Oft-highlighted as one of the sides with the biggest budgets in the Conference, Forest Green Rovers finally look set to achieve a finish which correlates with their outlay.

The Nailsworth side currently occupy the final play-off spot in fifth, five points ahead of Eastleigh but having played three more games than the Spitfires.

Tenth for each of the last three seasons, Rovers are currently on course for their highest league finish since coming eighth in 2008.

Ady Pennock is the man spearheading The Greens’ play-off push. The 43-year-old succeeded Dave Hockaday at The New Lawn last November and after a season of consolidation, the former Gillingham and Bournemouth centre-back has stamped his own image on the team.

The January transfer window saw veteran forward Lee Hughes return to former club Kidderminster Harriers but Green, never light on striking options, re-signed Stuart Fleetwood on loan from play-off rivals Eastleigh.

Former Gateshead hitman James Marwood also moved to The New Lawn, joining from Scottish Premier League outfit St Mirren after six months north of the border.

Former Cardiff City trainee Fleetwood made his name with The Green by scoring 28 goals in 41 league starts during the 2007/2008 season, enough to earn a move to Championship side Charlton Athletic.

The step up did not work out for the 28-year-old, who was loaned out to Cheltenham Town, Brighton & Hove Albion and Exeter City.

Stops at Hereford United and Luton Town preceded a summer switch to Eastleigh but opportunities with the Hampshire side were limited and he returned to Rovers in January.

Left-back Chris Stokes has made the step up to join League One strugglers Coventry City on loan, whilst defender Eddie Oshodi took the decision to retire from professional football aged just 23.

Explaining his decision, the England youth cap told the Stroud News and Journal: “My mind wasn’t fully into football. Forest Green are looking to get promoted, get into the play-offs, and get into the Football League hopefully.

“I don’t want to be the one who’s wasting anyone’s time. I don’t want Forest Green to have a player who isn’t really fully committed.”

The gap left behind by Oshodi has been plugged by the addition of former Sutton United defender Charlie Clough, who joined for an undisclosed fee from the Conference South side.

Clough began his career with Bristol Rovers, taking in no fewer than eight loan spells before leaving for Dorchester Town in 2012. The Taunton-born 24-year-old then spent two years with Sutton before making the step up to the top tier of non-league football in January.

One familiar face is former Bee Clovis Kamdjo. The Cameroonian has been deployed in the centre of midfield more often than not this season but has also been utilised as a centre forward and has scored five league goals this term, his best return in a single season.

The 24-year-old made 130 appearances for Barnet in all competitions before leaving upon relegation in 2013. He spent the 2013/14 campaign with Salisbury City before joining Pennock’s side last summer.

Rovers boast the fifth-best away record in the Conference this season and have only been beaten three times in the league since losing 2-1 to the Bees in September, courtesy of Bondz N’Gala’s last-gasp header.

They are unbeaten in their last five away fixtures, drawing three and winning two following their last defeat, 2-1 at Grimsby Town, in December.

Forest Green Rovers XI v Southport (28.02.15): Arnold; Bennett, Clough, Racine, Kelly; Guthrie, Sinclair, Kamdjo, Frear; Parkin, Fleetwood.