It came as a bit of a surprise that Stevenage were in the hunt for a new gaffer in summer 2015, let alone then appointing Teddy Sheringham. After previous boss Graham Westley had got Boro’ into promotion contention the previous season, change was far from our thoughts going into the 2015-6 campaign.
Yet, the board made the decision to move in a new direction. Out went Westley, and in came Sheringham. Amid uncertainty over the future of Sam Allardyce as Hammers’ boss in summer 2015, talk of taking charge of Stevenage came to light.
That talk became reality, and Boro’ landed themselves a famed England legend and SEO boost in the process. For Sheringham, a chance to prove himself in the dugout. It didn’t go so well, however. Poor results and player recruitment that didn’t come off saw us flounder at the wrong end of the table. The writing was on the wall very quickly.
In early 2016, the club announced that Sheringham had gone. The punt hadn’t worked and the board found themselves with more rebuilding work to do; the first priority to see off a muted, yet lingering threat of relegation to the Conference. It’s just as well that coach Darren Sarll was on hand really, wasn’t it?
Teddy Sheringham: Before Boro’
To many, Edward Paul Sheringham is best known for his time at Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester United. He was also a wonderful foil to Alan Shearer in Terry Venables’ England side at Euro ’96.
Sheringham may not have won it all during his playing career. He did come close, however.
After starting out at Millwall, the striker headed north to Nottingham Forest. He scored one of the first Premier League goals while at Forest too. It was at Tottenham, though, where it can be said a legend was born; establishing himself as one of England’s best forwards. It was little wonder that Manchester United came calling in 1997.
To replace Eric Cantona is no mean feat. He found his feet at Old Trafford and, within two years, had a historic treble to look back on; the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions’ League all claimed by United and thanks in no small part to the man himself.
Upon leaving United, his career took him back to Spurs (2001) and then onto Portsmouth (2003). After joining West Ham in 2004, he set the record for the oldest outfield player in Premier League history by turning out at the age of 40. It was at Colchester, however, that Sheringham would see out his playing days.
Off the pitch, poker and golf had benotable interests. And, yet, he made a return to top flight football in May 2014 after becoming West Ham’s striking coach.