The 2010–11 season was Stevenage F.C.'s first season in the Football League, where the club competed in League Two. This article shows statistics of the club's players in the season, and also lists all matches that the club played during the season. Their first-place finish and subsequent promotion means it will be their first ever season of playing in the Football League, having featured in the Conference National for the past sixteen years. The season also marked the first season that the club played under its new name – Stevenage Football Club, dropping 'Borough' from its title as of 1 June 2010. It was the third year in charge for manager Graham Westley during his second spell at the club; having previously managed the Hertfordshire side from 2003 to 2006.
Ahead of the club's first season in the Football League, Westley stated a desire to give the majority of the squad that had won promotion from the Conference National a chance to play in League Two. This subsequently meant there was a similar level of transfer activity to the club's 2009–10 campaign. Three players left the club ahead of the 2010–11 season. Andy Drury decided to leave Stevenage in favour of a move back into non-league, joining Luton Town on a free transfer, while both Mark Albrighton and Eddie Odhiambo were released in June 2010. Five players joined the club during the close season. Darius Charles was the first signing of the season, joining Stevenage from Ebbsfleet United for a fee set by a tribunal. Wingers Peter Winn and Rob Sinclair signed on free transfers from Scunthorpe United and Salisbury City respectively, while defender Luke Foster joined the club after being released by Mansfield Town. Stevenage also announced the signing of midfielder John Mousinho in late June 2010, who rejected a contract extension at Wycombe Wanderers in order to sign for the club. In terms of transfers during the 2010–11 campaign, strikers Lee Boylan, Tim Sills and Peter Vincenti were all allowed to find new clubs in January 2011, while both Marvin Williams and Taiwo Atieno had brief spells with the club. Three strikers joined the club during the season, Ben May and Byron Harrison signed for the club on free transfers, whilst Craig Reid joined from Newport County for what was a "club record fee" in January 2011.
Stevenage recorded just one league win from their first seven league fixtures, and suffered from inconsistency for the first half of the league campaign. Following four defeats in six games in December 2010 and January 2011, Stevenage found themselves in 18th position, just four points above the relegation zone. However, during a congested period throughout February and March 2011, Stevenage won nine games out of eleven, propelling the club up the league table and into the play-off positions. This included winning six games on the trot, a sequence only matched by Bury. A 3–3 draw on the last day of the season against Bury confirmed Stevenage's place in the play-offs, finishing sixth with 69 points. This meant that they faced fifth placed Accrington Stanley over two legs in the play-off semi-finals, winning both legs and securing an aggregate 3–0 win. They beat Torquay United 1–0 in the final, held at Old Trafford, thanks to a goal from John Mousinho just before half-time. The win meant that Stevenage would play in League One, the third tier of English football, during the 2011–12 season for the first time in their history.
The 2010–11 season also witnessed Stevenage compete in both the League Cup and Football League Trophy for the first time in their history as a league side, falling to home defeats in the first round of both competitions to Portsmouth and Brentford respectively. Stevenage also reached the fourth round of the FA Cup, only the second time the club had reached this stage. The cup run included beating League One side Milton Keynes Dons on penalties, as well as beating AFC Wimbledon live on ITV. Stevenage were drawn against Premier League side Newcastle United, a tie which resulted in many recalling the previous meetings between the two clubs in 1998. The tie ended 3–1 in Stevenage's favour, becoming only the third team in the fourth tier of English football to beat a Premier League side since its formation. Stevenage eventually lost in the following round 2–1 to Championship side Reading.
Byron Harrison, who joined the club in January 2011, and John Mousinho, finished as joint top goalscorers for the season with eight goals each. Goalkeeper Chris Day played every minute of every one of Stevenage's 56 games during the season. Jon Ashton won all three end of the season awards, including Player of the Year.
Squad details Last updated on 29 May 2011. The squad at the end of the season.
Players information No. Name Nationality Position Date of birth (Age) Signed from Notes Goalkeepers 1 Ashley Bayes GK Crawley Town 16 Chris Day GK Millwall 29 Joe Welch GK Histon (loan) Defenders 3 Scott Laird LB Plymouth Argyle 4 Darius Charles CB Ebbsfleet United 5 Jon Ashton CB Grays Athletic 6 Luke Foster CB Mansfield Town 14 Mark Roberts (c) CB Northwich Victoria 25 Ronnie Henry RB Dublin City Midfielders 2 Lawrie Wilson RM Colchester United 7 Darren Murphy CM Cork City 8 Stacy Long CM Ebbsfleet United 13 Joel Byrom CM Northwich Victoria 17 Peter Winn LM Scunthorpe United 18 David Bridges CM Kettering Town 21 John Mousinho CM Wycombe Wanderers 23 Rob Sinclair RM Salisbury City 24 Michael Bostwick CM Ebbsfleet United Forwards 10 Craig Reid FW Newport County 11 Yemi Odubade FW Oxford United 12 Ben May FW Scunthorpe United 20 Chris Beardsley FW Kettering Town 26 Byron Harrison FW Carshalton Athletic
Management Manager: Graham Westley Assistant manager: John Dreyer First team coach: Dino Maamria Goalkeeping coach: Ali Uzunhasanoglu Fitness coach: Neil Withington Physiotherapist: Paul Dando
Match results
Legend WinDrawLoss
Pre-season In June 2010, Stevenage announced that their pre–season campaign would consist of eight friendlies to open the 2010–11 season. Stevenage's proposed friendly against Peterborough United on 27 July was cancelled and was subsequently replaced with a home fixture against local Championship side Watford. Stevenage were due to face Dover Athletic in late July, but the friendly was cancelled at the request of Dover. The first-team squad reported back for pre–season training on 27 June. Stevenage played League One side Yeovil Town in a "behind closed doors" match on 13 July in a fixture "played away from the club's Broadhall Way base". Stevenage won the match 1–0 courtesy of an 82nd-minute strike from Tim Sills. The following day, Stevenage beat Conference National outfit Histon 2–0 at Bridge Road, with goals in either half from Yemi Odubade and Scott Laird. Trialists Chris Dickson, Warren McBean, and Omer Riza also featured in the match. Two days later, Stevenage travelled to Conference South side Chelmsford City for their third pre–season fixture; with the game ending 1–1. Chelmsford took the lead early in the second–half, before Charlie Griffin equalised for the visitors with ten minutes remaining. Both Dickson and McBean trialled once more, while another trialist, John Grant, also played 45 minutes of the match. Stevenage's fourth pre–season fixture against Championship side Norwich City ended in a 0–0 draw, with Scott Laird missing a penalty in the second half for the hosts. Striker Bas Savage also trialled for Stevenage, coming on as a 50th-minute substitute in the match. Stevenage then entertained another Championship side in the form of newly promoted Millwall, with Stevenage winning the match 2–1. Former Millwall player Peter Vincenti opened the scoring in the first-half, and the lead was doubled early on in the second-half courtesy of new signing Peter Winn. Millwall pulled a goal back with ten minutes remaining through former Stevenage striker Steve Morison. Three days later, Stevenage lost 2–0 to Watford at Broadhall Way, the club's first defeat of the pre–season campaign. The following day, Stevenage beat Corby Town 1–0, with Chris Beardsley's first-half strike proving to be the decider. After the match, it was announced that Stevenage would add another friendly to their schedule, playing local side Hitchin Town on 2 August. In the club's penultimate game of the pre–season campaign, Stevenage lost 1–0 to Conference National side Newport County at Spytty Park. Stevenage won their final pre–season fixture 4–0 against Hitchin Town. Charlie Griffin, Mark Roberts, and Michael Bostwick gave Stevenage a three-goal lead going into the interval, and Chris Beardsley added a fourth in the second half to complete the scoring. +GameDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersNotes113 July 2010Yeovil TownNeutral1–0—Sills214 July 2010HistonAway2–0295Odubade, Laird 316 July 2010Chelmsford CityAway1–1306Griffin420 July 2010Norwich CityHome0–01,024524 July 2010MillwallHome2–11,164Vincenti, Winn627 July 2010WatfordHome0–21,215728 July 2010Corby TownAway1–0195Beardsley831 July 2010Newport CountyAway0–183792 August 2010Hitchin TownAway4–0401Griffin, Roberts, Bostwick, Beardsley Note: Stevenage goals come first.
League Two
The 2010–11 League Two fixtures were released on 17 June 2010, with Stevenage opening their league campaign at home to Macclesfield Town on 7 August 2010. The game ended 2–2. Peter Vincenti opened the scoring for the hosts after just six minutes; heading in Charlie Griffin's looping cross. Macclesfield equalised just four minutes later after Matt Hamshaw's cross was headed in by Nat Brown. Tyrone Barnett then put the away side ahead early in the second–half. Stevenage levelled the game with just one minute remaining after Rob Sinclair cut in from the right and slid the ball to Charlie Griffin, who poked the ball past the on–rushing Veiga. The club's first away game in the Football League ended in a 1–0 defeat against Bradford City at Valley Parade. Bradford striker Gareth Evans scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot in the first–half in a game that was "rough luck on the visitors" having dominated large parts of the game. Stevenage won their first game of the season a week later, beating Stockport County 3–1 at Broadhall Way. Charlie Griffin opened the scoring with a looping header after half an hour, before Michael Bostwick's 30-yard effort found the top corner two minutes before the interval. Griffin added the third with a close range effort in the second-half, with Stockport's George Donnelly scoring a consolation goal in injury–time. A week later, Stevenage travelled to Aldershot Town for their second away fixture of the season. The game ended all square, finishing 1–1. Chris Beardsley opened the scoring five minutes into the second-half, with Aldershot striker Damian Spencer equalising fifteen minutes later. With just five minutes remaining, Jon Ashton was adjudged to have fouled Spencer in the area, with referee Mark Halsey pointing to the spot. Marvin Morgan's resulting penalty was palmed away by Chris Day to ensure Stevenage earned their first point on the road.