Since last November, when GreenSportsBlog first became aware of Forest Green Rovers, a club in the 5th tier of English Football, we’ve featured what we’re quite certain is the greenest team in all of sports three times. Now, the New York Times has taken notice.

Yes, GreenSportsBlog has a “team crush” on Forest Green Rovers.

And why wouldn’t we? They are the greenest team in sports*. And their greenness off the pitch (field) is now being matched by strong play on it, as they are in a battle to get promoted to League Two, the 4th tier of English Football, for the first time in their 126 year history.

GSB has told FGR’s green story in three posts:

1. November 4, 2014: “Forest Green Rovers, The Greenest Team In Sports” detailed FGR’s many green initiatives.
2. December 23: “Best and Worst of Green Sports, 2014”, in which FGR won GSB’s Best Green Sports Story of the Year award. FGR Chairman Dale Vince, OBE gave his thoughts on winning the award here.
3. March 23, 2015: “The GSB Interview: Dale Vince, OBE; Chairman, Forest Green Rovers”

On Saturday, The New York Times jumped on the Forest Green Rovers story, with “Forest Green Rovers Tackles Sustainability Feet First”, an excellent, in depth piece by Jack Williams.

Forest Green Rovers, currently in 5th place in the 5th tier of English Football, leads the sports world in Greenness. One example is the energy efficient “MoBot” that mows the stadium’s chemical-free grass. (Photo credit: Gareth Phillips for The New York Times)

Here’s hoping that the bright (LED?) light shone by The Times on Forest Green Rovers leads to coverage of the Green Devils by the ESPN’s and Sports Illustrated’s of the world, which will then result in teams further up the sports food chain mimicking FGR’s über-greenness.

And here’s one more hope: That Forest Green Rovers maintains or improves upon its current 5th place status in the Vanarama Conference table (league standings) with 3 matches remaining in the season. By finishing anywhere from 5th to 2nd place, FGR would qualify for the playoffs for promotion to League Two. The first place finisher automatically is promoted and the winner of the playoff between the 2nd through 5th place clubs also goes up (the two bottom finishers in League Two are demoted.)

* FGR is, at the very least, the greenest team GreenSportsBlog is aware of. If anyone knows of a team that can rival the Green Devils in terms of greenness, please let us know.

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