Boro' History

Last Updated: 23 September 2020

In modern football, right backs are expected to do it all – in attack or at the back. But it's nothing new at Boro', as you'll find out now...

Right Backs

A great philosopher* once said “nobody grows up wanting to be a Gary Neville“. But we’re not sure about that one. At Boro’, we’ve seen lads wearing the number two shirt and doing quite brilliant things while doing so. In modern football, right backs are expected to do it all …

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Like all those England one-cap wonders, we've also signed our fair share of one-outing – er – wonders? And Carel van der Velden is one of 'em...

Carel van der Velden

If we asked you to, we bet you could name at least one of England’s one-cap wonders. Steve Guppy – he’s one. Brian Stein is another. See, it’s easy. But what about if we ask you to reel off one of Boro’s (many) one-outing wonders from over the years? Now …

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It's hard not to have great memories of the 2010-1 League Two playoffs. So, why not take some time out and relive how we made it to League One?

2010-1 League Two Playoffs – Boro’s Goals

It’s hard not to have great memories of the 2010-1 League Two playoffs. So, why not take some time out and relive how we made it to League One? It’d be our second promotion in as many years; the mid-point of Boro’s remarkable rise to the top end of the third tier.

It’s still strange to think that, at the turn of the year, we were looking nervously towards the bottom of the table. The playoffs and the promotion battle? Well, it just wasn’t on our radar then. The first half of our first-ever Football League season had been a bit of a struggle all told. Our 4-2 win over Barnet on 3 January 2011 was our first league win in two months.

But what a second half of the campaign we had. March saw us win six on the spin as our rise up the table became sustained. Soon enough, there was the outside shot of nabbing one of the four playoff places. Then it became ours to lose – and a late stutter meant that it became a close call; our 3-3 draw against Bury on the last day of term sealing our spot.

2010-1 League Two Playoffs: Boro’s Story

It was so tight that we ended up in sixth once the dust settled on the season. That meant our double-header would be against Accrington Stanley and not a Shrewsbury Town side who’d missed out on automatic promotion by one point. Not that Accy was an easy draw; Boro’ picking up one point from a possible six. But we now know how it all unfolded…

As the Mark Stimson era started with more of a whimper than a bang, we turned to Mark Beard for much-needed oomph in the middle of the park

Mark Beard

As the Mark Stimson era started with more of a whimper than a bang, we turned to Mark Beard for much-needed oomph in the middle of the park. In fact, we didn’t win any of our first six matches; the attacking style that came with Stimmo produced goals, sure. It’s …

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The 2007 FA Trophy Final: One of Boro's greatest-ever cup matches?

Boro’ Cup Matches

Give us a break from league action and we come to life. Well, sometimes. Here are five of the best cup matches that Boro’ have been involved in. Now, don’t go all funny on us if the five we’ve gone for don’t match up with your thinking. This is Boro’ …

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Part of Cloughie's efforts to reshape Boro's squad for the 1998-9 campaign, Rodney McAree joined in September 1998. But he didn't hang around...

Rodney McAree

Newcastle aside, there ain’t too much about the 1997-8 campaign we’d look back on with love. Cloughie got to work rebuilding the Boro’ squad during summer 1998. New faces for the 1998-9 season included Carl Alford, Lee Howarth and Dominic Naylor. But the start of the season didn’t put an end …

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The 1993-4 campaign saw us romp to yet another title – and this programme from the last day of the season helped to get the party underway

Harrow Borough (1994)

The 1993-4 campaign saw us romp to yet another title – and this programme from the last day of the season helped to get the party underway. Harrow Borough were in town (with a face that’d become familiar). Going into this game, Boro’ had already claimed the title after Enfield …

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Our first-ever season in senior football was a belter. But why did we put out a programme for the final league match if it was an away fixture?

Ford Sports (1981)

Our first-ever season in senior football was a belter. But why did we put out a programme for the final league match if it was an away fixture? Oh, as if we’d keep you waiting on the answer. The fact is that we switched this “away” match at Ford Sports …

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You can't beat a matchday programme. Behind every one is a unique tale of our exploits. From the 2004-5 campaign, this one is no exception.

Leigh RMI (2005)

You can’t beat a matchday programme. Behind every one is a unique tale of our exploits. From the 2004-5 Nationwide Conference campaign, this one is no exception. Leigh RMI were coming to town for what was the last match of the (normal) season. And, yeah, this end-of-season clash seems as …

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Got Any Old Stevenage Programmes?

Do you have any old Stevenage programmes? We’re so close to having data in place for every single Boro’ game. But there are some gaps that we’d really like to fill. You may be the person we’re looking for to help. We totally don’t mind where you’re keeping your old …

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