FOREST GREEN are certainly rubbing shoulders with the Sky Bet EFL footballing top brass.

Manager Mark Cooper, striker Christian Doidge and marketing manager Ryan Harmer gathered alongside former England captain John Terry to launch the EFL kick-off.   

Host club Aston Villa were represented by manager Steve Bruce and new captain Terry, who were just two of a number of stars on show in the Midlands.

The skipper of the Villans' fierce rivals Birmingham City, Michael Morrison, was welcomed to the stadium, while Derby County had former Villa players Andi Weimann and Kevin Phillips – now first-team coach for the Rams – in attendance.

Rochdale's Joe Thompson was another invited guest, fighting fit after recently beating cancer for a second time. Notts County's Shola Ameobi, completed the line-up.

Invited press were in attendance too, covering the event across media channels and interviewing guests about their hopes and ambitions for the season ahead.

Watch Christian Doidge at Villa Park and a video round-up of the day