Light's Out: I expect appeal against County Ground planning decision (From Gazette Series)

Former Gloucestershire CCC chairman John Light on the local sports scene

10:30am Friday 3rd February 2012 in Gloucestershire Sport

NEVER has my phone been so busy. What will happen to Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is the question so many are asking.

No definite news as yet but my guess is that the way forward will be as follows.

There will be an appeal against the planning decision following a re-jigging of the development scheme. However, this can only happen if the financial terms are acceptable to both the county club and developers Linden Homes. If this does not work a move away from Bristol could occur. Gloucester is the most likely destination but the Wagon Works may not be the favoured site.

Gordon League Rugby Football Club hope to move from Hempstead and their preferred destination is the Wagon Works Tuffley Avenue ground.

Gloucester City Council have offered the club several sites and I believe one has emerged as a strong favourite. Watch this space.

I am delighted Middlesex batsman Dan Housego has signed for Gloucestershire.

He has a fine career ahead of him. He was spotted by former captain Tony Wright and originally joined the academy at Bristol. It was not working as well then as it is now and he left for Middlesex. Now he has returned and will strengthen the upper order batting. With Chris Taylor still undecided about his future, this is an important signing.

It has been a thrilling week for Forest Green Rovers' supporters. The two matches against Wrexham (Tuesday night - 1-0 victory) and Fleetwood (Saturday - injury-time 2-1 defeat) were exceptional.

I love evening floodlit matches. Perhaps this dates back to 1967 when, in an FA Cup replay at the County Ground, Swindon beat West Ham 3-1. Yes - Moore, Peters and Hurst were playing. It was a great night. Some Swindon fans remember more than the game. In their hotel after the match (The Goddard Arms) the West Ham players, led by Moore, took issue with manager Ron Greenwood over team selection and tactics. It was a noisy occasion, just as the match had been.

After Tuesday's victory over Wrexham, I was very nearly hugged by South Cerney golfer Peter Jubb, like me a FGR regular. I was heading for my tea and cake when Peter rushed up. His face said it all and his words confirmed it. "That was the best match I have seen here," he said. He was right. Like so many other fans he was rightly delighted with what he had seen.

Luton are the visitors on February 11. Perhaps they are the biggest club ever to play in the Conference, and I know many of their fans are coming to the Cotswolds.

The Wrexham match was an interesting one for your columnist. Invited to join Bob Hunt as co-commentator for Radio Gloucestershire, I was enjoying a cheerful pre-match chat with the Radio Wales team. When they started their commentary, I was stunned. Every word was in Welsh, except Nailsworth for which, as they told me at half-time, there is no Welsh equivalent.

I did not miss backing the Tom George-trained Baby Mix at Cheltenham. Last time I did, and it cost me money as he won. Saturday was also expensive.