A FUNDRAISER has been created to support the future of a women's football team. 

Author Chris Gardner's latest book, They've done it again, has already raised almost £1,000 for Forest Green Rovers' women's team. 

He says that the team deserve the support that the male team gets.  

Stroud News and Journal:

"I have supported FGR men since coming to live in Stroud in 1985 and published several books in aid of a charity I used to chair, Gloucestershire Deaf Association," he said. 

"The women's team deserve our support as much as the men and when I had decided to write about the men's titling winning season, I knew at once that I wanted to put profits to the women's team. 

"Their resources are far more limited, it is the least I could do. 

"The team has been around for a while, but like so many women's teams have had their ups and downs.  

"Like the women's game as a whole, the standard is improving incredibly fast and they are great to watch. 

"Not least, as a supporter, you get wound up by the tensions of the men's game. 

"Watching the relative freedom with which the women play - and less theatrical dives or cheating too - it is a refreshing change and a fine 'product'. 

"For the first time this season, the women's 1st team squad have contracts and the coaching is comprehensive. 

"Most years, the SC donates at least £2,000 to the FGRW for such things as training kit, help with transport costs, training equipment and so on. 

"It is 'small beer' but demonstrates both support and the fact that small sums can buy a lot of important things. 

"Besides ring-fencing the money to FGRW, I leave the club free to decide its priorities. 

Head of women's football David Hennessy explains that FGR'S women's team is different to other sides in lower leagues. 

"Rather than having an affiliation or falling under the charitable foundations of the clubs, two years ago we integrated into the club alongside the men's and academy teams," explains manager David Hennessy. 

"With this one-club approach, we are centrally funded and supported similarly to the men's and academy teams and can flex resources across the teams to support each other. 

"We have also been recently awarded FA Emerging Talent Centre status and partnered with Hartpury College to provide girls football.

"This enables us to have a growth path for girls up to the age of 16 at which point they can move across into Women's Football. 

"We have already borne the fruits of this by having two players join us this season from the Girls U16 team, with both showing great promise for the future."