan, Rogers (Sall 90), Wanless, Beswetherick (Gosling 74), Haldane (Teixeira 64), Abbey. Subs Not Used: Harrison, Howell. Goals: Teixeira 89. York: Porter, Price, Dudgeon, McGurk, Merris, Bishop (Mallon 69), Convery (Webster 75), Panther, Dunning (Yalcin 82), Donaldson, O'Neill. Subs Not Used: Afandjyev, Staley. Booked: Price, Merris. Goals: Dudgeon 17, Convery 68. Att: 889 Ref: C Sarginson (Staffordshire).

Gravesend 2-0 Forest Green
Gravesend & Northfleet moved into the top half of the table with victory over Forest Green. The home side took the lead after 34 minutes through Charlie MacDonald after Jay Saunders supplied the cross. Jimmy Jackson made it 2-0 with 25 minutes remaining with a fantastic 25-yard free-kick after Danny Slatter was fouled by Jon Beswetherick. Saunders came close to making it 3-0 in injury time but could only shoot over the crossbar. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gravesend: Holloway, Protheroe, Graham-Smith, McCarthy, Skinner, Slatter, Bowry (Surey 87), Saunders, Jackson, Drury (Grant 60), MacDonald (Omoyinmi 73). Subs Not Used: Aaron Kerr, Gooding. Booked: Drury. Goals: MacDonald 35, Jackson 66. Forest Green: Clarke, Beswetherick, Sall (Rendell 80), Richardson, Searle, Wanless, Garner, Howell (Gosling 68), Teixeira, Abbey, Meechan. Subs Not Used: Harrison, Davies, Graham. Booked: Sall. Att: 706 Ref: J Hopkins (England).

Southport 3-1 Forest Green
Southport beat Forest Green thanks to three goals in the opening 25 minutes. In the ninth minute Kevin Leadbetter played the ball to Carl Baker who, 30 yards from goal, drilled a left-footed effort beyond Ryan Clarke. Less than a minute later, Baker grabbed his second when he volleyed home Matty McGinn's cross. Jon Beswetherick's cross was converted by Jon Richardson as Green fought back, but in the 24th minute Steve Daly drilled home for Southport's third. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southport: Dickinson, Lane, Kilbane, Fitzhenry, Powell, Lynch (Field 87), Morley, McGinn, Baker, Daly (Evans 90), Leadbetter (Booth 85). Subs Not Used: Speare, Davis. Goals: Baker 9, 10, Daly 24. Forest Green: Clarke, Simpson, Richardson, Garner, Searle (Rendell 81), Wanless, Howell (Gadsby 45), Beswetherick (Gosling 45), Meechan, Abbey, Teixeira. Subs Not Used: Harrison, Graham. Booked: Richardson, Abbey. Goals: Richardson 16. Att: 1,087. Ref: M Short (Barnsley).

Owers praise for five-star Rovers
Forest Green Rovers boss Gary Owers felt his side had "all earned their corn" after a 5-1 win over fellow strugglers Scarborough at The Lawn. "It's been a long week for us," Owers said after Rovers bounced back from their FA Trophy defeat by Stafford. "We've shown what we can do on a good day. The players have admitted this week that they've not been consistent enough - that's what we're aiming for. "I picked the team around experience, and that was the right thing to do."

View Full Version: Forest Green Rovers