View from the opposition:
An FA Cup preview special, 2 fans views today, more tomorrow
A bit about you:
Name: Mervyn Stokes-Geddes, Secretary, SBFC Supporters Association
Current home town: Stevenage, Herts Birthplace: Gillingham, Kent
How long have you supported your team? 30 years
Overview of your club:
Favourite thing about your home ground: Small Compact nature, with terracing
Favourite match played by your team & why: FA Trophy final -v- Kidderminster pulled back from 2-0 down to win Trophy
Favourite player of all time who played for your club: Barry Hayles
About our forthcoming match against you:
Your favourite current player in your squad and why? Mitchell Cole – pace and match winner
Player in your squad we should most fear and why? Steve Morrison – top goal scorer
Player in our squad you most fear and why? All of them!
Up and coming prospect in your squad? Scott Laird….
Where do you think you’ll finish this season? Top 5 (in Play offs)
How do you think you’ll do against us? Will raise our game, as we always play well against better opposition. However, your skill level will ensure that you win by 3 – 1.
Any other comments? Looking forward to our day out at the Walkers
A bit about you:
Name: Stuart Govier (Programme Editor Stevenage Boro FC)
Current home town: Stevenage Birthplace: Welwyn Garden City
How long have you supported your team? Around 15 years
Overview of your club:
Favourite thing about your home ground: The fans that go through the turnstiles on matchday.
Favourite match played by your team & why: This has to be two games I’m afraid – I just can’t split them. Many people will be expecting me to say the FA Cup Fourth Round ties with Newcastle United but as far as my favourite games go it has to be the round previous to that played away against Swindon Town in 1998. In utterly appalling conditions with a gale blowing and fierce rain lashing down on the Boro fans in the uncovered end behind one goal we saw Boro progress to the next round of the FA Cup with a 2-1 victory and that tie with Newcastle.
So for a sense of achievement it was the Swindon game but for total enjoyment from start to finish no Boro fan could have experienced a day like May 12th 2007 when in the very first Cup Final at the New Wembley we emerged victorious from the FA Trophy Final 3-2 against Kidderminster Harriers. It was the perfect game for a fan with Boro trailing 2-0 at half time and seemingly dead and buried. The recovery in the second half was superb and to grab a Steve Morison winner minutes from the end makes this the perfect ever Boro game.
Favourite player of all time who played for your club: Has to be a toss up between Barry Hayles and Efe Sodje with Barry Hayles just edging it. Wonder where he ended up?
About our forthcoming match against you:
Your favourite current player in your squad and why? Boro Captain Ronnie Henry has laid his heart, soul and body on the line for Boro so many times in the last few years. He’s the sort of player you’d like to have eleven of playing in your side although in Ronnie’s case it probably wouldn’t work because we’d never score!
Player in your squad we should most fear and why? Steve Morison’s scoring record should be explanation enough.
Player in our squad you most fear and why? It’s very difficult to fear someone you like and admire so much but it has to be Barry Hayles.
Up and coming prospect in your squad? Not sure if you qualify for up and coming at age 25 but Steve Morison will go on to forge a very successful League career in the coming years. Hopefully that will be with Boro as we progress up the football pyramid.
Where do you think you’ll finish this season? I would expect Boro to finish in the play off places and hopefully hold their nerve to grab promotion.
How do you think you’ll do against us? My heart says that we have a chance but my head says we ought to fight bravely and then be knocked out. But as someone famous once said “It’s a funny old game!” We didn’t expect to beat League sides Cambridge United, Leyton Orient or Swindon Town in the FA Cup but we did.
Any other comments? Please can we borrow Barry Hayles for a couple of seasons? We famously acquired a striker once for 2 bags of crisps and a Mars bar and I’m sure a number of Boro fans are willing to spread the cost and chip in a box of Malteser’s as well if it would seal the deal?!