Away Days: Stevenage (Borough) FC

Stevenage FC

The Boro

THE GROUND HISTORY
Broadhall Way
Capacity: 7,100

IMAGES

A newly formed Stevenage Borough moved into Broadhall Way three years after the bankruptcy of Stevenage Athletic after the council repurchased the stadium. In the 1995-6 season Stevenage Borough won the league but were denied entry to the football league due to ground capacity and facility inadequacies. This spared our near-neighbours Torquay United much the same as we ourselves had been spared the previous season. This led to a redevelopment programme which has helped the club achieve its recent success ultimate goal of achieving football league status, as to be fair and like Burton, I think it has come to deserve. At the turn of the millennium a new £600,000 stand was opened and behind the scenes a £5 million training facility was opened in 2002. After renaming the stadium the Lamex Stadium after Lamex Food Group agreed naming rights for a seven-figure sponsorship deal (according to Wikipedia) in January 2009, Stevenage Brough were able to progress and win the Blue Square Premier League outright and bringing League football to Broadhall Way for the very first time this season. They dropped the Borough from their name presumably to sound less tinpot but I always thought it was a touch of unique character and was vaguely disappointed to see them do it. Westley was clearly doing something right as his team made the step up and reached the play-offs. After breezing past Accrington they were able to overturn Torquay settling a decade and a half wrong and winning promotion to the League One where they will again face the mighty Grecians next season.

WHATS IT LIKE?

THE PLACE

A bit of an oddity this trip as I was a little bit younger and we stayed with some friends of my mates family in a tiny village outside of Stevenage. We had little time but it didn’t seem like there was too much to miss really; a pretty standard London outskirts little concrete town with fake cobblestones and I don’t remember there being any decent pubs although there was a handy McDonalds near the ground.

THE GROUND

If the place itself was not great the stadium at least did not disappoint. No, admittedly, it’s not the largest stadium and it even had a seated away end but what it did have was a good home support, good acoustics and an awesome away support no doubt buffed-up by London Grecians. The recent success seems to have only improved things as well a definite recommendation!

 THE MATCH

Blue Square Premier

21 April 2007
Stevenage Borough 0-0 Exeter City
Att: 3,058

The second last game of the 2006-2007 season was always going to be a tense affair. Stevenage for some reason had four games left and if they won all of them stood an outside chance of reaching the play-offs. We were already inside but were by no means safe. What unfolded was one of the best games I have ever seen and probably the best Conference match. The atmosphere (ever important) was great both sets of fans really behind the side although of course the Grecian army was twice what the Satange could muster. The game was played in the right way attractive passing attacking football led to a match which was truly end to end both sides had chances with this late strike from Matt Gill being magnificently flicked onto the bar then post by Alan Julian in the Stevenage goal in front of the away end. It may have ended 0-0 but it was a fantastic match a good ground and a decent home support and I’m looking forward to the trip back their this coming season.

p.s. don’t get screwed on rail fares book in advance a little lesson from last time!