Pitman move co-insides with loss of form

Former Hereford United player Jimmy Harvey must be wondering what has happened to his Forest Green side since physio and assistant manager Jamie Pitman joined ship and moved to Hereford United.

Forest Green have gained just one point from their last five games - last evening they were defeated by Torquay - and after a good start to the new season are rapidly dropping down the Conference table.

However Harvey is regarded, not unlike Bulls manager Graham Turner, as someone who like to get his sides to pass the ball as an article in the Devon press relates.

ANYBODY who saw Jim Harvey play as a cultured midfielder with Hereford, Tranmere and Crewe more than 20 years ago will not be surprised that, as a manager, he demands that his teams pass the ball first and last.

He was brought up at Arsenal's Highbury, and he's never forgotten the lessons he learned there.

In 12 years in charge of Morecambe and now at Forest Green Rovers, Harvey has always encouraged football for purists, and there's no sign that he's changing in his old age.

The loss of his two most effective forwards, first Mark Beesley to Cambridge and then 30-goal leading scorer Stuart Fleetwood to Charlton, last season made FGR's start to this campaign — they took eleven points from their first six matches — all the more praiseworthy.

No doubt the club's board were also pretty grateful to their manager for swelling the coffers along the way.

They have hit a bit of a wall in recent weeks, but they remain a team capable of opening up the best defences at this level.

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