County and Forest Green Rovers meet for the first time in the EFL tonight, as we look to extend our winning run to five game, and move in on the top of the table.
Goals from Tanto Olaofe, Will Collar, and yet another from record-breaker Louie Barry saw County cruise to another win at Accrington Stanley on Saturday. It completed an unbeaten September for Dave Challinor’s side, who in that time have climbed from 19th up into 8th.
Only goals scored is currently keeping us outside the play-off places, with Crewe Alexandra just above us, whilst the gap to league leaders Notts County now stands at just three points following their 5-4 defeat away at Colchester United. County could even finish the night in the automatic promotion places should they pick up another win, although that would require four other results to also go our way.
Opponents Forest Green are back in the fourth tier after a short stint in League One last season and have had a difficult start to the campaign. Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at home to Morecambe means they have now lost all six of their home league games so far this season, and the side sit just one point above the relegation zone in 22nd.
Things you need to know:
- Tickets for tonight’s game are still available to buy online and from the ticket office. Click here to order yours today!
- We encourage supporters to find sustainable ways of travelling to the game where possible. There is now bike storage available in the car park behind the Vitality Railway End, allowing supporters cycling to the game to store their bikes during the game.
- Coming to the game on Saturday? Click here to view our Fan Information pack, containing all you need to know ahead of your visit to Edgeley Park.
- Don’t forget to turn up early to Edgeley Park to visit the County Courtyard, which will be opening its doors from 5.30pm! For more information on all the food and drink on offer this week, click here.
- Tuesday’s game will be available for all supporters to stream over on Stockport County Live, featuring live commentary with Jon Keighren and Sam Byrne. Click here to buy a pass today!
Our Opponents:
A year can be a long time in football, and few will know that better right now than the supporters of Forest Green Rovers.
Rewind to April 2022, and a Forest Green side led by current Luton Town boss Rob Edwards had secured promotion to League One with three games to spare, before going on to clinch the League Two title a few weeks later. It marked the first time in the club’s history they had reached the third tier, just five years on from securing a place in the Football League for the very first time.
Even taking into account Edwards’ departure that summer for Championship side Watford, the future looked bright for the Gloucestershire side, who turned to former Notts County boss Ian Burchnall as his replacement.
What followed, however, was a disastrous campaign that saw the side finish rock bottom of League One, winning just six league games all season and picking up just 27 points – the lowest tally of any League One side since County themselves in the 2009/10 season.
They weren’t helped by the loss of several key players in the summer and had difficulty in replacing them; seven of the ten players they brought in following promotion went on to make fewer than 12 appearances over the entire season. Burchnall was dismissed in January with the side four points adrift at the bottom, but his replacement, Duncan Ferguson would win only one of his 18 league games in charge – it truly was a season to forget for the side from Nailsworth.
Owner Dale Vince spoke of the need to use that season as a learning experience, taking a step back before going again, and the club have been busy over the transfer window with as many as 17 new signings. Most notable amongst them has been the addition of former Watford striker Troy Deeney, and defender Fankaty Dabo – both of them were played regularly in the Championship last season, for Birmingham and Coventry respectively.
There was a change of manager to factor in too, with Ferguson leaving the club following relegation. After initially making headlines by appointing Hannah Dingley as interim manager, the club moved swiftly to bring in Southampton B-team boss David Horseman as the permanent replacement; his first first-team managerial role.
League Two has provided little respite for the side ten so far, however. Three defeats in their first four games, all of them coming at home, set the tone, and despite away wins at Harrogate Town and Sutton United, Horseman’s team have now lost each of their last four.
All seven of their points this season have been picked up on their travels, and there were promising signs just two weeks ago as they pushed league leaders Notts County all the way at Meadow Lane; a Troy Deeney hat-trick in the second half not enough to stop the Magpies winning 4-3.
Those away performances will provide some hope as they prepare to visit Edgeley Park for the first time since 2013, as they bid to avoid another season of misery at the wrong end of the table, and extinguish any fears of a second successive relegation.
Match Stats:
- There have been just four previous meetings between these two sides, all of them coming in what is now the National League between 2011-2013. County have won one, drawn one and lost two of the previous encounters.
- Our only win against Forest Green came in the last meeting, Sean Newton and Jon Nolan scoring the goals as County won 2-1 in a game that saw Alan Lord in interim charge.
- If selected, Ben Hinchliffe will make his 339th appearance for the club, overtaking Billy McCulloch and entering the top ten list for all-time County appearances.
