The Lamex Stadium. Stadio della Lamex. Estadio do Lamex. It’s the place that we like to call home. And it’s the beating heart and soul of Stevenage Football Club. But how much do you really know about it? What we’re going to do here is take an in-depth look at the house that Boro’ built. No matter if you’re a seasoned supporter or thinking about coming down for the first time, this is everything you need to know about the Lamex.
The History of the Lamex Stadium
In what must be a rarity in English football, ours is a ground that pre-dates the existence of the club. First opened in 1961, it would first provide Stevenage Town with a new home up the road from London Road. Back then, of course, it wasn’t known as the Lamex. We’re unable to say for sure what it was called back then. But we’re going to go with Broadhall Way because, well, it’s the name by which many of us still know the place.
After Town went bust, Stevenage Athletic moved in. And the plan was exactly the same with Boro’ following the demise of Athletic in 1976. It all got a bit scrappy when the venerable Mr Reveulta – the Athletic chairman – threw his toys out of the pram. Even though there wasn’t an actual club anymore, Reveulta still held the keys to the stadium. And he wasn’t going to give them up so easily. In fact, he even went to the lengths of digging a trench in the pitch.
We’re not sure how the matter eventually got settled. We think, piecing things together, the council took back control through the courts and then allowed Boro’ to move in. Since 1980, the Lamex Stadium has grown in size and stature. In 2019, the completion of the new North Stand was arguably the last piece in the puzzle. In the years beforehand, work had seen the upgrade of the Main Stand, East Terrace, and South Stand too.
Bit annoying that completion came at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic; a time when the fans were not allowed to turn up to games.
Sponsorship
Oh yeah, the name. Well, that came about in January 2009; the club signing a fairly lucrative sponsorship deal with Phil Wallace’s Lamex Food Group. It was thought to be worth a seven-figure sum to Boro’, which was no mean feat for a club in the Conference at the time.
Stadium Features
Don’t let its size fool you. The Lamex Stadium has plenty going on – and plenty to offer fans on a matchday. Even when there isn’t a game on, there are facilities that see use.
In footballing terms, the ground can accommodate more than 7,300 supporters. Yes, it’s not the biggest venue in the world. Nor is it the biggest in League Two. But the potential to take that higher exists when the time is right. And, for now, it perfectly suits our needs.
The stands
Unlike Oxford United, we went with the conventional four-stand approach. The largest stand at the Lamex Stadium is the all-seater West (Main) Stand. It saw significant upgrades during the 1990s and 2000s. When we won the Conference in 1995-6, for example, it didn’t run along the entire length of the pitch; the middle section only in situ at that point. Now, you can get 1,800 people in there and it’s not unusual for big away followings to get a chunk of it.
The new North Stand is a 1,428 all-seater affair, complete with facilities for wheelchairs. The comparison with its predecessor is pretty stark; the old Norf being a rudimentary terrace.
At the opposite end is the stand formerly known as the Buildbase. In fact, we kept calling it that for years. It can hold 1,390 away folks sat down and is now more than 20 years old; the stand built as long ago as 2001. And that makes us feel old.
Down the other side of the pitch is the world-famous* East Terrace. As a structure, it is now much changed from what it looked like in the mid-1990s. It’s slightly longer, better, and has what you and we would call a ‘roof’. As telly companies started showing an interest in us, it seemed wise to whack a gantry up there. And that’s where you’ll now get your vantage point if you’re watching on the television or iFollow.
Getting to the Lamex Stadium
You can find more details on how to get to the Lamex Stadium on our Stevenage club profile. But it’s handily-placed for public transport. Well, sort of. The town’s mainline railway station is around 25 minutes’ walk. Buses and taxis also serve it. Ultimately, leaving the car at home won’t stitch you up and it’s good for the environment. If you choose the car, however, there’s a generous car park across Broadhall Way. And council would dearly love to charge for it.
But they aren’t.
Yet.
Matchday Experience
The matchday experience at the Lamex Stadium is tip-top. The club will put in the effort to make sure that all the fam will get their kicks before (and during) a match. From the moment you arrive at the stadium, you’ll be struck by the vibrant and passionate atmosphere. The stands are filled with Boro fans, who are eager to cheer on their team and create a lively and energetic setting.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned supporter or attending your first match. The Lamex Stadium has created numerous memorable experiences. Especially during the high-stakes matches, you’ll get a loud and proud soundtrack to your matchday experience. This is why attending a match at the Lamex Stadium is a must-do experience for any football fan. This advice comes despite the fact that its TripAdvisor rating is a mere 3.5.
Food and drinkies
Maybe some of that TripAdvisor-ness comes from that niche Venn diagram of football fans and foodies. The East, Main, and South stands all have catering facilities as you’d expect at venues such as this. It ain’t Michelin-starred, but we’re not quite in Aggborough’s league on the flip side. Burger, chips, pies, sweets, and drinks. Come on – what more do you want at a football stadium? You can have your Nando’s before and after.
The North Stand is the new kid on the block in terms of what you can eat and drink when it comes to a Boro’ home game. The ’76 Lounge is open before, during, and after the game for a couple of jars and a decent pie meal (before). The during bit is only for North Stand ticket-holders, by the way. For those in the East seeking a beer at halftime, a corner bar was there for a bit. But that doesn’t seem to be the case at the moment with the new North Stand.
Finally, the Broadhall Suite – or Stripes as it’s colloquially known. It’s Boro’s clubhouse and usually lets away fans in to mingle with the home support. The only reason not to would be when a big crowd was in town. In that case, support can be segregated between Stripes and the ’76 Lounge. It’ll do you food, it’ll do you drink, and it’ll do you atmosphere to go with it. We don’t think we’ve been in it since before the pandemic (!) – so a return is overdue.
Not Just Boro’: Other stadium uses…
Other football and sports
Boro’ are the main event at the Lamex Stadium, that’s for sure. But it’s not uncommon for us to host other teams and games. Spurs reserves and youth team, for example, were long-time tenants. We also had the Conference South playoff final three years on the trot between 2006 and 2008 (inclusive). And international fixtures at the ground have included England U21 and C teams – as well as a London 2012 Olympic Games warm-up.
In 2019, the venue hosted its first boxing event; the WBO super-middleweight title showdown between Billy Joe Saunders and Shefat Isufi. The former came out on top.
Other things in general
Of course, non-football revenue is a lifeblood for so many clubs up and down the divisions. At Boro’, it’s no different. The two bars – the Broadhall Suite and the ’76 Lounge – double up as conference and events venues as you might expect.
Community Involvement
It’s fair to say that Boro’ are very well aware of their role within the wider community. With a variety of projects and initiatives, the club tries to reach out to its neighbours as best it can. That was perhaps best illustrated during the Covid-19 pandemic; the Lamex Stadium taking on a new role as a hub for the distribution of sandwiches and a Community Careline for any folks who were isolating/locked down on their own.
The Future of the Lamex Stadium
A football ground has stood on the site of the Lamex Stadium (as we know it) for more than 60 years now. And it’s perhaps only in the second half of that period where change came on a little quicker. Between the mid-1990s and late 2010s, all four stands benefited from a huge chunk of redevelopment. To be fair, so too has the infrastructure around the ground or even further afield. Y’know, like Shephalbury and Bragbury End.
Now the stadium is where it’s at, what comes next? In the short term, probably nothing. The ground is fit for purpose, it suits our needs, and it swells the coffers from non-football do be doings. Any future upgrades may be rather understated by comparison; from the potential to revamp or install new catering facilities. This is just pure speculation, you know.
Looking longer into the future, well – who knows? It’d likely need Boro’ to progress to levels never seen before at the club on the pitch. And then our custodians in charge will work out what’s needed. There is still scope for further development at the ground, but it’s restricted by our school neighbours and the town’s road network. Maybe there’ll come a time when we need to move to a new site altogether and say goodbye to the Lamex Stadium.
That day, however, is a long way off and very much depending on circumstances.
And that’s the Lamex Stadium…
So, there you go – the Lamex Stadium. There’s no place like home. And that’s exactly what we have here. It’s not on the scale of the Wembleys of this world. It can’t fit as many in as plenty of other grounds can. But it’s our gaff and it’s the way we like it. If nowt else, our successes in recent years is proof that having the biggest place doesn’t mean you’re the best team. And it now falls on us to conclude this piece. Walking down to Broadhall Way…
