The 2011–12 season was Stevenage F.C.'s second season in the Football League, where the club competed in League One. 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 sixth-place finish and subsequent successful play-off campaign meant it was Stevenage's first ever season of playing in League One, having only spent one season in League Two. The season started out as 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. However, Westley left Stevenage in January 2012, and joined fellow League One side Preston North End. The vacant managerial position was filled by former Colorado Rapids manager Gary Smith, signing a contract until 2014.
Ahead of the club's first season in League One, Westley adopted the same "five in, five out" transfer policy as he had done for the two previous seasons. Strikers Yemi Odubade and Charlie Griffin were the first to leave having been loaned out for much of the previous campaign, joining Conference National sides Gateshead and Forest Green Rovers respectively. Second choice goalkeeper Ashley Bayes opted to leave the club in order to play first-team football at Conference South club Basingstoke Town. Luke Foster and David Bridges also opted to leave Stevenage ahead of the season, both on free transfers, with Foster signing for Rotherham United, and Bridges for his former club, Kettering Town. Stevenage's first signing of the season was striker Guy Madjo, who joined on a free transfer from Albanian Superliga side KS Bylis Ballsh. Former Stevenage goalkeeper Alan Julian re-joined the club following his release by Gillingham, while Phil Edwards rejected a contract extension at Accrington Stanley in order to join the Hertfordshire club on a free transfer. Midfielders Jennison Myrie-Williams and Robin Shroot also signed on free transfers following successful trial periods with the club. In terms of transfers during the 2011–12 campaign, striker Don Cowan joined the club from Longford Town for an undisclosed fee in August 2011, and winger Luke Freeman signed from Arsenal in January 2012, after a successful three-month loan spell with the club. Strikers Byron Harrison and Guy Madjo both departed in January 2012, signing for League Two sides AFC Wimbledon and Aldershot Town for respective undisclosed fees.
Stevenage started their first ever League One campaign brightly, losing just one of their first eight League One fixtures, as well as securing a notable 5–1 home victory over Sheffield Wednesday. However, a run of four successive defeats moved Stevenage into the lower half of the league. A 1–0 victory over then-unbeaten league leaders, Charlton Athletic, would ultimately serve as the catalyst for an eleven-game unbeaten run, which included a 6–1 away win at Colchester United. The run had propelled Stevenage onto the edge of the play-off places. Following Westley's departure to Preston, captain Mark Roberts took caretaker charge of the club, winning two games out of three, including another large victory away from home, this time against Rochdale. New manager Gary Smith took charge of his first league game, away at Sheffield Wednesday in February 2012, securing a 1–0 victory. Sitting in the play-off places with a number of games in hand, Stevenage went on to win just one league game out of the following thirteen, although nine of which were draws. The poor run of form left Stevenage in ninth position, and six points behind the play-off places with just five games remaining. A run of four wins out of their last five matches, two of which against play-off rivals Carlisle United and Brentford, and another a 6–0 away win against Yeovil Town, meant that Stevenage ended up securing the final play-off spot on goal difference — following a 3–0 home victory against Bury on the last day of the season. Stevenage played third placed Sheffield United over two legs in the play-off semi-finals, losing 1–0 on aggregate.
Stevenage also competed in three cup competitions during the season. They fell at the first hurdle in both the League Cup and Football League Trophy, losing at home to Championship side Peterborough United in the League Cup, as well as suffering a penalty defeat away to AFC Wimbledon in the Football League Trophy. Despite the early cup disappointment, Stevenage were to make history in the FA Cup, reaching the fifth round for the first time in their history. After disposing of Hartlepool United and non-league Stourbridge away, Stevenage beat Championship club Reading at the Madejski Stadium. A 1–0 victory in their first home game of the competition against fellow League One side Notts County lined up a fifth-round home tie with Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur. The two sides played out a 0–0 draw at Broadhall Way, with Tottenham winning the subsequent replay at White Hart Lane.
Striker Chris Beardsley finished as Stevenage's top goalscorer for the season with ten goals in all competitions. Captain Mark Roberts played every single minute of Stevenage's 56 matches during the season. Roberts ended up winning the Player of the Year award for the season, with Michael Bostwick winning Players' Player of the Year.
Squad details Last updated on 14 May 2012. The squad at the end of the season.
Players information No. Name Nationality Position Date of birth (age) Signed From Notes Goalkeepers 1 Alan Julian GK Gillingham 16 Chris Day GK Millwall Defenders 3 Scott Laird LB Plymouth Argyle 4 Darius Charles LB Ebbsfleet United 5 Jon Ashton CB Grays Athletic 14 Mark Roberts (c) CB Northwich Victoria 25 Ronnie Henry RB Dublin City 30 Jamaal Lascelles RB Nottingham Forest (loan) Midfielders 2 Lawrie Wilson RM Colchester United 7 Darren Murphy CM Cork City 8 Stacy Long CM Ebbsfleet United 11 Jennison Myrie-Williams LM St Johnstone 13 Joel Byrom CM Northwich Victoria 21 John Mousinho CM Wycombe Wanderers 23 Rob Sinclair RM Salisbury City 24 Michael Bostwick CM Ebbsfleet United 32 Robin Shroot RM Birmingham City Forwards 10 Craig Reid FW Newport County 15 Luke Freeman FW Arsenal 18 Don Cowan FW Longford Town 19 Michael Thalassitis FW N/A 20 Chris Beardsley FW Kettering Town 27 Jordan Slew FW Blackburn Rovers (loan) 29 Patrick Agyemang FW Queens Park Rangers (loan)
Management Manager: Gary Smith Assistant manager: Mark Newson Goalkeeping coach: Gary Phillips Fitness coach: Neil Withington Physiotherapist: Paul Dando
Match results
Legend WinDrawLoss
Pre-season In June 2011, Stevenage announced that their pre–season campaign would consist of eight friendlies to open the 2011–12 season. Stevenage's first pre-season fixture was an away trip to Hitchin Town on 13 July, with the away side winning the match 1–0 courtesy of an 86th-minute strike from Chris Beardsley after Michael Thalassitis' initial shot had been saved. Trialists Jerome Federico and Robin Shroot also featured for Stevenage in the match as second-half substitutes. Four days later, Stevenage beat a Fulham XI side 1–0 at Broadhall Way. The home side opened the scoring with just ten minutes remaining, trialist Robin Shroot scoring at the back post after good work down the right wing from Stacy Long. Stevenage then travelled to Conference South side Dover Athletic on 19 July, losing 1–0 courtesy of a late Michael Corcoran penalty. New signing Phil Edwards had missed a second-half penalty for Stevenage, firing wide after Byron Harrison was fouled in the area. Manager Graham Westley again took the opportunity to look at a number of trialists — with Welling United's Jack Parkinson featuring in the first half of the match, whilst former Northampton Town midfielder Liam Davis played 79 minutes. Robin Shroot, who had featured in Stevenage's first two pre-season fixtures, played the whole match. Another defeat followed four days later as Stevenage lost 1–0 to an Arsenal XI side at Broadhall Way, a Chuks Aneke goal in the second-half separating the teams. Trialist Rohan Ricketts played 45 minutes for Stevenage, while Robin Shroot again featured as a second-half substitute — with the latter signing a two-year contract three days later. Stevenage lost their third consecutive pre-season friendly, again by a 1–0 scoreline, when they travelled to Conference South side Hampton & Richmond Borough on 26 July. The only goal of the game came just before half-time; a Stuart Duff shot took a deflection off of Phil Edwards, wrong-footing Alan Julian in the Stevenage goal. Two days later, Stevenage travelled to Carshalton Athletic — the friendly was arranged as part of the transfer that took Stevenage striker Byron Harrison from Carshalton to Broadhall Way. Stevenage won the match 3–0, with goals coming from Craig Reid, Guy Madjo, and Robin Shroot. A 2–1 win at League Two side Dagenham & Redbridge followed on 30 July. Michael Bostwick opened the scoring after just eight minutes, heading in at the back post. Stevenage captain Mark Roberts doubled Stevenage's lead on the hour mark, scoring from four yards out after Dagenham had failed to clear a corner. A late Brian Woodall goal served as a consolation for the home side. The club's final pre-season fixture took place on 2 August 2011 against Conference North side Corby Town, ending 1–1. Stevenage took the lead midway through the first-half, Ben May heading in a Stacy Long corner. Corby restored parity shortly after the interval, with Matt Rhead scoring from the penalty spot after Jennison Myrie-Williams fouled Nick Rogan.
+GameDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersNotes113 July 2011Hitchin TownAway1–0674Beardsley217 July 2011Fulham XIHome1–0786Shroot319 July 2011Dover AthleticAway0–1453423 July 2011Arsenal XIHome0–11,020526 July 2011Hampton & Richmond BoroughAway0–1249628 July 2011Carshalton AthleticAway3–0285Reid, Madjo, Shroot730 July 2011Dagenham & RedbridgeAway2–1625Bostwick, Roberts82 August 2011Corby TownAway1–1320May Note: Stevenage goals come first.
League One