Ground: Broadhall Way
Capacity: 7,318
Club Founded: 1976
League: EFL League One (current level)
Stevenage FC has made up for lost time since their formation in 1976, progressing through the non-league system to become an established EFL club.
Club History
Stevenage Football History
When Stevenage FC was formed, they took over as the town's senior football club. Previous outfits had limited success and fell on hard financial times. The first incarnation of Stevenage FC was formed in 1894, before changing its name to Stevenage Town FC. They merged with Stevenage Rangers FC in the 1950s, reverting to their original name.
In 1961, they reverted to Stevenage Town, and two years later, the club moved to their new ground at Broadhall Way as the town expanded. They joined the Southern League but were disbanded in 1968. Stevenage Athletic FC took their place and progressed to the Southern League in 1971. The club resigned from the league five years later.
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| Main Stand at Broadhall Way in 1983 |
A new Stevenage FC was set up. It wasn't until 1980 that they played senior league football by joining the United Counties League at Broadhall Way after playing at King George V Playing Fields on a roped-off pitch. The club was soon renamed Stevenage Borough FC.
Boro were promoted to Division Two North of the Isthmian League in 1984, winning the title in their second season in the competition. However, by 1990 they were in the league's bottom tier when Paul Fairclough was appointed manager. Within four years, Stevenage won three promotions and were promoted to the Conference, later to become the National League.
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| Broadhall Way in 1983 |
League Titles and FA Cup Runs
The following season, they reached the third round of the FA Cup, losing at St Andrews to Birmingham City, after the game was switched from Broadhall Way. In 1997-98, Boro went one better and reached the fourth round. A temporary stand was erected to satisfy the FA as Newcastle United escaped Hertfordshire with a 1-1 draw
Enter Phil Wallace
The game attracted plenty of fire because of pre-match comments from both clubs. Newcastle won the replay in controversial circumstances. Despite two great cup runs, the Chairman Victor Green announced that the club was in financial trouble and that he was prepared to close it down, which led to Fairclough moving on in December 1998.
Phil Wallace, a successful businessman, completed a 90% purchase of Stevenage Borough in 1999. He gradually rebuilt the club's finances and the previously rocky relationship with the local council. Boro lost to Yeovil Town in the 2001-02 FA Trophy final at Villa Park. The club moved to a new training ground, while Broadhall Way was gradually rebuilt.
Wembley Winners
Graham Westley came in as manager, taking Boro to the 2004-05 Conference playoff final. They were once again denied a place in the Football League when Carlisle United won 1-0 in the Britannia Stadium showdown.
Westley moved on at the end of the following season and was replaced by Mark Stimpson. Boro became the first team to win a competitive final at the new Wembley, when they came from two goals down to defeat Kidderminster Harriers 3-2 in the 2006-07 FA Trophy final with Steve Morison as one of the star players.
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| My drawing of Broadhall Way, team kits, and club crests. Click on the image to enlarge it. |
Promotion to the Football League
Stimpson resigned before Peter Taylor had a short spell as boss. Graham Westley returned before Boro won another FA Trophy against York City at Wembley. They also missed out in the playoff semi-final against Cambridge United. The team won the Conference title in 2009-10, ten points ahead of Luton Town to win promotion to the Football League.
The club announced it would be named Stevenage FC. In their debut season, Newcastle United were beaten in the FA Cup before they reached the playoff final. A John Mousinho goal was enough to beat Torquay United 1-0 at Old Trafford to seal promotion.
Westley returned to the Broadhall Way hot seat in March 2013 for a third spell after an unsuccessful reign at Preston North End. Boro were relegated back down to the League basement, from where they reached the playoffs in 2014-15, losing to Southend United in the semifinals, after which Westley was replaced by Teddy Sheringham.
A couple of other managers came and went before Westley returned. Former Boro forward Alex Revell took over as manager, and his side was reprieved of relegation because of Bury FC's expulsion. Paul Tidsdale failed to impress as manager and was soon replaced by Steve Evans.
The Scot led Stevenage to promotion to League One in 2022-23, and then took them to a top ten finish in 2023-24 as Jamie Reid put away the goals. Three games from the end of the season, Evans headed for a second spell at Rotherham United. Former boss Revell was given the manager's job.
He led his side to the playoffs in 2025-26, which ended in semi-final defeat to Stockport County.
Stevenage Borough 0 Scarborough 1
Football Conference - Saturday 6th November 1999
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I had moved down to London and was keen to get to as many Scarborough away games as possible. I had every Saturday off when cricket wasn't taking place at Lord's, so it gave me plenty of scope. My mate Steve was living near Oxford, and I managed to talk him into a day out in pastures new.
I had to meet him off his train at Paddington as he couldn't find his way to King's Cross on the tube! We were soon on our way on the short journey north, where we went to our first pub on what was to prove a bit of a marathon session. I can't remember its name, but it was as desperate as its surroundings. We decided to get a taxi and use the clubhouse.
I had moved down to London and was keen to get to as many Scarborough away games as possible. I had every Saturday off when cricket wasn't taking place at Lord's, so it gave me plenty of scope. My mate Steve was living near Oxford, and I managed to talk him into a day out in pastures new.
I had to meet him off his train at Paddington as he couldn't find his way to King's Cross on the tube! We were soon on our way on the short journey north, where we went to our first pub on what was to prove a bit of a marathon session. I can't remember its name, but it was as desperate as its surroundings. We decided to get a taxi and use the clubhouse.
A crazy man drove us to the ground through a pretty soulless town, to be honest, and told us about how he knew some gangsters in the news of late. The clubhouse was a massive improvement, even though it was busy. It had its own bookies, and the locals were friendly enough.
Broadhall Way also seemed a decent ground. We were given an open terrace behind the goal, with a covered terrace to our left and the main stand to our right. Scarborough had a reasonable team, as did Stevenage, who had the better of the game if truth be told.
It turned out to be one of those away games I love so much, where your team is under the cosh but gradually ends up winning. Matty Russell got a chance in the second half at our end and buried it, sending the 100 away fans into ecstasy. The team defended heroically for the rest of the game, so we could go back into the clubhouse wearing silly grins on our faces.
It turned out to be one of those away games I love so much, where your team is under the cosh but gradually ends up winning. Matty Russell got a chance in the second half at our end and buried it, sending the 100 away fans into ecstasy. The team defended heroically for the rest of the game, so we could go back into the clubhouse wearing silly grins on our faces.
The locals took it better than I would have when we chatted. We got a taxi back to the station. Steve did a great line in wind-ups with the lady driver as he initially made out what a lovely place Stevenage seemed to be. Amazingly, the lady agreed.
We went to the entertainment centre in search of a better bar. All we found was a plastic establishment in a bowling alley. At the station, we ended up on a train without a toilet, which stopped everywhere. The guard kindly advised us to quickly jump out at the next station and go to the end of the platform, while he held the train up!
We got back to Kings Cross and headed for Paddington for a few more beers, including a couple at the Fountains Abbey, before Steve headed off, and I went back to Willesden.
Stevenage Borough 1 Scarborough 1
Football Conference - Saturday 19th August 2000
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I headed up to this game with friends on a stunning summer's day. My parents were staying in London for a few days, so I had to be relatively moderate re my drink consumption as I was meeting them when I returned to the capital.
I headed up to this game with friends on a stunning summer's day. My parents were staying in London for a few days, so I had to be relatively moderate re my drink consumption as I was meeting them when I returned to the capital.
Scarborough FC were in a real state financially. John Russell had stepped down as Chairman but was still around the club. No one expected him to pitch up on the front seat of the team coach after the problems he had caused, yet he was still denying it. We wondered if this would be the club's last away game.
A high court hearing was due the following Friday after that week's home game with Morecambe. We were angry, but we were determined to support the players, many of whom were losing out financially. Some fans were talking of setting up an Independent Supporters Trust to run the club. This was the first time I'd ever heard of such a scheme.
Some of the tales I was told about people in high positions making personal gain from the club didn't help my mood. Others wandered around saying it was all lies and good people were running it. The team looked a bit of a state as some of their socks didn't match perfectly, which was extremely embarrassing.
Somehow, Boro put in a brilliant performance, and we went berserk when Steve Brodie scored our goal. A draw was the least we deserved, simply on courage alone. I headed straight back to the station, my voice resigned to a whisper, so I could meet my Mum and Dad in The Sir John Oldcastle at Farringdon for tea and a few drinks.
Stevenage Borough 2 Scarborough 2
Football Conference - Saturday 11th October 2003
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I headed to this game with my mate Dave Cammish with the promise of a decent away ground to come. We had a quick pint in the Standard Bearer, a Wetherspoons pub in the new shopping mall, before heading by taxi to Broadhall Way. The ground and clubhouse lived up to their billing, and soon we were sitting comfortably watching the afternoon's racing.
I headed to this game with my mate Dave Cammish with the promise of a decent away ground to come. We had a quick pint in the Standard Bearer, a Wetherspoons pub in the new shopping mall, before heading by taxi to Broadhall Way. The ground and clubhouse lived up to their billing, and soon we were sitting comfortably watching the afternoon's racing.
I got off to a cracking start as I got a winner! After a couple of pints, we went into the ground, where we were located in the new single-tiered covered seated stand purely for away fans. The game was decent enough. Stevenage went one up with a penalty before Lloyd Blackman levelled after fifty-four minutes on one of his few appearances for the club.
The home side created plenty of pressure, but Boro defended stoutly. Stevenage's forward Anthony Elding was getting plenty of stick as his team attacked our end for his attempted theatrics in his coloured boots. He hardly endeared himself when Stevenage scored with just twelve minutes left, with him celebrating in front of us.
It wouldn't have been so bad if he had scored the goal! However, we were about to have the last laugh. Chris Senior came off the bench with nine minutes to go and then scored an equaliser with just three minutes to go. It's fair to say we celebrated long and hard and gave Elding our thoughts! Dave and I went back to the clubhouse.
It wouldn't have been so bad if he had scored the goal! However, we were about to have the last laugh. Chris Senior came off the bench with nine minutes to go and then scored an equaliser with just three minutes to go. It's fair to say we celebrated long and hard and gave Elding our thoughts! Dave and I went back to the clubhouse.
They were showing England playing away against Turkey in a vital Euro 24 qualifier. The club had put on a special offer on bangers and mash to entice punters to stay. It worked for us! Beckham missed a penalty, while I drank plenty of ale and pointed out Elding's limitations to the home fans as England clinched their place in Portugal with a goalless draw.
Stevenage Borough 1 Scarborough 0
Football Conference - Saturday 19th February 2005
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A mate had come down from Scarborough for the weekend. We went to our annual visit to the Masters Snooker at Wembley Conference Centre on Friday evening to kick off our fun. We met up on Saturday morning to reflect on the fine performance the previous evening, where we'd seen Ronnie O'Sullivan destroy Ding Junhui.
A mate had come down from Scarborough for the weekend. We went to our annual visit to the Masters Snooker at Wembley Conference Centre on Friday evening to kick off our fun. We met up on Saturday morning to reflect on the fine performance the previous evening, where we'd seen Ronnie O'Sullivan destroy Ding Junhui.
Our number was bolstered on matchday, with my allies not quite believing seeing boards for people to discard chewing gum. The clientele in Mall's two pubs weren't a great advert for the town's tourist drive either.
In the clubhouse, a group of Seadog supporting Dutchmen joined us. They had flown over on the cheap by courtesy of EasyJet. They showed obvious signs of enjoying their day! The less said about the game, the better. Boro were awful, and Stevenage not much better. It was freezing cold, and our team did little to warm us.
To round off a bad ninety minutes, former Seadog favourite, Darryn Stamp, scored the only goal. It was so bad that even some of our loyalist fans were heard to boo. It was a relief to get back to London for beers.
Stevenage 0 Maidstone United 0
FA Cup Round One - Sunday 9th November 2014
It was my day off work for the weekend, and the FA Cup offered up many options for a day out. The game that caught my eye was Braintree Town v Chesterfield. This would have been a new venue for me to visit. However, as editor, I had a Scarborough Athletic programme to complete that day, meaning I didn't have enough spare time to go.
I texted my mate Tony, who replied that he was heading to Stevenage and he could pick me up at Stanmore station. I hadn’t been to The Lamex Stadium, the sponsored name of Broadhall Way, for several years, so I took up the offer.
The weather was perfect when we arrived and parked up around ten minutes from the ground. We were inside by 1.15, awaiting the 2pm kick-off. Although I knew of the ground's excellent clubhouse, the weather was ideal to use the roofless Corner Bar inside the turnstiles. It proved an excellent choice.
They poured bottles of London Pride into plastic glasses for my enjoyment before we took up a position on the covered terrace down the side. Admission had cost £15, with the programme an additional £3.
The visiting Stones fans filled the seats behind the goal and offered very voluble support to their heroes. Everyone in the ground took part in an immaculate tribute to the lost heroes of previous conflicts during a minute's silence.
If we hadn’t known in advance, it would have been difficult to spot which of the two teams played in the Football League. If Maidstone had just a little more pace out wide, they would have been a real handful all match. As it was, both defences did well to keep things scoreless.
At the break, the locals were unimpressed, with many wanting their manager Graham Westley sacked. It was nice to listen in as a neutral and enjoy my ever excellent Pukka Pie without concern. Maidstone leading marksman Frannie Collin had a real chance to put his side ahead.
He saw his effort stopped by Chris Day's feet in the home net. The towering Stones skipper Steve Watt was doing a sterling job at the other end, upsetting the home fans at the same time. Tom Pett's intelligent wide play looked to be Stevenage’s best hope. His side hit the woodwork through Roarie Deacon.
Then substitute Chris Beardsley saw a header come back off the post. Maidstone deservedly hung on for a draw. We were back on the A1 within minutes, heading south. Tony dropped me off at Stanmore station. I was back home to really enjoy Swansea City coming from behind to defeat Arsenal in the second half.
It was a really good afternoon out at a proper old-fashioned FA Cup tie, and thankfully the BBC covered the whole round really well in their highlights package. Meanwhile, I finished the Boro programme before the impending gloom of a three-day management course at work.
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