Stuart Fleetwood, former Forest Green Rovers striker, expressed strong support for the National League’s 3UP campaign, emphasizing the league’s competitiveness compared to League Two.
Fleetwood’s journey with Forest Green began in 2007 on a one-year deal, where his impressive 32-goal haul across all competitions earned him a move to Championship side Charlton Athletic. He later returned to Forest Green for a loan spell in 2015, gaining first-hand experience of the play-off pressures.
“The play-offs are tough; I’ve been through them with Forest Green, notably when we missed out in the 2015 semi-final against Bristol Rovers,” Fleetwood recalled. “They’re not just a lottery—they demand mental strength and composure because the pressure on the day is enormous.”
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Fleetwood sympathizes with teams like Rochdale, who missed automatic promotion despite scoring over 100 points. “I know how unfair it feels. I was at Luton when we sneaked into the play-offs while Wrexham finished way ahead, yet we beat them over two legs. The key is which team can handle the pressure best.”
Forest Green now enter their play-off eliminator against Boreham Wood, fresh from an emphatic 5-0 victory over Morecambe—their biggest win of the season. Fleetwood anticipates a challenging encounter. “Boreham Wood knows what these high-stakes games are like. It will come down to which team manages the pressure on the day.”
Highlighting positives, Fleetwood noted, “Forest Green haven’t lost to Boreham Wood this season, so that’s an advantage they can use.”
Though it’s been over a decade since leaving the club, Fleetwood remains passionate about Forest Green’s progress, witnessing their painful penalty shootout defeat to Southend last season. “I won’t be making the trip to Carlisle, but the ultimate goal is a Wembley final.”
Fleetwood argues that earning promotion via the play-offs can be more rewarding than automatic promotion. “Winning through the play-offs feels special because of the immense pressure, extra games, travel, and different environments. Wednesday’s game is the first step towards making a Wembley appearance a reality.”
Regarding the 3UP campaign, Fleetwood said, “The National League is nearly on par with League Two in quality. Many National League teams are now full-time and competitive. It’s tough to see teams miss out on promotion despite high point totals. I support expanding promotion places but hope it’s done fairly without adding more play-off or relegation matches.”
He concluded, “More promotion spots wouldn’t dilute League Two; it would recognize the strength of National League clubs and make the path upward more just.”