ROVER THE MOON! GRESLEY SET FOR WELCOME RETURN

GRESLEY Rovers have been reborn after 12 years.

Rovers, who were formed in 1882 and reached the final of the FA Vase in 1990-91.

They won the Southern League Premier Division in 1997 but were denied promotion to the Conference because their Moat Ground, their home since 1909, was deemed not up to scratch.

Instead, runners-up Cheltenham Town were promoted and went on to earn a place in the Football League.

Financial difficulties led to Rovers being liquidated in 2009. A phoenix club, Gresley FC, was formed and entered the East Midlands Counties

League which they won two years later, and carried off the Midland Alliance championship the season after that to earn a place in Northern Premier League Division One South.

Gresley were relegated to the Midland League Premier Division in 2019 and were in 16th place when the season was abandoned.

Now they hope that rebranding the club, in accordance with the longheld wishes of supporters, will lead to a fresh dawn.

Chairman Mark Alflat and his board of directors announced the name change on Wednesday.

He said: “The club as a new badge which although forward looking still retains a little of the original badge that being a part of the Gresley coatof-arms.

“The Gresley Rovers club had a long and successful history and today we reclaim that and look forward to adding to that success.”