Boro’ Build New Future: Blast From The Past

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By Pete H

It’s been a while, but we’ve gone back to the archives to see what was going down back in the day – a time we were building for a new future. So, shakedown 1979. For Boro’ kids, it was our time. Not quite a senior team at this point; still, foundations were very much going into place ahead of the 1979-80 campaign. The King George V Playing Fields didn’t know what it was about to unleash on the footballing world. Well, kinda…

 

Boro’ build new future (15 August 1979, The Comet)

Two young men who knew the last days of success at Stevenage Athletic before the club folded have been entertained with the mammoth task of re-establishing a successful team in the town.

Derek Montgomery and Paul Peterson, both 29, and former players during Athletic’s last Southern League season, were appointed Stevenage Borough manager and coach six weeks ago.

Both are vastly experienced. Derek Montegomery made Stevenage the last stop on a career that began with Leeds United, took in Bradford City and Hartlepool, as well as spells in Hong Kong, Australia and Southern League Bedford.

Peterson was also on Leeds’ books for five years. He then had a further three years with Swindon before coming to Stevenage.

In the last two seasons, both have been helping Pirton establish themselves as one of the South Midlands League’s top clubs.

But their task now is a much greater one. It’s to overcome the air of uncertainty and scepticism that hovers over the bid to bring back senior football to Stevenage.

Borough have now found a place in the newly-formed Wallspan Combination.

A mixture of youth and experience is what Derek Montegomery is looking for to restore the Stevenage image.

He has persuaded former Stevenage teammate Graham Aslett to join Borough, as well as former Pirton goalkeeper Gary Felstead.

Malcolm Ward, once of Pirton and BAC, is another signing, while highly promising youngsters like Mark Vooght, Graham Pearce, Andy Hughes and Jerry Abbiss offer a rich future.

He says: “While I hear the rumours, I can quite honestly say that I’ve found new playerd joining us because of the club’s history.

“The off-field goings-on surrounding Broadhall Way are not really my concern. My job is to re-establish Stevenage as a force on the field”