Stevenage (H) - Printable Version

Stevenage (H) - Printable Version

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Stevenage (H) - Lord Snooty - 21-08-2025

Huddersfield Town v Stevenage
The Sky Bet Championship
Saturday August 23rd - 15:00 ko
at Kirklees Stadium

[Image: on4cS0a.jpeg]

Huddersfield Town welcome Stevenage to the Kevin Nagle Arena on Saturday afternoon for an exciting, enthralling, exhilarating hour and a half of League One football.

We have never been beaten by Stevenage in the many, many meetings we've had over time, but they come to the Accu Stadium this time, as league leaders, with a 100% winning record. Not only that, they have League One's leading scorer as well. That's Jamie Reid with five goals in four matches. He's a Torquay born Northern Ireland international, who as the man in form, ought to be picked ahead of the non scoring, Preston born Northern Ireland international, Dion Charles. That's up to Michael O'Neil, not me, but as always, I'm giving him pelters in the hope that he'll finally get his name on the score sheet.

Manager Lee Grant has said that there are no new injuries after the win over Doncaster Rovers on Tuesday, so that's a good sign going into this one and something recent previous managers never had the luxury of.

Come on Town.....

A brief history of Stevenage FC: formed in 1976 as Stevenage Borough, they joined the United Counties League and just kept on climbing the non league pyramid, reaching the Conference (now National League) by 1994. They would've gone up into the Fotball League in 1996, but after winning the Conference, they were denied because their ground didn't pass FL standards.

The Boro started playing their home games at King George V playing fields in the town, but this was only after plans tomove into Broadhall Way were scuppered. The club had been formed after Broadhall Way's previous occupants had gone bust and so instead of supporting a new football club, the local council sold the land to a local businessman, who dug a massive trench across the pitch to stop any games taking place.

They did eventually move in in 1980, but as just stated, it wasn't up to scratch. But by 2010, it was. And so by winning the Conference again that season, they were promoted to League Two. This was under the management of Graham Westley and following a rebranding, where they dropped the Borough to become known as just Stevenage FC, they went up again, via the Play Offs.

They'd finished 6th in League One and after beating Accrington Stanley 3-0 on aggregate, they then beat Torquay United 1-0 at Wembley with John Mousinho writing his name in Stevenage legend.

They almost went up in the next season, making it to the Play Offs again. They played Sheffiled Utd in the 2011 semis, unluckily losing 1-0 on aggregate, to a very late goal at Brammal Lane.

Stevenage didn't kick on from there though and suffered a relegation, sending them back down the snakes n ladders board all the way back to League Two. They did make the Play Offs again in League Two, but got beaten in the semis by Southend Utd.

They had a brief spell in the media headlights when they took on a celebrity manager, Teddy Sheringham, but that didn't last long, with Westley coming and going in between others and was by 2020, in his 4th spell as boss.

It was Steve Evans though who eventually got them back into League One, finishing as runners up to Leyton Orient at the end of the 2022/23 season. That season saw them have their most famous victory as well, winning at Villa Park against the might of the Premier League's Aston Villa. After being a goal down for most of the match, they equalised in the 88th minute through a Jamie Reid penalty, then won it in the 90th with Dean Campbell grabbing the winner.

Head to Head

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Town lead the head to head with 3 win to Stevenage's 0, with 1 draw.

Only four games to report on then.

Danny Ward played in three of them. He was a young man back then in the 2011/12 season. The first of them was played at our place in October and we won it 2-1. Gary Roberts scored just before half time, before Scott Laird equalised in the 67th minute. Not to worry though, nine minutes later, super Lee Novak scored the winner to give Lee Clark and his players the three points.

That's not the end of it though. Stevenage were awarded and missed a penalty in added on time and the two bosses, Clark and Graham Westley, who had been sniping at each other throughout the game, confronted each other at the final whistle. Mind the handbags, gentlemen. Laugh

There was a crowd of 12,890 in the Galpharm Stadium on a Saturday afternoon for this one, which was game number 37 in our famous unbeaten run.

A smaller crowd of 3,059 were at the Lamex Stadium on a Tuesday night for the return match, which was the second game for our new Head Coach, Simon Grayson. There was a new name in the home dugout as well. Gary Smith had taken over a month earlier. This game was played midweek because the Boro had an FA Cup game on the original date. They played Tottenham Hotspur at home in the fifth round and drew 0-0, before losing the replay 3-1, a week after they played us.

Our game was goal less at half time, but then ten minutes after the break we were two up through Wardy and Novak. However, Michael Bostwick and Robin Shroot scored goals late on to give us yet another draw. The unbeaten run had gone by this stage though. Rolleyes

Both clubs went on to reach the Play Offs that season. Stevenage finished 6th and we finished 4th. We played MK Dons and beat them 3-2 on aggregate. They played Sheffield United and lost out 1-0 on aggregate to a late goal in the 2nd leg at Bramall Lane.

So thirteen seasons later, we met up again. Wardy played in the first game last season, which was match number two and our first home game in League One since 2012. He'd scored in the League Cup win over Morecambe a few nights before, but didn't get on the score sheet in this one. We did win it though, with goals from Josh Koroma and Ben Wiles, before Stevenage got a very late consolation from the penalty spot from Harvey White.

We went down there and did the double over them in March. We were looking certainties for the Play Offs at that stage of the season and this win just strengthened that expectation. However, it turned out to be the last away win of the season and was followed by a run of six consecutive away defeats. This one though was another 2-1 win and our goals came from Callum Marshall and Nigel Lonwijk with a Brandon Hanlan goal in between them. All goals came in the first half.

So we are still unbeaten against this team. Cool

So what's going on down Broadhall Way? Managed nowadays by Alex Revell, a much travelled striker in his playing days, now in his second spell as Boro boss.

His first spell started after Graham Westley (yes him again) resigned with the club 7 points adrift at the foot of League Two in February 2020. He lost his first two games, but then the season was ended prematurely due to the Covid outbreak. They were initially relegated, but got lucky at the demise of Macclesfield Town, whose points deductions meant the Boro received a reprieve.

They were still bottom of the table after 18 games of the next season, but Revell rallied them and they finished comfortably in 14th. The Board thanked him for this by sacking him early in the next season.

He wasn't unemployed for long though. Paul Tisdale got the job and brought him back to coach the youth team. When Steve Evans replaced Tisdale, he became his number two. He'd played under Evans earlier in his career at Rotherham.

Evans returned to Rotherham two matches before the end of last season and Revell took over once more, drawing 1-1 at Oxford and winning 2-1 at home to Cheltenham in those two last games.

At the end of the 23/24 season, he was appointed in the full time role.

Stevenage in popular culture: The most exciting thing ever to happen to Stevenage was in the Swinging Sixties when the cult comedy film Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush, starring Barry Evans and Judy Geeson, was filmed there. Here's a clip from that film.....

Recent form - last 5 matches:

Town 2-0 Doncaster
Blackpool 3-2 Town
Town 2-2 Leicester (EFL Cup) won 3-2 on pens
Reading 0-2 Town
Town 3-0 L.Orient

Port Vale 1-2 Stevenage
Stevenage 2-0 Northampton
Charlton 3-1 Stevenage (EFL Cup)
Stevenage 1-0 Rotherham
Blackpool 2-3 Stevenage

Town are 5th in the League One table with 9 points. Stevenage are top with 12.

RE: Stevenage (H) - jjamez - 21-08-2025

I'm away this weekend so won't be watching at all. Every game I've watched some of we've won. Sorry guys, hopefully they break that voodoo hoodoo I doodoo

RE: Stevenage (H) - theo_luddite - 22-08-2025

Short sharp and to the point Snoots.

Culture?

You missed my Knebworth bit the last time I commented on a Stevenage thread, or was it the time before? Queen still haven't paid my royalties for using my image on their Live album cover. Another of Quo's comebacks from another of their retirements the same day.

[Image: cqoLPpB.png]

That's me down there under the chopper.

RE: Stevenage (H) - themaclad - 22-08-2025

Scott Laird scored for PNE against Man United

RE: Stevenage (H) - theo_luddite - 23-08-2025

Back on me perch on Row Z

RE: Stevenage (H) - Lord Snooty - 23-08-2025

TOWN’S TEAM vs STEVENAGE (H)

1. Owen Goodman
2. Lasse Sorensen
3. Murray Wallace
4. Ryan Ledson ©
5. Joe Low
8. Ben Wiles
10. Marcus Harness
11. Ruben Roosken
16. Herbie Kane
20. Josh Feeney
26. Alfie May

SUBSTITUTES

Lee Nicholls; Lynden Gooch, Joe Taylor, David Kasumu, Sean Roughan, Leo Castledine, Cameron Ashia

Job done. One-nil.

RE: Stevenage (H) - SHEP_HTAFC - 23-08-2025

Pretty even game really.
Town edged it with chances and took the one that mattered.
Stevenage not a bad team but a bit blunt up top.
Thought Rooskens and Sorensen were excellent today.
Herbie Kane beginning to pee me off thinking he's the new Pirlo. A couple of good passes but mostly sideways and back. And a lot of passes to the opposition.

RE: Stevenage (H) - theo_luddite - 23-08-2025

It was a game that might not quite have been last on Match of the Day if they did League One games, but it wouldn't have been first on either. Both keepers apparently saved 4 shots each but I doubt the highlights will show 4 between them. Doesn't matter, I've seen us win from my Row Z perch for the first time in ages. I might need some refreshments to celebrate.

By the way, if Town have improved the sound system you could have fooled me and those around me. Could not make out a word that was said.