The 2025–26 Forest Green Rovers F.C. season was Forest Green's 137th season in existence, and their second season back in the National League after relegation from League Two in the 2023–24 season. The club competed in the National League, the FA Cup, FA Trophy, and the National League Cup. It was Robbie Savage's first season in charge of Forest Green, after his appointment as first team manager on 1 July 2025.
Pre-season and friendlies On 27 May 2025, the club announced that 18 players from the previous season would remain at the club, with 6 players leaving upon the expiration of their contract, and 3 loanees returning to their parent clubs.
The club announced their first signing on 27 June 2025, with French centre-forward Yahya Bamba joining the club from National League South side Eastbourne Borough. The club announced 6 more permanent signings before the start of the season, with Laurent Mendy, Tre Pemberton, and Neil Kengni all signing from Savage's former side, Macclesfield Town, alongside Luke McNicholas, Jayden Clarke, Kairo Mitchell, Nick Haughton, and Max Robson.
The club also signed Isaac Moore and Aidan Dausch on loan from Coventry City, and Abraham Kanu on loan from Reading. Forest Green made several more signings before the end of the transfer window.
Forest Green confirmed 4 friendlies against Slimbridge, Buxton, Walsall, and a Derby County XI.
Competitions Forest Green played in the National League in the 2025–26 season, as well as in three cup competitions, joining the FA Cup in the Fourth Qualifying Round, the FA Trophy in the Third Round, and the National League Cup in the Group Stage.
National League
Results summary
Matches – Regular Season Forest Green's fixtures were announced on 9 July 2025.
Play-offs
Forest Green entered the play-offs after finishing 7th in the National League. This meant that they would face the team who finished in 4th, which was Boreham Wood.
FA Cup
On 29 September 2025, Forest Green were drawn away to Worthing in the FA Cup fourth round qualifying.
FA Trophy
On 17 November 2025, Forest Green were drawn at home against National League South side Weston-super-mare, with the game set to take place on 13 December 2025.
National League Cup
Group stage On 14 July 2025, Forest Green were drawn into Group B of the 2025–26 National League Cup, alongside Boreham Wood, Braintree Town, Wealdstone, Nottingham Forest U21, West Bromwich Albion U21, Leicester CIty U21, and Wolverhampton Wanderers U21. Due to the format of the competition, Forest Green would play four home games in the group stage, against the under 21 sides in the group, which was the case for Boreham Wood, Braintree, and Wealdstone.
Squad statistics
NameLeaguePlay-offsFA CupFA TrophyNational League CupTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GKLuke McNicholas16000101010190002DFSean Long0+100000001+201+30003DFNeil Kengni16+1910+10202+103023+211204DFCian Harries0+10000000000+10005DFRyan Inniss13+61001+10002+1016+81206DFLaurent Mendy44110203010511717MFKyle McAllister4215100+112+121045+218508MFNick Haughton23+1170+1010203129+128209FWChristian Doidge4+1410+10100+10106+1610010MFLiam Sercombe000000000+100+100011MFTom Knowles31+1410101+121+103137+161312012GKFiachra Pagel1000100030500014MFJayden Clarke25+143100+111+221028+1763015DFJordan Moore-Taylor18+610000001019+611016MFHarvey Bunker12+152001+111+202016+1834117DFElijah Morrison4+40000010005+401018MFTate Campbell14+111000000015+113019DFJay Mingi8+111000100010+112021MFTre Pemberton18+12010202+102+1025+1406022MFMax Robson0+60000+10100+101+800024DFJili Buyabu29+6710202+102036+7710025DFGabe Kircough8+52000010009+523026MFChibuzo Nwoko17+210+1000200019+314027FWTemi Babalola14+5400101+201017+743028FWSean Etaluku2010100000400029FWKairo Mitchell13+94000+101+100014+1141031MFStephen Walsh0000000010100032DFAbraham Kanu34+2000102+111038+314133DFKeon Sanniola0000000000000034MFThomas Conteh000000002+212+210037FWJose Marquez0+50000000333+530038MFAkai Bonnick000000000+300+300042GKHarry Isted290100020003201043FWJoshua Osude0+40000000000+400144FWD'Mani Mellor103100000001132045FWRicardo Rees11+260+1000000011+362147DFAshqar Ahmed8+50000000008+5000Player(s) who featured but departed the club during the season:17MFAidan Dausch1+70000+1110204+810018MFIsaac Moore16+610010213122+634019MFAdam May0+100000000+100+200020FWYahya Bamba6+81000+100+100+206+1213023FWHarry Cardwell0+500000001+111+610025MFHarry Whitwell20+320021100023+336026MFJames Balagizi1+61001+10001+103+811027FWAdriel Walker0+30000000000+300035DFWill Merrett000000001+201+200045MFJesse Aldridge000000000+100+1000
Transfers
In DatePos.NameFromFee27 June 2025FW Yahya Bamba Eastbourne BoroughUndisclosed2 July 2025DF Neil Kengni MacclesfieldUndisclosedMF Laurent MendyDF Tre Pemberton3 July 2025GK Luke McNicholas WrexhamUndisclosed10 July 2025MF Jayden ClarkeUnattachedFree12 July 2025FW Kairo MitchellUnattachedFree6 August 2025MF Nick Haughton AFC FyldeUndisclosed7 August 2025MF Max Robson Tottenham HotspurFree17 October 2025FW Temi Babalola WorthingUndisclosed28 October 2025FW Sean Etaluku MacclesfieldUndisclosed7 November 2025GK Harry IstedUnattachedFree31 December 2025FW Ricardo Rees Merthyr TownUndisclosed12 January 2026DF Gabe Kircough PenybontUndisclosed5 February 2026MF Tate Campbell BuxtonUndisclosed13 February 2026FW Joshua Osude WokingUndisclosed6 March 2026FW D'Mani Mellor MacclesfieldUndisclosed
Out DatePos.NameToFee7 August 2025DF Jamie Robson Oldham AthleticUndisclosed7 August 2025FW Joe Quigley6 December 2025MF Adam May Weston-super-MareUndisclosed
Loaned out Date fromDate toPos.NameTo15 July 202531 May 2025DF Will Merrett Alvechurch8 August 202529 October 2025MF Akai Bonnick Hartpury College22 August 202522 September 2025FW Jose Marquez Alvechurch30 October 20254 January 2026MF Akai Bonnick30 October 202518 December 2025FW Jose Marquez Dorking Wanderers13 November 202511 December 2025MF Liam Sercombe Weston-super-Mare4 December 202531 May 2025FW Harry Cardwell Southend United6 January 20266 February 2026FW Yahya Bamba Brackley Town23 January 202631 May 2026MF Akai Bonnick Bromsgrove Sporting
Loaned in Date fromDate toPos.NameFrom10 July 202527 January 2026MF Isaac Moore Coventry City24 July 202531 May 2026DF Abraham Kanu Reading4 August 20259 January 2026FW Aidan Dausch Coventry City14 August 202531 May 2026DF Jili Buyabu Sheffield United15 August 20257 January 2026MF Harry Whitwell West Bromwich Albion28 August 20256 January 2026MF James Balagizi Liverpool5 September 202531 October 2025FW Adriel Walker Stoke City8 January 202631 May 2026MF Chibuzo Nwoko Fulham13 January 202631 May 2026DF Elijah Morrison Bristol City23 January 202631 May 2026DF Jay Mingi Stockport County6 February 202631 May 2026DF Ashqar Ahmed Reading
Released / Out of Contract DatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin date1 July 2025MF Teddy Jenks Worthing16 September 20251 July 2025MF Emmanuel Osadebe Barnet1 July 20251 July 2025GK Jamie Searle Eastbourne Borough1 July 20251 July 2025DF Ben TozerRetired1 July 20251 July 2025FW Tyrese Omotoye Vysočina Jihlava16 July 20251 July 2025FW Jordon Garrick St. Pats6 August 20256 August 2025MF Charlie McCann Barrow30 September 2025
References