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Written by Pete Grimes
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Friday, 08 December 2006 |
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Address
Broadhall Way
Stevenage, Hertfordshire
SG2 8RH
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Stevenage Borough has come a long way since it was formed playing on the council
pitches of Stevenage 30 years ago. A Conference championship and appearances in
the FA Trophy and Conference play-offs, as well as prestigious FA cup ties
against Newcastle United and Birmingham City, many believe that the best is yet
to come for the club from North Hertfordshire. Under the auspices of chairman
Phil Wallace and guided on the pitch by Mark Stimson, the club feel that they
are ready to make that final push for a place in the Football League that has
eluded them for so long.
The Stevenage Borough that we know today was formed in 1976 by a group of
enthusiasts following the demise of the former town club, Stevenage Athletic.
After the bankruptcy of Athletic, the Broadhall Way pitch was dug up with JCB's
in a determined effort to ensure it never saw football again, but with help from
the local authority there has been a continuous re-building of the stadium,
culminating in the splendid 7,100 capacity ground that is recognised today as
one of the most impressive outside the Football League.
The reformed team began their climb up the non-league pyramid in the Chiltern
Youth league on a roped off pitch one of the town's public parks, King George V
playing fields, moving up to intermediate status joining the Wallspan Southern
Combination. In 1980 the club returned to the Broadhall Way Stadium that has
been the traditional home of Stevenage football and the name Borough was added.
With the council as their landlords and a refurbished stadium, Stevenage Borough
took on senior status and joined the United Counties League.
In their first season as a senior club, Stevenage achieved the double of United
Counties Division One championship and cup before switching across the
non-league pyramid into the Isthmian League Division Two, winning the league in
their first season in a senior competition and reaching the quarter-finals of
the FA Vase and the Herts Senior Cup Final.
In 1993/94 Stevenage Borough achieved promotion to the Football Conference,
pipping runners-up Enfield at the final hurdle for the championship. Borough's
first season in the Conference, 1994/95 saw them start slowly, but as the season
wore on the side became accustomed to the pressure and they finished in a secure
fifth place. The 1995/96 season saw Stevenage Borough win the Football
Conference in only their second season, but due to FA regulations were denied
promotion to the Football League due to insufficient ground facilities and
capacity.
1996/97 also had its exciting moments as Stevenage reached the semi-finals of
the FA Trophy and the 3rd round of the FA Cup being rewarded with a 'home' tie
against Birmingham City after disposing of Leyton Orient
The following season, 1997/98, Stevenage continued their good fortune in the FA
Cup as they reached the 4th round for the first time, with wins against
Cambridge United and a stunning victory at first divison Swindon Town. Borough
was then richly rewarded with a home tie against Premier Division Newcastle
United. This time the club were not going to let the tie be held at any other
stadium. A temporary stand was erected behind the away end to house the 'Toon
Army', which increased the stadium capacity to 8,040, enough to satisfy the FA.
Stevenage rocked the football world as they held the multi-million pound side to
a 1-1 draw, before travelling north for the replay in which, although being
written off by many a pundit, they finally went down 2-1 in a hugely
entertaining tie.
Between the 1998-1999 and 19991000 seasons, news emerged that the club were in
financial difficulties and that the chairman was going to close the club down if
no buyer was found. Several nervous weeks went by, as the club seemed to grind
to a halt. Nobody in the town wanted to see another club bearing the name
'Stevenage' go to the wall. However, after several weeks of worrying and
speculation, salvation was at hand in the shape of former Boreham Wood chairman
and businessman, Phil Wallace, who purchased the club and set about rebuilding
the finances and the relationship with the local council.
A poor start to the 2002/03 season culminated in the club hitting the bottom of
the Conference on Boxing Day 2002. This resulted in Wayne Turner being removed
from his post as manager, with Farnborough boss Graham Westley taking over the
reins a month later. After much change in the squad, he hauled the club up to a
creditable twelfth position by the last game of the season, and again,
expectation levels had been set very high at Broadhall Way for the 2003/04
season.
The squad was strengthened and gradually the club's league fortunes improved. A
creditable eighth-place finish was achieved in 2003/04 and 12 months later
Westley guided Borough to its first appearance in the post-season play-offs.
After defeating Hereford United in the semi-finals they were beaten by a single
goal against Carlisle United in the final at Stoke City's Britannia Stadium.
After narrowly failing to reach the play-offs the following season, Westley left
Broadhall Way after three and a half years at the helm. The search was on for a
man to take the club forward and Wallace pulled off a remarkable coup in the
summer of 2006 by luring Mark Stimson, one of the most respected managers in
non-league football, from Grays Athletic just weeks after the Essex club had
retained the FA Trophy at Upton Park.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 08 September 2007 )
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