Forest Green Rovers have worked with Bovril to launch a vegan alternative to the drink.

The plant-based recipe swaps beet for beef and will be served at home games next season.

Nutritionists at Forest Green Rovers worked with and Bovril’s research and development team to develop the new formula.

Chairman Dale Vince, who turned the club vegan in 2015, said: "“We’re famously not fans of tradition but – a pie and a mug of Bovril are for many people a football tradition – and while we have great pies without animals in them, we’ve no Bovril alternative. 

"That may be about to change, with the advent of plant Bovril.  I think that would be fantastic.”

“There are so many benefits to a plant-based diet - not least athletic performance and as it happens, beetroot is renowned for its enhancing properties. It’s definitely something for our players, another edge to our game.”

“Make no bones about it – plant Bovril is a fab idea.”

Sophie Allan, brand manager at Bovril, said: “Bovril has long been known as traditional football fare. We’ve been warming the terraces since 1886. But times and appetites are changing, and we would never want to leave any football fans out in the cold.”

“Seeing Forest Green make major moves in the vegan space made us realise that there has never been a better time to explore the prospect of a new, one off formula that simply can’t be beet – ensuring that all fans can get in on the action.”