After Cloughie let the central defender leave the club, few thought they’d see Nathan Bunce in the red and white of Stevenage Borough again. To be fair, why would they? Bunce served alongside Robin Trott during the 2000-1 campaign – but to say he did anything much of note is pushing it. Sure, he skippered the side on a few occasions. But it wasn’t a glory era for us and few of our players from that time live long in the memory.
Well, Trott does. But that’s not the point.
Two years down the line, however, and back Bunce came from Farnborough Town. He came in tow with Graham Westley; one of the magnificent seven who came to us at the time. And it helped us to finish the 2002-3 campaign in a rich vein of form that steered us away from the relegation that had haunted us over the festive period..
Bunce lined up as part of a two- or three-man backline under GW, more often than not with Jason Goodliffe. This partnership was in place at the start of the 2003-4 campaign and was the bedrock of our defence. But his second stint at Broadhall Way wouldn’t be a long one; the defender departing the club without lasting a full season as Westley looked to alternative options at the back for his evolving Boro’ side.
