Now here is a question, where is Forest Green? Answer is: Nailsworth. Now here is another question, where is Nailsworth? So, it goes until we get to the nearest place we have heard of, which is a half-hour drive away from local rivals Cheltenham. In 1889 the local church formed a football team, as many did at the time, and a few years later, well quite a few years in fact, in 2017 they were promoted to the football league.
Forest Green play in green, but the greenness does not stop there. This is from their website, and it deserves a mention: “Green energy – the entire club is powered by 100% green energy from Ecotricity, some of which we generate ourselves with the solar panels on our stadium roof and the solar tracker at the ground entrance”. That is green. Anything else? “Organic pitch – even the grass we play on is sustainable, free from pesticides and herbicides. Electric ‘mow-bot’ – we cut the grass with a GPS-directed electric lawnmower, powered by energy harnessed from the sun”. They are not kidding, harness the power of the sun! Can there be more? “Saving water – we collect rainwater from beneath the pitch to use for pitch irrigation so we don’t have to use mains water. Electric vehicle (EV) charging points – we recommend sustainable travel to all games, and even provide EV charge points from The Electric Highway”. Hat’s off to Forest Green, they are certainly putting the green into, er, green. Could they have anything left to say? Yes: “The world’s first vegan football club – we offer freshly made vegan food to all players, staff and fans, which is great for the environment, health and performance, and tastes pretty good too”. Wow, all that is pretty impressive, except for the last bit. When I get my pie and pint at half time it has to be steak and kidney.
One more thing that is green is the badge on the green shirts. (PIC 1) In the outer roundel, we find the club’s full name in the green background. In the centre are the club’s older colours of black and white stripes, with the club’s initials and formation date. A badge always looks classier when an image of a football is of the old lace-up type. Forest Green then pays homage to the royal family with the lion and unicorn from their arms. (PIC 2) The Royal coat of arms features a shield divided into four quarters. The quarters represent the symbols of Ireland, England, and Scotland. Wales does not appear in the royal coat of arms, because when the Act of Union occurred, creating the kingdom of Great Britain, Wales was already part of the Kingdom of England. The upper-left and lower-right quarters of the shield feature the three guardant lions of England. In the top right is the lion rampant, Scotland’s royal symbol. In the lower-left is a harp, which represents Ireland. Surrounding the shield is the Garter circlet. The Order of the Garter is a chivalric order first started by Edward III. The garter is inscribed with the French motto “HONI SOIT QUI MALY PENSE”, or Shame On He Who Thinks Evil. Above the shield is the royal crown which is topped with a golden-crowned lion. Each side of the lion are the present Monarch’s initials ER, Elizabeth Regina. A supporter in the shape of a lion, representing England, stands on the Dexter side, meaning the right-hand side of the wearer. A unicorn, representing Scotland, stands on the Sinister or left-hand side of the wearer. According to legend, a free unicorn was a wild animal, and that is why the heraldic unicorn is chained up. The lion and unicorn stand upon a mound and it features a thistle, Tudor rose and shamrock, representing Scotland, England and Ireland. In the banner is the motto of English Kings and Queens, “DIEU ET MON DROIT”, or God and My Right. What I can’t give you is the reason why Forest Green has this royal connection on their badge, maybe someone from the club can let me know.
Before going green, things were black and white for the club, and in a direct nod to FC Barcelona, their previous badge copied that of the Spanish club. (PIC 3) In the top left of the shield is the cross of St George, top right has a green pane alluding to the green in the club name, and below are the black and white stripes that were for so long the club’s colours. Across the centre, where Barcelona has FCB, here we have FGR for Forest Green Rovers. They had some front before they changed the badge in 2011, I will hand them that accolade. Encircling the lot is the club’s full name with the Green, in the colour green.
This is one club in desperate need of some inspiration as far as their badge is concerned. If they get in touch I’m sure I can provide them with some, as I’m no stranger to art and design, as well as badges and I’m cheaper than some multimillion-pound think-tank that will pass on their squiggly lines to a multimillion-pound design company. Every club has a nickname and this green club are known as “The Green Devils”. I know what you’re thinking, this club is also in need of some inspiration as far as their nickname is concerned. How you can be green, and yet a devil at the same time is a bit of a juxtaposition if ever there was one. The name Forest is of French origin meaning woodsman and Green is an old Anglo-Saxon name derived from grene, meaning, surprise, surprise, green. It was probably used by a family who lived on the village green or main square of a village or settlement. If you head up Nympsfield Road and turn right into Tinkly Lane you will find The New Lawn, no not the new address of the Teletubbies but the ground of Forest Green in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire. The New Lawn has been home to the club since 2006 and has a capacity of 5,141. To find out more on “The Green Devils” then recycle, wfwgwr…kouc and go to www.fgr.co.uk
