Stevenage Borough F.C.
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| Full name | Stevenage Borough Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Boro | ||
| Founded | 1976 | ||
| Ground | Broadhall Way, Stevenage (Capacity: 7,100) |
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| Chairman |  Phil Wallace |
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| Manager | Graham Westley |
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| League | Conference National | ||
| 2008–09 | Conference National, 5th | ||
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Stevenage Borough F.C. are an English football club based in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, currently playing in the Conference National. Their home ground is Broadhall Way.
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[edit] History
Stevenage has had several early football clubs dating back to the 19th century all of which have now ceased. Stevenage Borough nicknamed "The Boro" was formed in 1976 after the bankruptcy of Stevenage Athletic, after which the Broadhall Way pitch was dug up.
The new club started out playing in the Chiltern Youth league on a roped-off pitch at the town's King George V playing fields, and moved up to intermediate status joining the Wallspan Southern Combination. In 1980 the club moved back to Broadhall Way 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 Football League in the same year.
In their first season as a senior club, they won UCL Division One and the UCL League Cup. They were promoted to the Premier Division. In 1984 they joined Division Two North of the Isthmian League. In 1985-86 the club finished as champions, and were promoted to Division One. However, two years later the club was relegated after finishing second bottom of the division.[1]
After two fourth-placed finishes, the club won Division Two North in 1990-91, winning 34 of their 42 games (including every match played at home), scoring 122 goals and amassing 107 points. The following season the club won the Division One championship, remaining unbeaten at home again, and were promoted to the Premier Division. The club's long unbeaten home record was finally ended by Dulwich Hamlet, with the streak lasting 44 matches, or which 42 were won.
In 1993-94 the club won the Premier Division, and were promoted to the Football Conference. Two seasons later they won the Conference, but were denied promotion to the Football League as Broadhall Way was deemed unfit, thus reprieving Torquay United, who had finished bottom of the league. In the same season they reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time, but lost 2-1 at Hereford United.
In 1996-97 the club progressed to the third round of the FA Cup for the first time, but ground issues saw tie with Birmingham City switched to St Andrew's; Borough lost 2-0. The following season they went one better, reaching the fourth round, where they drew Premier League club Newcastle United. A temporary stand was erected behind the away end to house the 'Toon Army', which increased the stadium capacity to 25,000, enough to satisfy the FA. Borough held Newcastle to a 1-1 draw, forcing a replay which they lost 2-1.
Between the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons, news emerged that the club were in financial difficulties and that the chairman, Victor Green, was going to close the club down if no buyer was found. However, after several weeks Phil Wallace purchased the club.
In 2001-02 the club reached the FA Trophy final for the first time, but lost 2-0 to Yeovil Town at Villa Park.
Borough reached the play-offs in season 2004/05, but lost the final 1-0 to Carlisle United.
2006-07 saw the club reach the FA Trophy final again, where they came back from 2-0 down to beat Kidderminster Harriers 3-2 in front of a record FA Trophy crowd of 53,262. The victory means that Stevenage were the first team to win a final at the new Wembley.
Stimson resigned on 17 October 2007 and was replaced by Peter Taylor on 1 November 2007. However, after failing to make the play-offs, Taylor resigned on 28 April 2008. On 2 May 2008, it was announced that former manager Graham Westley would return to manage the side once again.
On 8th April 2009, Stevenage won the Herts Senior Cup for the first time in their history[2]. Stevenage won the game with 2 second half goals from coach Dino Maamria. Maamria left the club in 2006 and came to Stevenage after leaving Northwich Victoria as a Player Manager. He joined the club as a first team coach and played his first match in his second spell at Stevenage and scored two goals to win the cup for the first time in the club's 33 year history.
The 2008-09 season also saw Graham Westley lead Stevenage to a 2-0 win against York City in the FA Trophy final. It was Stevenage's second FA Trophy success in three years. The win means that Stevenage have now played, and won, twice at the new Wembley Stadium since it opening in 2007.
[edit] Stadium
The club plays at Broadhall Way, previously home to Stevenage Athletic.
In the early 2000s the ground was upgraded ,with a new £600,000 stand opening, providing a computer learning centre underneath and work on a new £5 million training facility was announced for nearby Shephalbury Park - which subsequently opened in Autumn 2002.
On 25 January 2009, Stevenage Borough announced that they had signed a 7-figure sponsorship deal with the Lamex Food Group, resulting in the renaming of the Broadhall Way stadium to the Lamex Stadium.[3]
[edit] Current squad
- As of 27 May 2009.
[edit] Current squad
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[edit] Former players of note
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[edit] Honours
- Herts Senior Cup
- Winners 2008-09
- FA Trophy
- Winners 2006-07, 2008-09
- Runners-up 2001-02
- Football Conference
- Champions 1995-96
- Isthmian League
- Premier Division champions 1993-94
- Division One champions 1991-92
- Division Two North champions 1985-86, 1990-91
- United Counties League
- Division One champions 1980-81
- League Cup winners 1980-81
[edit] References
- ^ Stevenage Borough Football Club History Database
- ^ Stevenage Borough 2 Cheshunt 1
- ^ "Major new sponsorship deal for Boro". Stevenage Borough F.C.. 2009-01-25. http://stevenageborofc.com/index_news_det.php?news_id=1104. Retrieved on 2009-01-28.
[edit] External links
- Club website
- BoroGuide Unofficial Website
- Stevenage Borough Supporters Association
- BoroPics.co.uk Official Photos
- Stevenage Borough F.C. on BBC Sport: Club News – Recent results – Upcoming fixtures – Club stats
