Women's team closure criticism unfair - Vince

Forest Green Rovers owner Dale Vince says criticism of their decision to cut their women's team for 2026-27 is "unfair".

The Gloucestershire outfit confirmed this week the team would close due to a need to "concentrate resources" towards getting the men's team back into the English Football League.

The club also ended its partnership with Hartpury University, whose elite training centre provided football for girls aged nine to 16.

Vince said Forest Green have faced a £1.5m loss of income every season since their relegation to the National League in 2024, which will no longer be mitigated by parachute payments next campaign.

He added they had been in discussion with Hartpury - who already have a women's team of their own Hartpury Women FC - around fielding a joint team but without them faced funding the six-figure cost alone.

"FGR have been supporting women's football for over a decade, the criticism we've faced in the last few days for this is entirely misplaced - it's unfair in fact," Vince said in a statement.

"Economic realities have forced us to cut spending in many areas, we already cut funding to the system for boys as part of that.

"The women's team cuts have come at the very end and only due to a last minute let down - that's hardly indicative of a club that does not care about women's football."

In a previous statement Hartpury said: "We've been proud to work alongside Forest Green Rovers to deliver the emerging talent centre and support the development of girls' football in the region.

"Following Forest Green Rovers' decision not to operate a women's first-team for 2026-27 season our priority is to explore how Forest Green Rovers' emerging talent centre can continue through our own successful Hartpury Women FC."

Forest Green Rovers Women played in the fifth tier of English women's football pyramid, in the South West Regional Women's Football League Premier Division and finished second in the table last season.

Hattie Jones, who captained the side for the past three seasons, said the closure sent a message the club did not value women's or girls' football.

"If you think about how this is then going to impact many, many young girls that are playing, I think the message is we're not valued, 'we don't really care, we do it because we have to'," Jones told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

Vince reiterated that once the men's club had achieved promotion back to League Two the hope was to reinstate women's, girls and boys football at the club.

"Our focus on getting back to the EFL is the most logical thing for us to do," he said.

"Once we have achieved that we can restore all of the programs we've not been able to afford this year - the boys', girls' and the women's team.

"That's our plan to get back to where we were in all respects, in the EFL and with the wherewithal to fund the things we believe in, which, yes, does include football for women and girls and boys."