Steve Cotterill is reportedly set to part company with Forest Green Rovers, just 18 months after joining the club.
The veteran boss, who took charge at the New Lawn in January 2024, is expected to leave his post after the club’s relegation from League Two last season.
Cotterill Faces Exit Following Relegation Struggles
Cotterill’s tenure at Forest Green began in the new year of 2024 as he attempted to rescue the side from the foot of the EFL. Despite his experience, the Gloucestershire outfit slipped into the National League, finishing the 2024/25 campaign in the drop zone.
According to reports out of Gloucestershire, the 60-year-old is now poised to leave the club as part of a wider shake-up under new director of football Mark Bowen, who was appointed last week.
The departure would mark the end of Cotterill’s first managerial role since leaving Shrewsbury Town in the summer of 2023. He spent over two-and-a-half years at the Croud Meadow, overseeing 144 games in total. During that time, his Shrewsbury side won 48 matches, drew 32, and lost 64, with his final season yielding a 12th-place finish in League One.
Forest Green were hoping that his League One experience would provide the stability and tactical edge needed to steer them clear of danger, but results failed to improve consistently, and a return to the National League became inevitable by season’s end.
The club did reach the National League play-off semi-finals in the 2023/24 campaign prior to Cotterill’s arrival, but that momentum wasn’t sustained following relegation.
Forest Green Restructure Underway
With Bowen now in place as director of football, Forest Green appear to be entering a new phase of restructuring in an attempt to mount a return to the EFL. Cotterill’s expected departure will open the door for a new head coach, likely to be part of Bowen’s long-term vision.
The next appointment will be crucial, with the National League an increasingly competitive division. Clubs such as Southend United, who eliminated Forest Green in the play-off semi-finals, and others with large fanbases and ambitious ownership models, present major obstacles to any promotion push.
Writer’s View
Steve Cotterill’s time at Forest Green always felt like a short-term rescue mission, and unfortunately, he arrived too late to prevent the drop. His experience, especially at Shrewsbury, made him a sensible appointment at the time, but results never consistently matched the ambition. With Mark Bowen now steering the club’s football operations, it’s no surprise they’re turning the page.
Forest Green’s fall from League One in 2022/23 to the National League in just two seasons has been dramatic. They’ll need a reset, and Cotterill’s departure is likely the first step in a complete overhaul. The next appointment will define their direction—do they go for another veteran to steady the ship, or place faith in a younger, progressive coach to build from the bottom up?
