With the news that England’s ‘top six’ are all part of the 12 founding teams that have agreed to join a new European Super League, many football fans have been left feeling disenfranchised.
In what would be a gigantic change for European football, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham would join AC Milan, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus and Real Madrid in a “new midweek competition” with teams continuing to “compete in their respective national leagues”.
However, UEFA, the FA, the Premier League, the Spanish Football Federation, La Liga and the Italian Football Federation, as well as Serie A, have released a joint statement claiming they’d use “all available measures” to stop the breakaway.
If the changes were to be made and the English sides were banned from domestic competitions, as has been threatened, football as we know it will experience a seismic shift and thousands of fans will be left searching for a new club that cares about them rather than money.
Here’s some of the best clubs from around Gloucestershire that would love to have your support….
Cheltenham Town/Cheltenham Town Ladies –
If success is your thing, then Cheltenham Town are the team for you. With a long list of honours and records, both sides are classed as the most successful teams in Gloucestershire.
Playing in the EFL’s League Two and the FA Women’s National League Division One South West respectively, Cheltenham Town have two senior sides that would welcome your support.
The men’s side play their home games at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium and are managed by ex-Burnley defender Michael Duff, who is also the only player to have played in all of the top eight divisions in England.
They are currently second in the league and look to be one of the favourites for automatic promotion.
Whereas, the ladies play their football at “The Big Local” Stadium (formerly Petersfield Park) and are under the management of Tom Davies.
Despite their season being hampered by the multiple lockdowns and eventual null and voiding of the regular league season, the Robinesses put their name in the headlines thanks to a number of impressive performances against Exeter City, Portsmouth and Gillingham in the Women’s FA Cup.
Forest Green Rovers/Forest Green Rovers Ladies –
Equally, across the county in Nailsworth, Forest Green Rovers have a number of sides to catch your attention when allowed back into grounds.
Currently playing in League Two alongside their main rivals Cheltenham, the senior men’s squad are chasing promotion to League One under the new management of interim head coach Jimmy Ball.
For FGR Women though, when the season was paused in mid-November, they were top of the South West Regional Women’s Football League Eastern Division having won every fixture. Their last match, held on 25 October, saw the side complete their double over Swindon Town Development with a 3-2 victory. The team’s last training session was just prior to Christmas, and since then players have been training virtually through their What’s App group.
However, one of the main pulls for FGR is their eco-friendly and vegan stance. The club were recognised by the UN as the greenest football club in the world.
So if that’s your thing, then “The team on top of the hill” are the team for you.
Gloucester City –
Closer to Gloucester? We’ve got you sorted.
On Saturday 27th January 1883, Thomas H. Coleman sat down in his home in Littleton Villa, Brook Street, Tredworth and wrote a letter to the Editor of The Gloucester Citizen, wondering why there was no football club playing under Association Rules in the City of Gloucester.
As a result of the letter, thirty-seven days later the club was officially formed on March 5th 1883 as Gloucester Association Football Club, and Thomas H. Coleman became the club’s first ever captain in the inaugural season of 1883-84.
They currently play their football at their New Meadow Park Stadium and are under the instructions of manager Paul Groves.
The senior men’s side were top of the Vanarama National League until it was null and voided in February, having got 35 points from 18 games.
Bishop’s Cleeve FC –
Bishop’s Cleeve are a FA Charter Standard community Step 5 club playing in the Hellenic Premier.
They have 3 mens teams, a ladies team and Bishop’s Cleeve Colts Yth Section.
In their long history Bishops Cleeve have wandered about more than most clubs but at long last they have their very own new stadium.
For many years they played on a ground in Stoke Road facilities were all rebuilt and re-opened in 1971 by Ted Croker, the then Secretary of the Football Association. However, in 1995 their landlords the Church Commissioners sold the land for housing and so Bishops Cleeve F.C. became homeless.
They do now play at Kayte Lane Stadium though and are under the management of Paul Collicutt.
Cinderford Town AFC –
Cinderford Town AFC is an Unincorporated Association Football Club
Cinderford Town was formed in 1922, and played in the Gloucester Northern Senior League until 1939, when they joined the Bristol Charity League.
This league possibly earns the distinction of being one of the shortest lived leagues in history, lasting two weeks before the outbreak of World War 2.
Since then, Cinderford have been members of the Dr. Martens Southern, Midland and Western Divisions, and now play in the Southern League Division One South & West.
Cirencester Town –
In the late 1990’s, Cirencester Town realised that they had to move away from a restricted site where they could focus only on the First Team, with the Juniors and Ladies playing on pitches scattered around the town.
However, they quickly developed the idea for the building of the Corinium Stadium.
With guidance and matching funding from the Football Foundation and, thanks to the vision of our founders, realising the land asset that they owned, the Kingshill location was developed.
In 2003 the whole club moved onto a single site with 3 full size pitches and 4 other Junior pitches.
The main men’s side currently play in the Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South.
Fairford Town/Tuffley Rovers/Longlevens/Lydney Town –
All four clubs feature weekly in the Hellenic Premier League, which is level nine of the English football pyramid.
They all suffered massively due to Covid-19 and would be more than happy to have fans down to watch and support the teams.
If you’re looking to go back to watching real and pure football, then there’s no better stage to start at.
