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Graham Westley: Back for more!

Started on 5 July 2018 by FM-LD
Latest Reply on 27 July 2018 by FM-LD
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Great writing mate. Fingers crossed you can push on up the table
Not the greatest of starts, I must admit; however there is still plenty of time to turn the results around and climb further up the table. A couple of wins on the bounce can make all the difference.
@redvee35: Thank you! I hope so too aha!

@ScottT: Yeah not the best of starts, plenty of time to turn it around!

Westley: We have not been good enough


After his first three months back in charge of League Two side Stevenage; Graham Westley gave an interview that was posted on the club’s youtube channel. Here are the highlights of what was discussed on certain topics.

Being back at Stevenage
It is great being back at a club that has a special place in my heart; being back at the training ground and the stadium for the first time brought back floods of many happy memories. And that is what is motivating me to great some more”.

His squad
There was a good group of players here when I arrived, we have some fantastic young talent in players like Luke (Amos), Matt (Godden) and Ben (Wilmot); and that blend with some great seasoned pros like Ronnie (Henry), Jack (King) and Chris (Whelpdale) gives us a great blend of young and experience

We brought in a few new faces on loan deals to help boost not only the quality of the squad but also the depth of it too. They’ve settled in well and have put in some good performances so far; their attitude in training has been superb and those young lads are keen to make the most of their loan spells”.

Results so far
Truth be told we have not been good enough. In terms of the goals we set out at the start of the season, we are below par. There have been a number of games where we have been in good positions to get wins and have bottled it”.

Some of it is my fault, it has taken me a while to find my core players and my best eleven but I feel like I know it now. But some of the blame has to go to the players too, some do need to step up to the plate otherwise they won’t be here much longer. Everyone connected with the club is responsible and we all have to do our bit by putting in 100% effort to everything we do”.

Aims for the season
Based on the squad we have, I believe this team is capable of finishing at least in the top half of the table, bare minimum. But if we all stick together, and work hard to reach our potential, then there is no reason why a playoff push isn’t possible”.

The great thing about this league, and football in general is that once you get a win, then you can get two, then three, then four. And then suddenly, you can move up the table very quickly; all we can do is worry about ourselves, and what we do, and how we prepare for our matches to ensure that we get the best outcome”.
Completely agree with Westley’s comments. You have to love this league due to how the tables can turn in an instance.
@ScottT: That is very true!

November 2017-February 2018






Stevenage 1-0 Exeter City
Islam Feruz

MK Dons 4-2 Stevenage
Dan Newton
Dale Gorman

Stevenage 4-1 Notts County
Dan Newton (x3)
James Weir

Mansfield 1-4 Stevenage
Jerome Sinclair (x2)
Matt Godden (x2)

Stevenage 1-1 Coventry City
Mark McKee

Cambridge United 4-2 Stevenage
Matt Godden
Luke Amos

Shrewsbury Town 3-1 Stevenage
Chris Whelpdale

Stevenage 0-1 Wycombe

Exeter City 2-0 Stevenage

Stevenage 0-2 Chesterfield

Lincoln City 1-0 Stevenage

Crawley Town 1-1 Stevenage
Willem Tomlinson

Stevenage 2-1 Cheltenham Town
Matt Godden (x2)

Stevenage 2-0 Swindon Town
Matt Godden
Joe Martin

Morecambe 2-3 Stevenage
Matt Godden (x2)
Ben Sheaf

Stevenage 4-0 Carlisle United
Joe Willock (x2)
Matt Godden
Ben Kennedy

Chesterfield 1-4 Stevenage
OG
Matt Godden
Joe Willock
Ben Kennedy

Accrington Stanley 2-3 Stevenage
Matt Godden
Joe Willock
Alex Samuel

Stevenage 3-0 Luton Town
Matt Godden (x2)
James Weir

Forest Green Rovers 1-1 Stevenage
Joe Willock

Stevenage 1-0 Yeovil Town
Matt Godden

Notts County 1-3 Stevenage
Matt Godden (x2)
Alex Samuel

League Table


Transfer News
In October, Stevenage formed a partnership with Premier League side Arsenal, which will benefit Stevenage in the respect they will gain an annual fee of approximately £80,000, and any players can join Stevenage on loan from Arsenal with no monthly cost or wage costs.

As a result of this, midfield duo Josh Dasilva and Joe Willock both signed on short term loans at Stevenage, only for them to then be extended in January until the end of the season. They wear the shirt numbers 23 and 35 respectively.

However, Watford loanee Jerome Sinclair had his loan deal terminated in January after a disagreement between player and manager Graham Westley; hence the decision was made for him to return to his parent club.

Stevenage also decided to take up the option in Matt Godden’s contract to trigger a one year extension to his contract. This will see him extend his stay at Broadhall Way until June 2019. Godden has so far scored eighteen league goals.
New year, new Stevenage! Fantastic turnaround at the club and hopefully the sign of things to come. A playoff finish is still very much on the cards.
@ScottT: Indeed!

Westley rallies up troops


Following his sides great improvement in results since the turn of the year, Graham Westley has challenged his Stevenage side to extend their long unbeaten run as they look to push up the table.

Stevenage currently sit at 10th in the table only five points outside of the play-offs, a position they find themselves in after a long unbeaten run has risen them from as low as 21st in the table to the brink of the play-offs.

Graham Westley told BBC sport: “It has been a magnificent turnaround, we changed the system slightly at the start of the year and that seems to have worked wonders for us”.

I think the challenge now for the players is to keep the form going; there is no reason why if we keep playing the way we are playing, that we can secure a play-off spot and give ourselves a chance of promotion”.

Some may say that I’m putting pressure on to my players, but there is none on them whatsoever. If we keep training the way we have been training, and preparing the same way we have been preparing; then I don’t see this magnificent run stopping”.

Stevenage reach play-offs




Stevenage 3-1 Mansfield Town
Matt Godden (x2)
James Weir

Stevenage 3-1 Crewe Alexandra
Matt Godden
Jamie Gray
Mark McKee

Port Vale 1-1 Stevenage
Jamie Gray

Stevenage 5-1 Colchester United
Luke Amos
James Weir
Matt Godden (x3)

Grimsby Town 0-1 Stevenage
Alex Samuel

Stevenage 1-1 Barnet
Matt Godden

Newport County 1-3 Stevenage
Islam Feruz
Joe Willock
Matt Godden

Stevenage 3-0 Cambridge United
Ben Kennedy (p)
Tom Conlon
Matt Godden

Coventry City 0-2 Stevenage
Ben Kennedy
Alex Samuel

Stevenage 7-4 Exeter City
Alex Samuel (x3)
Alex Revell (x2)
Ben Kennedy
Tom Conlon

Wycombe Wanderers 0-1 Stevenage
Joe Willock

League Table


Playoffs & End of Season Report


League 2 Playoffs


Crewe Alexandra 2-4 Stevenage
Islam Feruz
Dan Newton (x3)

Stevenage 2-1 Crewe Alexandra
Ben Kennedy (p)
Dan Newton

Stevenage 2-5 Luton Town
Matt Godden
Dan Newton
John Goddard
Ben Sheaf

Golden Boot


League 2 Team of the Year


Best XI 2017/18


Westley signs contract extension

Player Update – released/retained


Released
The following players contracts expire on the 30th of June 2018, and the club has decided not to offer or renew any of their contracts, hence they will be departing the club.


The following players were on loan at Stevenage last season, and have either been unable to agree teams with Stevenage for a loan extension, or the club did not offer for an extension. Hence the following players will be returning to their parent clubs:
Tom King
Ben Sheaf
Joe Willock
Josh Dasilva
Luke Amos
Willem Tomlinson
Islam Feruz


Retained
The following player's contracts were due to be ending on 30th of June 2018, however have either been offered new deals or had an option triggered within their contract. Hence they will be staying at the club next season:
Chris Whelpdale
Dan Newton
Jack King
Fraser Franks
Alex Samuel


Also, James Weir who spent all of last season on loan from Hull City has had his loan extended for another twelve months. Hence he will yet again be a part of the Stevenage squad for the 2018/19 season.

The following players are under contract until either June 2019 or beyond:
Luke Wade-Slater
Joe Martin
Ben Wilmot
Jonathan Smith
Dale Gorman
Mark McKee
Ben Kennedy
Matt Godden
Jamie Gray

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