SA AGM 2009

The Stevenage Borough Supporters Association annual meeting took place tonight at the Broadhall Suite for the 2008/2009 campaign. Again, it has been another tough year for the SA, with subscriptions reaching their lowest level since the first season in 1994. However, another profit has been recorded, although a lot of that was down to the club reaching the FA Trophy Final last season. The SA continues to provide an important link between the club and its supporters and after nearly 15 years, still seems to be going strong.

Another aspect to the AGM tonight was the Q&A session with Graham Westley and Michael Bostwick. Westley came in and answered any question from the floor for just over an hour. Below are some of the main points Graham came up with at the meeting.

• No more transfer activity expected, certainly with regards to signing players. Anaclet only real player who could yet leave this summer.
• Pre-Season training starts on Sunday 28th June.
• No double bid for Branston and Seddon. Westley asked Mark Cooper if Seddon was available, but hasn’t been in again for Branston since November, when he signed Mark Roberts.
• Steve Morison was selected as captain last season because no one else wanted it. Ronnie Henry passed the armband over because of a “split dressing room”.
• Westley did mention that he felt the dressing room will be better without Morison.
• Roberts has been selected as the captain this season because, according to GW, he’s a natural leader and can lead by example from the back.
• Roberts and Bostwick were the two options for the armband.
• Peter Vincenti has not signed a 2 year contract. It’s a one year deal with the club having an option for a further year if they wish to take it.
• Westley says that he doesn’t fear any other team in the BSP and believes that a lot of clubs are thinking about Stevenage more than we’re thinking about them.
• Anaclet’s attitude last season was a disgrace and he only made an appearance in the Trophy Final for ‘tactical’ reasons.
• John Martin in Westley’s words wasn’t his cup of tea. However, he did mention his professionalism and energy, but apparently he didn’t do enough going forward to be considered a regular in the Boro team.
• Willock didn’t push himself for the first team enough last season, hence his release.
• Westley is very excited about the signing of Yemi Odubade. Was surprised to see him get released by Oxford and said that a lot of Constable’s goals came from the good work of the pacy attacker.
• Dino Maamria isn’t going to play next season and is only here for coaching purposes.
• GW doesn’t believe there is a lack of discipline within the club. He put the Cambridge sending off’s down to poor refereeing, while the Cole sending off at Mansfield was an isolated incident of stupidity.