Bishop’s Cleeve boss Paul Collicutt is looking forward to meeting Robbie Savage when he brings his Forest Green Rovers squad to Kayte Lane for a pre-season friendly on Tuesday 7^th July (7pm).

Collicutt was impressed by Savage when they head-to-head in last season’s GFA Senior Challenge Cup final at the New Lawn in April.

It was a game the National League side won 6-2 but Collicutt said of his opposite number: “He’s a top man, very humble. I can’t speak highly enough of him.

“At the end of the game, he knocked on our changing room and asked if he could come in.

“He was very complimentary about the lads and asked us if we’d fancy a pre-season game.

“When we said ‘yes’, he said, ‘Right, July 7^th, I look forward to seeing you.”

Savage, a former Wales international, enjoyed a stellar playing career with the likes of Leicester City, Birmingham City and Blackburn Rovers.

Now 51, he is preparing for his second season as manager of Forest Green after guiding them to the National League play-offs in 2025/26.

“They’re a very good club,” said Collicutt. “I played for them for two or three years towards the end of my career.

“We played in the Midlands Division of the Southern League, I was their player-of-the year at the age of 38.”

Collicutt, who is now 67, was also assistant to Frank Gregan while a player there – he also played for joint managers John Evans and Pat Casey – and has fond memories of the club.

And he’s hoping for a good crowd on Tuesday.

“I would hope so, Robbie Savage is popular,” he said. “I’d have thought he’ll bring 20-odd players and we’ll have about the same."

Slimbridge had a crowd of close to 900, thanks in part to the 'Robbie Savage factor', when they played Forest Green this time last year and Collicutt said: “I’d be over the moon with a crowd of 900, that would be tremendous, but you never know.

“Hopefully it’s a game that the people in Bishop’s Cleeve will come out and support.”

It will be Forest Green’s first pre-season friendly, whereas Cleeve, who plays in Division One South of the Southern League, play Droitwich Spa tomorrow (3pm).

Collicutt admits that he is disappointed Cleeve aren’t playing a pre-season friendly against Cheltenham Town this year but he said: “All I want from the Forest Green game is a lot of positives.”