KEANU’S SO KEEN TO MOVE BACK UP
FOREST Green, the self-confessed Little Club on the Hill, are still finding their feet in the Football League, growing little by little with every passing day.
The Gloucestershire villagers, who rose from Non-League after being transformed by green energy magnate Dale Vince, became the EFL’s newest team following their promotion from the National League last term.
And their aspiration to rise through the ranks remains as strong as ever.
Winger Keanu Marsh-Brown has similar ambitions.
The 25-year-old, who has been at the New Lawn since 2015, was handed a glimpse of the big time when he was just a teenager. The jet-heeled wide man was part of Fulham’s show-stopping run to the 2009-10 Europa League final.
Odyssey
Marsh-Brown, then a 17-yearold in his first season after signing professional forms, was on the bench for some of the Londoners’ finest European adventures under Roy Hodgson.
That included both legs of their stunning aggregate triumphs over Shakhtar Donetsk and Juventus en route to being edged out by Atletico Madrid in the final.
His career has since taken him to the likes of Oldham, Yeovil and Barnet. But, having been a key part of Rovers’ promotion success and the EFL odyssey in which they find themselves, confident Marsh-Brown isn’t shy of masking his desire to get back to the game’s higher echelons.
“I’m still young and, because I’ve had that taste of it, I want to get back playing at that high level,” said MarshBrown, who also won the National League title with Barnet before joining Rovers.
“I know I can get there and be playing at that level. It’s just a matter of time. As long as I keep playing and putting in good performances and scoring goals, anything can happen.
“I still remember going away for the big games in the Europa League, when we went all the way to the final.
“It was an amazing experience and I’d say that Roy Hodgson was one of the best managers I’ve ever had.
Experience
“I loved working under him. His coaching style was great and he knew how to look after young players. His man-management skills were top-class and he treated everyone the same. “I got a runnersup medal in the final, so it was a great experience.” Forest Green have been anything but cautious during their first 18 weeks of life in League Two. Beforethis weekend, only Wycombe, Luton and Yeovil had been involved in more goalladen games this season. And, while Mark Cooper’s side had also conceded more than anyone else, they plan to remain true to their expansive style of play.
“I think the way we want to play is really exciting,” said MarshBrown. “We’re a passing team. We play the ball on the floor and we’ve got great players for that in lots of different positions.
“I know we go into games thinking we’re going to score a lot of goals. But, as long as we just tighten it up in defence, then we can push further up the table.” Key to their bid to stay in League Two will be keeping hold of star striker Christian Doidge, who, prior to yesterday’s trip to Grimsby, had hit 15 goals in all competitions, including ten in his last seven games. Understandably, the vultures are reportedly circling. Marsh-Brown added: “It will be tough to keep him. “There’ll be a lot of interest from higher leagues and I think the club will do their best to keep him. “But, if they can’t, he deserves his move because he’s done really well over the last two seasons.”