Stevenage FC gear up for first League One Campaign Since 2013/14
The Boro face Northampton Town
Stevenage Football Club are on the cusp of their first League One campaign since the 2013/14 season. The Boro take the short trip up the M1 to face Northampton Town away (kick off at 3pm).
The sides were both automatically promoted from league two last season; with just two points separating them.
Coach Steve Evans said: "We would rather have another week or two but I think every manager would say that. There’ll be no excuses. Most of our squad has been in place since we got back for pre-season and we’ve slowly added to it and there’s no doubt we’ve added some quality to it. We pick the team with integrity and honesty and I’ll pick the lads who deserve to play against Northampton.”
Stevenage FC podcast host, Matt Farley, says the anticipation and excitement surrounding the club's upcoming season is palpable.
"I think the hopes for us as a supporter base will be different for the team. But we just wanna get to that 50 point mark, staying in League One, be a sustainable League One team and club. I think that's the goal."
Matt highlighted both the seasoned veterans and the newly signed talents among the players he's most looking forward to seeing. He said, "Most Stevenage Football Club fans will love Carl Piergianni, who's obviously the captain. He was a real stalwart in our promotion last season. Players like Terence Owen Vancooten, who have been with the club for six to seven years now, if I'm honest, I never thought I'd ever see them play League One football for us."
Matt was equally as enthralled when we asked him about the gaffer, Steve Evans; and is confident his tactical nouse will see the club staying up : "We've got one of the most experienced managers in the Football League. So, I'm more than happy with how we're gonna do tactically this season in League One. Steve knows the level, he knows how to win, he knows how to be successful."
As can often happen when it comes to chatting about football, Matt's optimism seemed to take on a life of it's own; as after starting with a modest target of hitting the 50-point mark - he decided a potential top-half finish was not out of the question...
"I'm a positive Stevenage Football Club fan, so anyone that knows me knows I always say promotion… I wouldn't be surprised if we found ourselves in the top half this season."
Despite the Boro failing to get the better of Northampton Town twice last season (losing 3-2 in October and Drawing 1-all in April), Matt predicted a turning of the tables this time around: "I can see a 1-0 win for us… it's gonna be a last-minute winner or something ridiculous like that... just when we couldn't or wouldn't be able to think that it could get any better. It does."
He's hoping to see plenty of his fellow (optimistic) fans accepting his warm invitation to fellow supporters in the coming months: "Anyone keen on going and watching a game, get yourself down to the Lamex stadium, get yourself to a couple of away games, and go and watch the team support us in League One. It's the biggest ever season for the club."