SEASON
1989-90
Vauxhall Opel League Division Two North · 4th
Updated
For Brian Williams and his Stevenage Borough side, the 1989-90 campaign came close to being a successful one but ended up falling just short. Boro’ were very much in contention for promotion right up until the last few games; defeats to eventual champions Heybridge Swifts and runners-up Aveley during the final four games saw us finish fourth. That meant another season in Division 2 North. It was especially galling if you think that only Aveley (three) lost more games than Boro’ (five) across the 1989-90 league campaign.
The season wasn’t a complete loss, however.
We do admit this depends on how highly a TSI Cup win ranks in your opinion. Boro’ won the trophy nonetheless; defeating our local neighbours Baldock Town in the final.
So, there were signs that we were ready to rise again. For Brian Williams, however, it wouldn’t be under his leadership. At the end of the 1989-90 season, we went for a new gaffer. And it was a decision that had a seismic impact on the future of our club.
Season at a Glance
Season Story
Biggest Win
Clapton 5–0 H · 6 Jan 1990Heaviest Defeat
Aveley 0–3 H · 21 Apr 1990Filter by Competition
Filter by Venue
Saturday 12 August 1989
Saturday 19 August 1989
Tuesday 22 August 1989
Saturday 26 August 1989
Wednesday 30 August 1989
Saturday 02 September 1989
Saturday 09 September 1989
Monday 11 September 1989
Saturday 16 September 1989
Saturday 23 September 1989
Monday 25 September 1989
Tuesday 03 October 1989
Saturday 07 October 1989
Monday 09 October 1989
Saturday 14 October 1989
Monday 16 October 1989
Saturday 21 October 1989
Monday 23 October 1989
Saturday 28 October 1989
Tuesday 31 October 1989
Saturday 04 November 1989
Monday 06 November 1989
Saturday 11 November 1989
Tuesday 14 November 1989
Saturday 18 November 1989
Monday 20 November 1989
Saturday 25 November 1989
Tuesday 28 November 1989
Saturday 02 December 1989
Tuesday 05 December 1989
Thursday 07 December 1989
Saturday 09 December 1989
Saturday 16 December 1989
Monday 18 December 1989
Tuesday 26 December 1989
Saturday 30 December 1989
Saturday 06 January 1990
Saturday 13 January 1990
Monday 15 January 1990
Saturday 20 January 1990
Monday 22 January 1990
Tuesday 30 January 1990
Monday 05 February 1990
Saturday 10 February 1990
Monday 12 February 1990
Saturday 17 February 1990
Saturday 24 February 1990
Monday 26 February 1990
Tuesday 06 March 1990
Saturday 10 March 1990
Tuesday 13 March 1990
Saturday 17 March 1990
Saturday 24 March 1990
Saturday 31 March 1990
Tuesday 03 April 1990
Saturday 07 April 1990
Wednesday 11 April 1990
Saturday 14 April 1990
Tuesday 17 April 1990
Saturday 21 April 1990
Wednesday 25 April 1990
Saturday 28 April 1990
Squad Leaders
Full Squad Rollcall
A complete breakdown of every player used during the 1989-90 season.
| Name | Pld | Gls | YC | RC | US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steve Armsby | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gary Bambrick | 46 (5) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Ray Beaumont | 11 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Noel Blackwell | 59 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Lee Bozier | 49 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mick Brophy | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Nicky Chilvers | 3 (3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Dave Clover | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Graham Cox | 51 (1) | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mick Every | 0 (1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Paul Grant | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Warren Gravette | 5 (2) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dave Greene | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Andy Hudson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Nicky Ironton | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mark Klimek | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Warren Lay | 1 (12) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Peter Lindsay | 32 (3) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Shaun Marshall | 0 (4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tony Martin | 54 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Richard Mays | 8 (2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rob McComb | 32 (3) | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Colin McGill | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Steve Miller | 20 (3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Richard Nugent | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robbie O'Keefe | 39 (1) | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kenny Page | 9 (2) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Paul Palma | 24 (10) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Trevor Parker | 16 (5) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Sean Pearson | 10 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Doug Pirie | 3 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nigel Plummer | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gary Poole | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ian Richardson | 16 (4) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gary Roberts | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dave Smith | 17 (5) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Herbie Smith | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mark Smitheringale | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mark Taverner | 31 (5) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steve Taverner | 19 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Mark Timpson | 8 (8) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shaun Wilkinson | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gary Williams | 51 (1) | 22 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
League Table
Final Vauxhall Opel League Division Two North standings for the 1989-90 season.
| Pl | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heybridge Swifts | 42 | 26 | 9 | 9 | 79 | 29 | 50 | 87 |
| 2 | Aveley | 42 | 23 | 16 | 3 | 68 | 24 | 44 | 85 |
| 3 | Hertford Town | 42 | 24 | 11 | 7 | 92 | 51 | 41 | 83 |
| 4 | Stevenage Borough | 42 | 21 | 16 | 5 | 70 | 31 | 39 | 79 |
| 5 | Barton Rovers | 42 | 22 | 6 | 14 | 60 | 45 | 15 | 72 |
| 6 | Tilbury | 42 | 20 | 9 | 13 | 68 | 54 | 14 | 69 |
| 7 | Basildon United | 42 | 13 | 20 | 9 | 50 | 44 | 6 | 59 |
| 8 | Collier Row | 42 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 43 | 45 | -2 | 58 |
| 9 | Royston Town | 42 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 63 | 72 | -9 | 56 |
| 10 | Saffron Walden Town | 42 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 60 | 73 | -13 | 56 |
| 11 | Vauxhall Motors (Luton) | 42 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 55 | 54 | 1 | 55 |
| 12 | Clapton | 42 | 13 | 16 | 13 | 50 | 46 | 4 | 54 * |
| 13 | Ware | 42 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 53 | 59 | -6 | 53 |
| 14 | Hemel Hempstead Town | 42 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 58 | 70 | -12 | 51 |
| 15 | Billericay Town | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 49 | 58 | -9 | 50 |
| 16 | Hornchurch | 42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 49 | 64 | -15 | 48 |
| 17 | Berkhamsted Town | 42 | 9 | 16 | 17 | 44 | 68 | -24 | 43 |
| 18 | Finchley | 42 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 50 | 75 | -25 | 43 |
| 19 | Tring Town | 42 | 10 | 9 | 23 | 48 | 70 | -22 | 39 |
| 20 | Witham Town | 42 | 8 | 14 | 20 | 44 | 56 | -12 | 38 |
| 21 | Rainham Town | 42 | 9 | 11 | 22 | 48 | 75 | -27 | 38 |
| 22 | Letchworth Garden City | 42 | 7 | 12 | 23 | 30 | 68 | -38 | 33 ^ |
^ Letchworth Garden City left Division Two North in 1990
Points Per Game Progression
How Boro's cumulative league points-per-game changed across the 1989-90 season.