Chairman pays tribute to loyal servant
Ian Weston will next week leave Cheltenham Town after 13 years' sterling service to rejoin Forest Green Rovers as physio.A hugely popular figure at Whaddon Road, Weston had recently taken up the position of Robins academy physiotherapist and head of medical, mentoring new first team physio Joe Baker.
But he will now return to his former club, having worked at the Lawn under Nigel Spink and Tony Daley before taking over from Andy Mitchell at Cheltenham in 2002.
"It's been 13 years pretty much to the day and it has absolutely flown by, which is an indication of how good my time here has been," Weston said.
"Joining the club when we were in League One was fantastic and it was such an achievement to get to that level. Â There have been so many good times since.
"We have had three play-offs in that time, gone to Wembley and the Millennium Stadium and had big cup games against Newcastle, Tottenham, Everton, Sunderland and West Ham.
"There is a lot of sadness to be leaving Cheltenham, but the last nine months have unfortunately not been the best. That is a small price to pay for 12 and a half years which were extremely happy and in my eyes very successful."
During his long association with the Robins, Weston has often been in demand, but he said now was the right time to take on a new challenge.
"My heart has always been at Cheltenham and loyalty is important in football," he said.Â
"Things have changed for me since the end of last season and this opportunity at Forest Green came out of the blue. Initially I wasn't that interested, but having met Dale Vince (chairman), he was so enthusiastic and he sold the project they now have going on down there.
"I am going back to a club I have worked at before and still know some of the staff there. It felt like the time was right for me to go and find a new challenge so I made a quick decision and I am now looking forward to getting started."
Weston represented Cheltenham as a player, scoring on his debut against Farnborough Town during a loan spell from Bath City. He also played professionally for Bristol Rovers and Torquay United.
His career was cut short by injury and since hanging up his boots he has become one of the most highly respected medical men in the lower leagues, winning the League Medical Association's League Two Member's award in 2014.
Here, chairman Paul Baker pays tribute to Weston's time at Cheltenham: