2007–08 Stevenage Borough F.C. season

Stevenage Borough

2007–08 season
Chairman	Phil Wallace
Manager	Mark Stimson (until 17 October 2007) Peter Taylor (from 1 November 2007)
Conference National	6th
FA Cup	First Round
FA Trophy	First Round
Top goalscorer	League: Steve Morison (22) All: Steve Morison (22)
Highest home attendance	4,533 (v Cambridge United, Conference National, 22 September 2007)
Lowest home attendance	1,174 (v Salisbury City, FA Cup, 30 October 2007)
← 2006–07 2008–09 →

The 2007–08 season was Stevenage Borough F.C.'s 14th season in the Conference National. This article shows statistics of the club's players in the season, and also lists all matches that the club played during the season. Their eighth-place finish in the 2006–07 season meant it was their fourteenth successive season of playing in the Conference National. It was also Mark Stimson's second start to a season as manager at the Hertfordshire club, although he resigned to join Football League side Gillingham in October 2007.^[1] In November, he was replaced by Peter Taylor.^[2] However, after failing to make the play-offs,^[3] Taylor resigned at the end of the season.^[4]

After the FA Trophy success at the end of the club's 2006–07 campaign, as well as retaining the majority of the first-team at the club, Stevenage started the 2007–08 season well,^[5] breaking a new club record when the defence kept eight consecutive clean sheets.^[6] However, following Stimson's departure, five first-team players joined Stimson's new club, Gillingham, meaning the club struggled to maintain its early season form. New manager Peter Taylor attempted to re-build the squad mid-season, but missed out on the play-offs following a defeat against Northwich Victoria in April 2008.

The club were knocked out of the first-round in both the FA Cup and the FA Trophy following defeats against Dorchester Town and Exeter City respectively. Steve Morison was the club's top goalscorer after scoring 22 goals during the season, all 22 of which were scored in the league. Morison was also named as Player of the Year for the season.^[7]

Match results

Legend

Win

Draw

Loss

Pre-season

On 8 June 2007, Stevenage Borough announced that their pre-season campaign would consist of ten friendlies to open the 2007–08 season.

Game	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers	Notes
1	7 July 2007	Tottenham Hotspur	Home	1–3	7,011	Allen	[8]
2	17 July 2007	Ipswich Town	Home	3–0	1,410	Nutter (pen), Allen, Hakim	[8]
3	19 July 2007	Ware	Away	2–1	109	Allen, Bramble	[8]
4	21 July 2007	Kettering Town	Away	4–1	738	Miller, Martin, Allen (2)	[8]
5	24 July 2007	Peterborough United	Home	1–1	981	Nutter (pen)	[8]
6	26 July 2007	Harlow Town	Away	4–2	365	Hakim, Sealey, McMahon, Anderson	[8]
7	28 July 2007	St Albans City	Away	2–0	320	Bruce (o.g), Martin	[8]
8	1 August 2007	Bedford Town	Away	2–1	176	Morison, Nutter (pen)	[8]
9	2 August 2007	Hitchin Town	Away	4–1	401	McMahon, Eames, Hakim (2)	[8]
10	6 August 2007	Luton Town	Home	1–2	989	Lewis	[8]

• Note: Stevenage Borough goals come first.

Conference National

The 2007–08 Conference National fixtures were released on 2 July 2007, with Stevenage Borough opening their campaign against Crawley Town at Broadfield Stadium on 11 August 2007.^[9]

Game	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers	Notes
1	11 August 2007	Crawley Town	Away	1–2	1,257	Martin	[10]
2	14 August 2007	Histon	Home	2–1	2,073	Morison, Arber	[11]
3	18 August 2007	Weymouth	Home	3–0	2,016	Nutter, Morison, Miller	[12]
4	24 August 2007	Kidderminster Harriers	Away	2–0	1,692	McMahon, Miller	[13]
5	27 August 2007	Oxford United	Home	0–0	3,024		[14]
6	1 September 2007	Ebbsfleet United	Away	1–0	1,201	Dobson	[15]
7	4 September 2007	Droylsden	Away	3–0	671	McMahon, Dobson, Nutter (pen)	[16]
8	10 September 2007	Stafford Rangers	Home	3–0	2,424	Morison, Miller, Allen	[17]
9	15 September 2007	York City	Away	2–0	2,052	Morison, McMahon	[18]
10	18 September 2007	Farsley Celtic	Home	4–0	2,186	Morison (2), Dobson, Lewis	[19]
11	22 September 2007	Cambridge United	Home	1–2	4,533	Miller (pen)	[20]
12	25 September 2007	Forest Green Rovers	Away	2–4	719	McMahon, Gaia	[21]
13	29 September 2007	Grays Athletic	Away	2–0	1,460	Morison, Arber (pen)	[22]
14	6 October 2007	Aldershot Town	Home	3–1	3,070	Winfield (o.g), Arber, Dobson	[23]
15	9 October 2007	Woking	Home	1–1	3,007	Dobson	[24]
16	14 October 2007	Torquay United	Away	2–4	3,744	Dobson, Bramble	[25]
17	18 October 2007	Burton Albion	Home	3–3	1,843	Morison, Miller, Cole	[26]
18	3 November 2007	Northwich Victoria	Away	2–0	669	Lewis, McMahon	[27]
19	17 November 2007	Halifax Town	Home	2–3	2,421	Dobson, Morison	[28]
20	26 November 2007	Altrincham	Home	2–1	1,662	Dobson (2)	[29]
21	8 December 2007	Salisbury City	Home	3–1	1,808	Henry, Stokes, Dobson	[30]
22	26 December 2007	Rushden & Diamonds	Away	0–0	2,405		[31]
23	29 December 2007	Altrincham	Away	5–1	763	Morison (2), Berry, Lewis, McMahon	[32]
24	1 January 2008	Rushden & Diamonds	Home	2–1	2,702	Burke, Arber (pen)	[33]
25	5 January 2008	Stafford Rangers	Away	2–1	688	Morison (2)	[34]
26	19 January 2008	Droylsden	Home	5–0	2,320	Arber, Willock, McMahon, Morison (2)	[35]
27	24 January 2008	Farsley Celtic	Away	0–0	501		[36]
28	2 February 2008	Exeter City	Away	0–4	3,436		[37]
29	9 February 2008	Cambridge United	Away	1–2	3,772	Oliver	[38]
30	13 February 2008	Forest Green Rovers	Home	0–0	1,630		[39]
31	17 February 2008	Aldershot Town	Away	1–3	3,261	Grant	[40]
32	23 February 2008	Grays Athletic	Home	0–0	1,856		[41]
33	1 March 2008	Crawley Town	Home	3–1	1,717	Vincenti, Grant, Morison	[42]
34	4 March 2008	Histon	Away	4–1	916	Morison (2), Grant, Laird	[43]
35	8 March 2008	Weymouth	Away	0–1	930		[44]
36	13 March 2008	Kidderminster Harriers	Home	2–1	1,326	Morison, Grant	[45]
37	21 March 2008	Ebbsfleet United	Home	3–1	2,016	Berry, Westwood, Morison	[46]
38	24 March 2008	Oxford United	Away	1–2	4,456	Martin	[47]
39	27 March 2008	Salisbury City	Away	0–1	1,211		[48]
40	1 April 2008	York City	Home	3–2	1,692	Grant, Westwood, Cole	[49]
41	5 April 2008	Exeter City	Home	0–1	2,146		[50]
42	8 April 2008	Woking	Away	2–0	1,216	Morison, Oliver	[51]
43	12 April 2008	Torquay United	Home	1–3	2,673	Grant (pen)	[52]
44	19 April 2008	Burton Albion	Away	0–3	2,160		[53]
45	22 April 2008	Northwich Victoria	Home	1–2	1,596	McMahon	[54]
46	26 April 2008	Halifax Town	Away	2–1	2,229	Morison, Grant	[55]

• Note: Stevenage Borough goals come first.

FA Cup

The Fourth Round Qualifying draw for the 2007–08 FA Cup paired Stevenage Borough with Conference National rivals Salisbury City. The match was played at Broadhall Way on 25 October 2008, and resulted in a 0–0 draw.^[56] Chief executive Bob Makin was in-charge for the match following the resignation of Mark Stimson, in a game that saw Matthew Tubbs miss a penalty for Salisbury in the 90th minute. The draw meant that a replay would take place on 30 October at Broadhall Way. Stevenage ran out 1–0 winners in the replay thanks to a goal from Mark Molesley in the second-half, his only goal for the club. John Nutter also missed a penalty after Molesley was adjudged to have been fouled in the box.^[57] The draw for the First Round Proper was made on 31 October, with Stevenage facing a trip to St James Park to play Exeter City on 10 November.^[58]

Stevenage fell at the First Round proper stage of the FA Cup as they lost 4–0 to Exeter City in front of 3,513 spectators. Wayne Carlisle gave Exeter the lead after just twenty minutes following good work from Matthew Gill. The home side doubled their lead just before the interval, with Jamie Mackie latching onto a mis-placed backpass from Mark Arber. Steve Basham scored from the penalty spot on the hour mark, and Matt Taylor headed in the fourth, converting George Friend's cross.^[59]

Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers	Notes
Q4	27 October 2007	Salisbury City	Away	0–0	1,364		[60]
Q4r	30 October 2007	Salisbury City	Home	1–0	1,174	Molesley	[61]
1	10 November 2007	Exeter City	Away	0–4	3,513		[59]

• Note: Stevenage Borough goals come first.

FA Trophy

Stevenage Borough entered the 2007–08 FA Trophy at the First round stage as defending champions of the trophy, and were paired against Conference South side Dorchester Town at the draw on 26 November 2007. The match was played at the Avenue Stadium on 15 December 2007, which resulted in a 2–1 defeat for Stevenage. Jones Awuah gave Dorchester the lead early in the second-half, but Mark Arber equalised on the hour-mark. John Docker then scored a 90th-minute penalty after John White had impeded Wesley Fogden.^[62]

Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers	Notes
1	15 December 2007	Dorchester Town	Away	1–2	321	Arber	[63]

• Note: Stevenage Borough goals come first.

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Aldershot Town (C) (P)	46	31	8	7	82	48	+34	101	Promotion to 2008–09 League Two
2	Cambridge United	46	25	11	10	68	41	+27	86	Qualification to Conference playoffs
3	Torquay United	46	26	8	12	83	57	+26	86
4	Exeter City (P)	46	22	17	7	83	58	+25	83
5	Burton Albion	46	23	12	11	79	56	+23	81
6	Stevenage Borough	46	24	7	15	82	55	+27	79
7	Histon	46	20	12	14	76	67	+9	72
8	Forest Green Rovers	46	19	14	13	76	59	+17	71
9	Oxford United	46	20	11	15	56	48	+8	71
10	Grays Athletic	46	19	13	14	58	47	+11	70
11	Ebbsfleet United	46	19	12	15	65	61	+4	69
12	Salisbury City	46	18	14	14	70	60	+10	68
13	Kidderminster Harriers	46	19	10	17	71	60	+11	67
14	York City	46	17	11	18	71	74	−3	62
15	Crawley Town	46	19	9	18	73	67	+6	060^1
16	Rushden & Diamonds	46	15	14	17	55	55	0	59
17	Woking	46	12	17	17	53	61	−8	53
18	Weymouth	46	11	13	22	53	73	−20	46
19	Northwich Victoria	46	11	11	24	52	78	−26	44
20	Halifax Town (R)	46	12	16	18	61	70	−9	042^2	Template:Fb competition 2008–09 Level 8
21	Altrincham	46	9	14	23	56	82	−26	41
22	Farsley Celtic (R)	46	10	9	27	48	86	−38	39	Relegation to Conference North/Conference South
23	Stafford Rangers (R)	46	5	10	31	42	99	−57	25
24	Droylsden (R)	46	5	9	32	46	103	−57	24

Source: Football Conference
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
¹ Deducted 6 points for a breach of financial regulations.
² Halifax deducted 10 points for entering administration and later resigned from the Conference due to financial problems
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Season statistics

Starts and goals

^[64]

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Conference National		FA Cup		FA Trophy
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK		Alan Julian	45	0	43	0	1	0	1	0
2	MF		Scott Mitchell	6	0	5+1	0	0	0	0	0
3	DF		Fred Murray	13	0	12+1	0	0	0	0	0
4	DF		Luke Oliver	20	2	14+2	2	3	0	1	0
5	DF		Tommy Smith	15	0	15	0	0	0	0	0
6	DF		Ashley Westwood	21	2	20	2	1	0	0	0
7	MF		Mark Molesley	14	1	5+6	0	3	1	0	0
8	FW		Isaiah Rankin	6	0	2+4	0	0	0	0	0
9	FW		Tesfaye Bramble	12	1	4+7	1	0+1	0	0	0
10	MF		Tyrone Berry	13	2	8+5	2	0	0	0	0
11	MF		Mitchell Cole	26	2	22+4	2	0	0	0	0
12	MF		Lawrie Wilson	28	0	17+7	0	1+2	0	1	0
13	GK		James Russell	2	0	0	0	2	0	0	0
14	MF		Daryl McMahon	41	8	27+10	8	3	0	1	0
15	MF		John Martin	36	3	33	3	2	0	1	0
16	DF		Mark Arber	30	6	27	5	2	0	1	1
19	MF		Sammy Moore	12	0	12	0	0	0	0	0
20	FW		Steve Morison	45	22	43	22	1	0	1	0
21	FW		Oliver Allen	13	1	1+12	1	0	0	0	0
22	FW		Elliott Buchanan	1	0	0+1	0	0	0	0	0
23	MF		Jamie Eames	1	0	0+1	0	0	0	0	0
24	FW		Jerome Anderson	5	0	1+4	0	0	0	0	0
25	DF		Ronnie Henry	37	1	33+2	1	1	0	1	0
26	MF		Alistair John	5	0	0+5	0	0	0	0	0
27	MF		Junior Lewis	8	0	8+0	0	0	0	0	0
28	DF		Scott Laird	15	1	11+4	1	0	0	0	0
29	FW		Calum Willock	9	1	6+3	1	0	0	0	0
30	FW		Tony Stokes	3	1	2+1	1	0	0	0	0
31	FW		Zak Burke	2	1	0+2	1	0	0	0	0
33	MF		Peter Vincenti	12	1	11+1	1	0	0	0	0
34	GK		Clark Masters	3	0	3	0	0	0	0	0
35	MF		Wayne O'Sullivan	7	0	1+6	0	0	0	0	0
36	FW		Gavin Grant	14	7	12+2	7	0	0	0	0
Players who left the club before the end of the season
2	DF		Barry Fuller	27	0	22+2	0	2	0	1	0
3	DF		John Nutter	17	2	13+1	2	3	0	0	0
5	DF		Damian Batt	2	0	0+1	0	0	0	0+1	0
6	DF		Santos Gaia	10	1	6+3	1	0+1	0	0	0
8	FW		Paul Hakim	7	0	1+2	0	1+2	0	0+1	0
10	MF		Adam Miller	16	5	16	5	0	0	0	0
19	MF		Stuart Lewis	26	3	21+1	3	3	0	1	0
22	MF		Craig Dobson	30	10	24+2	10	3	0	1	0
28	DF		Zoltán Lipták	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	0
29	DF		John White	7	0	4	0	2	0	1	0

• Note: '+' denotes appearance as a substitute.

End of Season Awards

Award	Player
Supporters Association Player of the Year	Steve Morison[65]

See also

• 2007–08 in English football
• List of Stevenage Borough F.C. seasons

References

1. "Stimson resigns as Stevenage boss". BBC Sport. 17 October 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
2. "Stevenage name Taylor as new boss". BBC Sport. 1 November 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
3. "Play-off miss disappoints Taylor". BBC Sport. 23 April 2008. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
4. "Manager Taylor to leave Stevenage". BBC Sport. 28 April 2008. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
5. "Stevenage 2007/2008 results and fixtures". Soccerbase. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
6. "Stevenage 4–0 Farsley Celtic". BBC Sport. 18 September 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
7. "Player of the Year – Past Winners". Stevenage F.C. Supporters' Association. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
8. Stevenage Borough v Histon. Stevenage Borough F.C. 2007. p. 55.
9. "Seasons – 2007–08". Boroguide. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
10. "Crawley 2–1 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 11 August 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
11. "Stevenage 2–1 Histon". BBC Sport. 14 August 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
12. "Stevenage 3–0 Weymouth". BBC Sport. 18 August 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
13. "Kidderminster 0–2 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 24 August 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
14. "Stevenage 0–0 Oxford". BBC Sport. 27 August 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
15. "Ebbsfleet 0–1 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 1 September 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
16. "Droylsden 0–3 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 4 September 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
17. "Stevenage 3–0 Stafford". BBC Sport. 10 September 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
18. "York 0–2 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 15 September 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
19. "Stevenage 4–0 Farsley". BBC Sport. 18 September 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
20. "Stevenage 1–2 Cambridge United". BBC Sport. 22 September 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
21. "Forest Green 4–2 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 25 September 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
22. "Grays 0–2 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 29 September 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
23. "Stevenage 3–1 Aldershot". BBC Sport. 6 October 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
24. "Stevenage 1–1 Woking". BBC Sport. 9 October 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
25. "Torquay 4–2 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 14 October 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
26. "Stevenage 3–3 Burton Albion". BBC Sport. 18 October 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
27. "Northwich 0–2 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 3 November 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
28. "Stevenage 2–3 Halifax". BBC Sport. 17 November 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
29. "Stevenage 2–1 Altrincham". BBC Sport. 26 November 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
30. "Stevenage 3–1 Salisbury". BBC Sport. 8 December 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
31. "Rushden 0–0 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 26 December 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
32. "Altrincham 1–5 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 29 December 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
33. "Stevenage 2–1 Rushden & Diamonds". BBC Sport. 1 January 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
34. "Stafford 1–2 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 5 January 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
35. "Stevenage 5–0 Droylsden". BBC Sport. 19 January 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
36. "Farsley Celtic 0–0 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 24 January 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
37. "Exeter 4–0 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 2 February 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
38. "Cambridge Utd 2–1 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 9 February 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
39. "Stevenage 0–0 Forest Green". BBC Sport. 13 February 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
40. "Aldershot Town 3–1 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 17 February 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
41. "Stevenage 0–0 Grays Athletic". BBC Sport. 23 February 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
42. "Stevenage Borough 3–1 Crawley". BBC Sport. 1 March 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
43. "Histon 1–4 Stevenage Borough". BBC Sport. 4 March 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
44. "Weymouth 1–0 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 8 March 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
45. "Stevenage Borough 2–1 Kidderminster". BBC Sport. 13 March 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
46. "Stevenage 3–1 Ebbsfleet". BBC Sport. 21 March 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
47. "Oxford 2–1 Stevenage Borough". BBC Sport. 24 March 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
48. "Salisbury 1–0 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 27 March 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
49. "Stevenage Borough 3–2 York". BBC Sport. 1 April 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
50. "Stevenage 0–1 Exeter". BBC Sport. 5 April 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
51. "Woking 0–2 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 8 April 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
52. "Stevenage Borough 1–3 Torquay". BBC Sport. 12 April 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
53. "Burton 3–0 Stevenage Borough". BBC Sport. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
54. "Stevenage Borough 1–2 Northwich". BBC Sport. 22 April 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
55. "Halifax 1–2 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 26 April 2008. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
56. "Salisbury City 0–0 Stevenage Borough". Boroguide. 28 October 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
57. "Stevenage Borough 1–0 Salisbury City". Boroguide. 31 October 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
58. "FA Cup first round draw". BBC Sport. 31 October 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
59. "Exeter City 4–0 Stevenage Borough". BBC Sport. 10 November 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
60. "FA Cup fourth qualifying round results/scorers". BBC Sport. 27 October 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
61. "FA Cup fourth qualifying round replays". BBC Sport. 30 October 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
62. "Dorchester Town 2–1 Stevenage Borough". Boroguide. 15 December 2007. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
63. "FA Trophy first round – review". BBC Sport. 15 December 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
64. "Stevenage 2007/2008 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
65. "Player of the Year award – 2007–2008". Stevenage F.C. Supporters' Association. Retrieved 21 April 2013.

External links

• Stevenage Borough F.C. official website
• Stevenage Borough F.C. on Soccerbase