Boro Legends

Alan Julian

Signed in January 2005 from Brentford. “AJ” was an instant hit with the Boro fans due to his outstanding reflexes and “dramas” on the field. He left in the summer of 2008 to re-join Mark Stimson at Gillingham after 3 and a half years at the club, but returned to Boro in 2011 after his release from Priestfield.

Chris Day

Boro’s number 1 for their successful title winning season in the 2009/2010 season. Day kept an amazing 24 clean sheets as the club stormed towards their promotion to League 2. He was a big part of Boro’s season with his commanding performances between the sticks and will get a much deserved return to league football with Boro.

Des Gallagher

Gallagher was Boro’s No 1 for most of the Conference winning season. A consistent performer who was an asset to the side. Also starred in the 1997/1998 Cup run.

Mark Smith

“Smudger” was bought originally by Paul Fairclough as a striker, but excelled for Boro at centre back where he formed a great partnership with Efe Sodje which helped the club win the league in 1996. While at Boro, Smith was also part of the England Semi-Pro side along with Dave Venables and Barry Hayles. Smith was still playing regularly for Hitchin until 2010, when he retired from the game.

Efe Sodje

Sodje arrived at Boro in 1994. The bandana wearing Nigerian starred for Boro in defence during his 3 years with the club until moving on to Macclesfield Town and then various Football League clubs before appearing at the World Cup in 2002. He is now plying his trade at Bury.

Jason Goodliffe

Goodliffe joined Boro in 2001 from Hayes. He was a rock in the heart of the defence during his 6 years at the club until moving on to Rushden and then AFC Wimbledon. He spent his whole career in non-league football, but could have easily made it in the Football League.

Mark Roberts

Roberts captained Stevenage to the Blue Square Premier Championship in his first full season at the club. He signed for Boro from Northwich initially on loan in November 2008, but this deal was made permanent in January 2009. He’s been a warrior at the back for the club since his debut against Wrexham. Roberts added the League 2 play-off trophy to his collection in 2011.

Ronnie Henry

Ronnie was the Boro Captain when the club lifted the FA Trophy in 2007 and has been with us since January 2005. A very accomplished centre half that gives his all for the club. Henry was switched to a right back role when Graham Westley returned and since then he has won the Trophy again in 2009, the Conference championship in 2010 and promotion to League 1 via the League 2 play-offs.

Jon Ashton

Signed from Grays in 2009 as Graham Westley tried to shore up his defence. Ashton has been a rock at the heart of Boro’s defence since then and has played a big part of the two promotions in 2010 and 2011. He began his career at Leicester City, before making a move to Oxford United. He joined Rushden after leaving the Kassam Stadium and first played under Westley at Nene Park. After a spell at Grays, Ashton has seemingly found home at Stevenage. He was also listed in the FourFourTwo top 10 players in the nPower Football League 2.

Robin Trott

Paul Fairclough signed Robin Trott from Welling United in the summer of 1997 as he tried to fill the gap of Efe Sodje after the Nigerian’s departure to Macclesfield Town. Trott was the opposite of Sodje, but proved to be one of Cloughie’s more astute signings of that particular summer. Trott stayed at the club for 6 years and was a regular in the backline, captaining the side on several occasions. He left the club in 2003 to sign for Grays Athletic, before later spells at Margate and Welling.

Kenny Webster

Kenny Webster was another member of the Conference winning side. A former Arsenal trainee, Webster was a vital member in Boro’s side and chipped in with a few free-kicks along the way.

Robbie Mutchell

Again another member of the 95/96 team. Was only at Boro for a short while after moving from Telford, but like Webster was a vital part of that team. Mutchell is famous in Boro circles for scoring the clubs 100th goal of the 95/96 season when he scored on the last day at Farnborough.

Scott Laird

Laird was signed by Peter Taylor in the January transfer window of 2008. He came in as a centre midfielder, but was converted to a left back by Graham Westley the following season. Laird has never looked back since then and has been a vital part of the team for the best part of 2 years. He has a habit of getting important goals as Luton and Oxford know only too well.

Lee Harvey

Harlow born Harvey signed for Boro at the age of 32 in 1998. He enjoyed two years at the club and was Boro’s regular at right back. Harvey’s overlapping runs and crosses are what he is remembered for and is one of the main reasons why Carl Alford was so productive during his spell at Broadhall Way. Harvey left to join Bedford Town before a later move to Boreham Wood.

Ryan Kirby

Former Arsenal trainee Kirby signed for Boro in the 1996/1997 season, the year after the club had won the Conference. Kirby was a consistent full back in his time at Broadhall Way and often filled in different positions when needed. He spent 5 years at the club before leaving in 2001 to join Aldershot. He is still playing now in a player/coach role at Harlow Town.

Sam McMahon

McMahon joined Boro in the summer of 1999 when Richard Hill was manager. McMahon looked a class above until a career threatening injury stuttered his Boro career. Still he managed to get back to his best form and helped Boro reach the 2002 FA Trophy Final before being released a year later under new manager Graham Westley.

Steve Berry

Berry had 2 very different spells at Broadhall Way. His first, he captained Boro to the Conference Championship before moving to Kettering, where he was manager. He returned, but only for a short time before again moving to Northamptonshire with Rushden & Diamonds.

Paul Barrowcliff

Part of the successful midfield partnership which led Boro to the league title. Barrowcliff was the creative spark in the Boro midfield until moving on to Brentford in 1997. Barrowcliff did return for a short loan spell in the 1997/98 season, but things were never the same.

George Boyd

What can you say about George Boyd? One of the most gifted players to ever play for Boro. Started out at Charlton before being picked up by the club’s EFCO scheme. Boyd spent nearly 5 years at the Hertfordshire club improving every year before finally moving to League 2 side Peterborough United. Boyd left Peterborough in 2010 to join Nottingham Forest on loan. However, he returned to London Road and won promotion to the Championship with Posh in 2011.

Simon Wormull

Simon Wormull came to Stevenage in 2001 and scored 9 goals from 73 appearances. The right winger was an expert from set pieces before moving on to Crawley Town.

Dave Venables

Venables was another important member of the title winning side of 1996. His bursts down the right led to many Boro goals down the years until he left in 1997.

Tony Lynch

He was either absolutely brilliant or a total donkey, but Tony Lynch’s contribution to the Boro title winning side is enough to get him into having “legendary” status at Broadhall Way. You never knew what you were going to get with Lynch.

Adrian Clarke

Adrian Clarke signed for Boro in the summer of 2000 after impressing then boss Paul Fairclough over pre-season. “Clarkey” was a huge hit with the Boro faithful with a number of long range goals catching the eye before unfortunately moving on to Margate in 2002 after a falling out with manager Wayne Turner.

Steve Guppy

Signed just after the start of the 2006/2007 season along with Steve Morison and was a massive success at Boro. Guppy showed his class and stamped his experience on a young side who then went on and won the FA Trophy at Wembley. Guppy has now retired from the game and is coaching in the USA.

Steve Morison

“Moro” joined Stevenage from Bishop’s Stortford in 2006 and was an instant success with the Broadhall Way crowd due to his hard working performances and prolific goalscoring record. Morison made 152 appearances for Boro, scoring 89 goals. He left Stevenage after 3 years at the club to join Millwall for £130k. Morison has since moved into the Premier League after securing a big money move to Norwich City.

Corey Browne

Corey Browne formed a deadly partnership with Hayles after moving to Hertfordshire from Dover Athletic midway through the 1995/1996 season. Browne wasn’t as prolific as Hayles, but was imperative during the run in for the title. Browne left Boro to join Slough Town before a brief return to Stevenage in 2000 under Paul Fairclough.

Guiliano Grazioli

“Graz” was only at Boro on loan during the 1997/1998 season. In the short time he was here though Grazioli grabbed crucial goals which led to Boro playing Newcastle in the 4th Round of the FA Cup. Grazioli recently retired due to an eye injury and is now coaching at local rivals Barnet.

Carl Alford

Carl Alford was Boro’s nemesis before joining the club in 1998 from Rushden & Diamonds on a free transfer. Alford had cost the Diamonds £85,000 just a year earlier. “Carlo” was a goal machine while at Boro who had finally replaced Barry Hayles who had departed a year earlier. He left to sign for Doncaster in the summer of 2000.

Martin Gittings

Martin Gittings made nearly 400 appearances for Stevenage over 4 different spells in the 80/90′s. Gittings scored 209 goals, a record that has still to be beaten. He was apart of the team that won promotion to the Conference, but only made a short impact in the top tier of non-league football before he left in 1995 to join Hitchin Town.

Gary Crawshaw

One of the more un-sung heroes of the title winning side in 1996. Crawshaw spent four years at Stevenage between 1994 and 1998 making just under 150 appearances, scoring 53 goals. Crawshaw was used mainly as a substitute in the early years, but was a regular in the 1997/98 season. Crawshaw starred in Boro’s FA Cup run, scoring at St James’ Park against Newcastle. Crawshaw left Boro the following summer to join Aylesbury United.

Leo Fortune-West

Leo Fortune-West was only at Broadhall Way for a short time, but he helped significantly to keep Boro in the Conference in the 1994/1995 season. Fortune-West was a handful for Conference defences and his good form got him a move into the Football League. He moved on to Gillingham for £5,000.

Barry Hayles

Arguably Boro’s greatest ever player. Hayles used to be able to destroy teams on his own at times and top scored in Boro’s title winning season in 1996 with 34 goals. Although Boro were denied promotion, Hayles stuck with Fairclough’s side for one more year as they tried to replicate the success of 96. Unfortunately Hayles missed a large chunk of the season with a broken leg before he moved on to sign for Bristol Rovers in 1997. He later enjoyed a spell in the Premier League with Fulham.

Dino Maamria

One of the more controversial figures to wear the Boro shirt. Maamria joined the club initially in 2003 and was an important member of the squad that survived relegation that season. He briefly went to the USA, but returned to Boro and was the hero in the 2004/2005 play-offs. He is now a coach at the club along with Graham Westley and John Dreyer.

Anthony Elding

“Eldinho” as he was known had a pretty impressive record while at Stevenage. He joined the club in 2003 with Boro fighting to survive the drop from the Conference. His goals were important as Boro crawled away from the relegation zone. Elding scored 57 goals in 126 appearances while at Broadhall Way. He left in 2006 to join Kettering Town and has since played for Leeds, Crewe ,Ferencvaros and now Rochdale.

If you have any players in mind that you think should be included in the “Legends” list then either comment below or email me at fcboro@hotmail.co.uk