Forest Green Rovers have issued an apology after failing to organise a Remembrance Day commemoration during their final home fixture before November 11, describing the omission as a case of human error.
The National League club came under scrutiny from supporters following their 2-2 draw against Harrogate Town at The New Lawn on October 31, when no arrangements were made to mark the upcoming Remembrance Day.
The issue was raised by fans on a club forum after the match, with supporters questioning why no tribute had been organised, particularly as Forest Green’s next fixture around the commemorative date was scheduled to take place away from home.
CEO Dane Vince Acknowledges Club’s Mistake
Forest Green chief executive Dane Vince responded to the concerns through the club’s Fan Advisory Board, accepting responsibility for the failure to mark the occasion.
He described the omission as a mistake by the club, acknowledging that the appropriate arrangements should have been made before the Harrogate fixture.
“The lack of Remembrance at a home game is simply down to a human error/mistake on the club,” Vince wrote.
He also referred to the club’s busy fixture schedule during the period, which included an FA Cup replay, but stressed that the number of matches did not justify the oversight.
“It didn’t help that we had a sizable number of games in a small time frame (including the FA Cup replay) beforehand; albeit that isn’t an excuse, we should have got this right,” he added.
Both Teams Mark Occasion During Luton FA Cup Tie
Forest Green’s only fixture around Remembrance Day was their FA Cup first-round meeting with Luton Town on Saturday.
The National League side suffered a 2-0 defeat at Kenilworth Road, where both teams observed the occasion before kick-off.
However, their previous home match against Harrogate Town had passed without a commemoration, prompting the subsequent criticism from supporters.
Forest Green to Seek Guidance From Royal British Legion
Following the complaints, Vince confirmed that the club would contact the Royal British Legion for guidance on organising future Remembrance Day commemorations.
The move is intended to help Forest Green avoid a similar situation in the future.
The chief executive also stressed that the failure to hold a tribute at the Harrogate match did not represent any change in the club’s position towards Remembrance Day or its support for the Royal British Legion.
Reiterating his apology, Vince maintained that the incident was simply an error on the club’s part.
