Forest Green Rovers owner Dale Vince reveals he is ‘accidentally’ funding protests at Premier League matches in recent weeks

Dale Vince revealed that he has been ‘accidentally’ funding the group who are organising and carrying out the protests.

Speaking on TalkSport with Jim White and Simon Jordan, Vince was asked about who was funding the protests, and he admitted that he was partially responsible:

“It’s me actually. I had a chat a few weeks ago with the people that founded this,” Vince said.

“They live in Stroud and people that I know reached out and said ‘look we want to start a new campaign, could you help us with a bit of cash?’ And I did.

“What they didn’t say to me was that they were planning on disrupting football matches which I find amusing.

“I only bumped into this story in the last couple of days anyway after the disruption has taken place because, as Simon [Jordan] knows, I’m more interested in League Two.

“I think it’s amusing to me that I seem to have my fingerprints on this accidentally.

“I’m accidentally funding the disruption of Premier League games.”

When asked whether he would pull the funding from the group, Vince made clear his view on the protests and their ultimate aims:

“They haven’t asked for more money, it’s about £10,000 to keep them going or something like that - and I don’t know if they need a lot of money.

“But I support their aims and I don’t really have a problem with what they are doing as long as it’s a non-violent protest. Disruption is part of a protest, it’s how you get and draw attention to really big issues that, as I say, transcend football and transcend most aspects of life.”

As mentioned, the protests to now have centred around matches in the Premier League and Vince doesn’t believe the protests will extend to League Two games at the New Lawn Stadium:

“Maybe I’d be glueing myself to the goalposts, I don’t know.” Vince joked.

“I don’t think I would protest at my own football match because look at what Forest Green stands for.”

Pools are scheduled to visit Forest Green on Saturday April 9 (3pm kick-off).

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