Forest Green Rovers have today confirmed a major boost to their prospects of promotion from the National League with a permanent deal for Joe Quigley, who departs Chesterfield after playing a key role in their promotion to League Two in 2023/24 with 11 goals and two assists in 35 appearances.
The National League side have added a player in an area where they appear particularly light, with 32-year-old Christian Doidge leading the line and just Tyrese Omotoye as backup.
Joe Quigley Steps Down to Continue National League Exploits
The 27-year-old has played in a handful of games in the Football League but it is in the fifth tier where he has made his career. He scored his first goal at this level for Torquay United in the 2015/16 season and went on to represent Wrexham, Boreham Wood, Maidstone United, Bromley, Dagenham & Redbridge and Havant & Waterlooville in the National League.
A productive spell at Yeovil followed where he averaged a goal every three games over two seasons and Quigley would prove to be pivotal for Chesterfield after arriving in January 2022 as they sought promotion from the National League. He would represent them in two playoff campaigns before last season’s exploits saw Chesterfield crowned as Champions with an impressive 98 points.
Quigley will now return to the level where he has proved the most effective after making substitute appearances in each of Chesterfield’s opening three League Two games.
Forest Green Rovers Add Competition For Star Man
Former Hibernian striker Doidge returned to Forest Green Rovers after a four-and-a-half-year spell in Scotland, where he scored 26 goals in the Scottish Premiership and represented Hibs in the UEFA Conference League. Doidge has scored four goals and provided two assists from his five outings and will now compete for a place after Forest Green Rovers announced the signing of Joe Wuigley on a permanent deal.
The 6ft 4in target man will provide an excellent alternative to Doidge, with 21-year-old Omotoye having just scored five senior goals after being impressive for Norwich at youth level. Steve Cotterill has the difficult job of leading the club back into the Football League after back-t0-back relegations but they have started the campaign in reasonable form, picking up eight points from five games to sit in sixth place.
Forest Green Rovers travel to Sutton United this weekend in a match that will pit the two sides relegated from League Two last season against each other. The away side on the day won both fixtures 1-0 in the 2023/24 meetings between the two clubs.