Tomorrow night, Forest Green take on Luton Town in a televised FA Cup first-round clash. Stroud Times spoke to James Mooney—once Forest Green’s head of football operations, now at Luton—to get his inside take. We put ‘Moons,’ as he’s affectionately known, in the spotlight as he prepared to face his old club.
Forest Green is obviously a club close to your heart. How did you feel when you saw the FA Cup draw?
I was watching the draw at home with my family and joking, “Imagine if we got Forest Green,” but honestly, I didn’t think it would happen—there were so many other teams in the first-round draw. Then, when FGR actually came out, my first thought was how happy Reflo would be. Shortly after, my dad texted to say he’d be coming down that weekend, which wasn’t really a surprise haha.
2. Have you managed to keep an eye on Forest Green since moving to Luton?
Yeah, I always keep an eye on FGR’s results—it’s hard not to after spending 10 years there. I’ve got so many great memories and still know a lot of people at the club, so I like to see how they’re doing each week. My nephew and niece have the kits, and my dad still goes to games, so I feel connected to FGR one way or another. I don’t get back much these days since my family has moved down, but when I do—usually during international breaks—I check to see if FGR is playing at home.
3. Do you still keep in touch with anyone from the club staff, players, or fans?
There are still a few familiar faces around. I speak to Dan Connor fairly regularly (not this week!) and Claire Thorley, who took over as secretary from me. A lot of the playing squad has changed, but I still keep in touch occasionally with Doidgey, JMT, and Bunks—you could probably call them the “old guard” now. I also know Jose’s family really well, so it’s been great to see his progress this season at FGR. On a sadder note, I was really saddened to hear about Phil Doble passing away. He was everything you want in a fan—his passion for the club was infectious. I’d like to send my condolences to his family.
4. Looking back on your time at Forest Green, what stands out as your best memories?
Definitely both promotions stand out, but getting from League Two to League One was something really special. That season had everything—a fantastic group of lads, brilliant staff, and a real sense of togetherness across the club. We all believed we could do it, and actually achieving it was such a proud moment for everyone, even if we left it until the very last day! I still laugh thinking about having to pick the trophy up from J13 services. Those are memories that will always stick with me.
5. There have been quite a few managerial changes at FGR since you left. What have you made of Robbie Savage’s impact since taking charge?
I always felt that when Rich Hughes left, there was bound to be a bit of a transition period. But with Mark Bowen and Robbie coming in, it feels like things have started to settle down again. You can really see they’ve brought stability and a clear direction, and it looks like the club is moving the right way. I actually got to know Robbie when Charlie came to FGR on loan—he used to come to most of the games and was really supportive of the club. I think that familiarity might be one of the reasons he’s had such a strong start in charge in the league.
