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Stat Attack: Notts County prepare for first ever trip to Forest Green Rovers


Joe Jones

Head to head

Notts County and Forest Green Rovers have met just twice in competitive action and the Green Devils have not beaten the Magpies yet.

The first game came in the third round of the FA Cup on 19 January 2010, and it ended in a 2-1 win for the Magpies at Meadow Lane.

This season is the first that both teams share the same league, and the reverse fixture - also at the Lane - ended 1-1 with Rob Milsom scoring an injury-time leveller.

Saturday's game marks the first time that the Magpies head to FGR's home, the New Lawn Stadium.

Stats and trivia

Forest Green have gone five games without losing in League Two; they are yet to go six without defeat since joining the competition.

Notts County are winless in six away games in all competitions and have won just two of their last 16 on their travels.

Forest Green, who came back from a 3-2 half-time deficit to draw 3-3 away at Newport in midweek, have recovered 17 points from losing position in League Two this season, the most of any side in the competition.

Notts legend Lee Hughes spent the 2014-15 season at Forest Green, scoring 15 goals in 42 games.

Liam Noble's two spells at Notts came either side of a spell at FGR, while ex-loanee Drissa Traore also spent time at the New Lawn.

Former Magpies manager Mark Cooper is currently at the helm of the Green Devils, while former Notts defender Haydn Hollis now plies his trade there.

Opposition history

Forest Green Rovers were founded in October 1889 by Reverend E. J. H. Peach, the local Nonconformist church minister, representing the Forest Green area of Nailsworth in Gloucestershire.

The name Rovers was adopted in 1893, and the following year the club were founder members of the Mid-Gloucestershire League, the first association football league in the county outside Bristol.

After the league folded in 1902, Forest Green become members of the newly formed Stroud League and also members of the Dursley and District League which they won in 1903, the club's first silverware.

After a break for the First World War, Rovers enjoyed a period of great success winning two football leagues and three cups in both 1921 and 1922.

They then joined the newly formed Gloucestershire Northern Senior League with Cheltenham Town among others in 1922.

Rovers joined the newly formed County League in 1968 and played under manager Peter Goring for the next 11 years, moving up again to the Hellenic League in 1975 under his stewardship.

In 1982, Rovers achieved fame at Wembley winning the FA Vase 3-1 and at the same time winning the Hellenic League and moving into the Southern League Midland Division.

Seven years later a struggling Rovers outfit was renamed Stroud FC but this alienated a lot of people connected with the club, until the arrival of Trevor Horsley in 1992 saw the name changed back to Forest Green Rovers.

After finishing eighth in the Southern Division under Frank Gregan in 1995–96, they won the division the following season, earning promotion to the Premier Division of the Southern League.

The 1997–98 season then saw FGR them win the Southern League Premier Division, securing a second successive promotion and entry to the Football Conference.

FGR finished in the relegation zone in 2005 and 2010, but both times were handed a reprieve when Northwich Victoria and then Salisbury City were demoted for non-footballing reasons.

The club was then taken over by Ecotricity owner Dale Vince, at which point the team improved until finally sealing promotion into the Football League last season.

Team news

Forest Green top scorer Christian Doidge limped out of Tuesday night's 3-3 draw with Newport with an ankle injury and is a doubt for Saturday's game.

Notts, meanwhile, are still without Ross Fitzsimmons, who escaped from a car crash on Monday unhurt but is going through the head injury protocol.

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