It seems apt that Journey's song Don't Stop Believin' gets an airing on board Forest Green Rovers' electric coach, as it quietly eats up the final mile of the trip to the Memorial Stadium on Saturday, three hours before the Gloucestershire side cement promotion to League One with a O-o draw at Bristol Rovers, becoming the smallest club to reach English football's third tier.
Forty years after lifting the FA Vase against Rainworth Miners Welfare and toasting promotion from the Hellenic League Premier Division, the ninth tier of English football, Forest Green will soon be preparing to host Derby, Ipswich and Portsmouth.
Rob Edwards, the impressive Forest Green head coach, the head of football operations, James Mooney, the goalkeeping coach, Dan Connor and three of the team's locally based players - Dom Bernard, Kane Wilson and Josh March - are among the first to board the coach just before 10.30am for what is a historic journey: Forest Green are the first team in the world to travel to a sporting event in a zero-emissions vehicle.
The rest of the squad, all wearing recyclable tracksuits, get on at a hotel on the outskirts of Bristol after watching the start of Arsenal v Manchester United while eating lunch; baked potato, vegan bolognese, fruit and soya-based yoghurt are among the options.
This story is from the April 25, 2022 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the April 25, 2022 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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