By Pete Oliver

Addison has got Rovers back on track

For a man who has managed in the top-flight of English and Spanish football, taking over a club at the bottom of the Nationwide Conference might have seemed like one job too far.

But Colin Addison's career path could never be described as orthodox.

He has worked at just about every level from La Liga down to the Dr Martens League.

So being handed the task of reviving Forest Green Rovers was just another mission to be accomplished for one of British football's most durable journey-men.

"It was a challenge and I've never ducked a challenge," Addison told this website.

"I've had challenges at home and abroad and always won them and this was another challenge for me.

"I'm 62 now, but I don't think age comes into it. I still enjoy it and I still have the enthusiasm for it.

"If I didn't, I wouldn't be here now. I still enjoy the crack and I am still very positive and everything I do, I try to do right."

Addison got the call from friend and Rovers chairman Trevor Horsley after Forest Green had lost their first five games of the season under former Aston Villa goalkeeper Nigel Spink.

He had been helping out at Newport County having lost his previous job at Swansea City as part of cost-cutting measures at the Vetch Field.

I don't have to justify myself to anybody, but I always felt I could turn it round Colin Addison

A regular visitor to the Gloucestershire club from his Hereford home over the past 30 years, Addison agreed to step into the breach at Forest Green.

And five months later, Rovers are half-way up the table and into the last 16 of the FA Trophy, thanks to a run of just one defeat in 12 games.

"You don't enjoy it as much when you're down at the bottom and you keep losing games, but I always have confidence in my own ability," Addison added.

"I don't have to justify myself to anybody, but I always felt I could turn it round and get us going in the right direction.

"We've done that, but there's still plenty to be done. No-one's gloating."

Addison could gloat, however, about his managerial CV, which began as he made Hereford United one of the top non-league clubs in the country and FA Cup giant-killers over Newcastle.

It wasn't that long ago that we were rock-bottom and starting up at everybody else. We're not doing badly Colin Addison

He had earlier plundered goals in his playing days for Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United and York City.

From Edgar Street his travels took him to places as diverse as Derby, Atletico Madrid, Celta Vigo, South Africa and the Middle-East before returning home to Newport County.

He then had another spell at Hereford and into the Conference with Merthyr Tydfil, Scarborough and Yeovil Town.

Addison has been in club management for 30 years, but despite plying his trade at more than a dozen clubs, puts his success at Forest Green down to a tried-and-tested formula.

"There are no tricks to it, no magic, just a lot of hard work," he said.

"I've never put any pressure on anybody, because there's enough tension when you're trying to get off the bottom.

"I've never set any targets, other than to try and get three points in every game, and it's the same now.

"The lads have done very well and played with a high level of consistency, which you need to do. All credit to them.

"It's a great run we're having and we want to keep that going by doing the right things."

Rock-bottom

A third appearance in five years in the Trophy final is an ambition for Addison.

But apart from that, he leaves the dreaming up to others.

He added: "It's our sixth season in the Conference, and to still be there we have done very well.

"There's talk about relocation and the League, but I just like to temper that a bit.

"That sounds a bit boring, but it wasn't that long ago that we were rock-bottom and starting up at everybody else. We're not doing badly."