It requires some planning, quite a lot of peering of timetables and unintelligible weather forecasts, but we decided to go in the end. The bus chunters up through Kemptown and Hanover, eventually depositing us in the centre of Whitehawk, which feels like the very top of the world. The wind is gusting at sixty to seventy miles per hour and as we walk down to The Enclosed Ground the heavens open and rains falls horizontally, a lacerating experience made all the worse for the creeping suspicion that Whitehawk FC is hiding from us.

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It's back to league action this weekend as Gateshead make the long journey south to play Stevenage in a fixture which was last played in 1998 with the 'Tynesiders' winning the game 2-1 at the International Stadium. Boro though won the reverse fixture earlier that season 6-1, so I doubt the Gateshead fans have that fond of memories of Hertfordshire.

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Date: Tuesday October 13th 2009
Ground: Barton Stadium
Match: Winsford 0 Newcastle Town 1 HT: 0-0 ATT: 97
Boast 79
Additional: Entrance £6, Programme £1.50, Coffee/Tea £0.80

Barton Stadium in pictures

This was a late decision. I was originally going to watch Leek Town at Market Drayton, but MDT had an FA Trophy replay.

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On April 26, 2007 Will Brooks had the bright idea of re-inventing the way soccer is managed. He started MyFootballClub.com, a site that is basically a community of fans who get together and play a fantasy soccer, except the team is real. The community of members pooled all of their money and collectively purchased Ebbsfleet United, a soccer club that plays in the Conference National League in England.

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http://www.myfootballclub.co.uk/

For the past two years, I have had the pleasure of being a member of MyFootballClub, the world's first web community owned club. We own Ebbsfleet United Football Club, a professional team in the Blue Square Premier League, the 5th division of English football.

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It has been a difficult start to the new season for Durham City AFC. Newly promoted into the Unibond League Premier Division - their second successive promotion - they may have been expecting the start of a brave new world and a push for Conference football, but the dream has started to unwind after just a couple of weeks and the club may be heading back to the Northern League, from whence they came.

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One of the more puzzling tactical decisions from Graham Westley so far this season has been his reluctance to give new midfielder Stacy Long a run in the team, especially as the creative side of Boro's game is not quite where it should be. It's been more long ball than Long.Â

Stacy moved to Broadhall Way in the summer after a successful spell at Ebbsfleet United.

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It's been an interesting several months, a mixture of high, low and unbelievable moments which seem to be a regular occurrence as a Boro fan!Â

We finished last season well with a long unbeaten run and another Trophy win. However the 4th May 2009 will not be a day to remember as we surrendered a 3-1 lead at The Abbey.

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After weeks without a game, Boro are back in action again tomorrow night when they travel down to Church Road, Hayes to play Hayes & Yeading FC. It will be Stevenage's first ever fixture against the club formed in 2007, but many fans will have fond memories of the trips to Hayes in the mid to late nineties, when former Aldershot boss Terry Brown used to manage the Middlesex club.

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Peter Vincenti has left the club to join Woking. The Cards have confirmed that the Jersey born midfielder/striker will join the Blue Square South club on a three month loan deal. It makes sense for all parties involved really. Although Westley gave Vincenti a new contract at the beginning of the summer, the former Millwall player doesn't look likely to be in the first team plans at Broadhall Way.

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As we walk into the bar at Kingsmeadow, something silver and shiny catches my attention in the corner of my eye. "It's the FA Trophy!", I squeal, "The real FA Trophy". It takes a sharp prod to the rib cage to remind me that, sitting next to it, is the squatter but considerably shinier FA Cup. It's carnival day in south-west London, the day of the Co-Operative Supporters Direct Cup match, an annual invitation match for supporters trust owned clubs, and this year - as it was two years ago this weekend - it's Wimbledon and FC United doing the honours.

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Last Sunday saw the Boro players begin their preparations for the season ahead just 6 weeks after winning the FA Trophy Final at Wembley. They couldn't of planned their return to training at a worse time with it being the hottest week of the year so far. Hardly the best conditions to get your fitness back in?

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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.

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Never say the British public, and indeed the world, can't be persuaded to vote when the matter at hand is football. While the rest of England reluctantly headed to the polls to register their disapproval of the government, members of MyFootballClub.co.uk were being balloted not just once but three times for several key votes on the future of Ebbsfleet United.

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Stacy Long signed for Stevenage Borough today on a two year contract. The Comet had previously announced the deal as a one year contract, but the official site confirmed that the ex Charlton trainee has in fact signed a 2 year deal and becomes Graham Westley's 5th signing of the summer. It's a good move for both I think.

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There is nothing much happening at Boro at the moment, that we know of. I'm sure there are talks with players, both with the club or not, going on all the time, but nothing has been announced since the signing of Chris Beardsley from Kettering Town halfway through last week. Graham Westley and his staff must be enjoying a far more relaxing summer this year after having to assemble a whole new squad last season.

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It has been a busy month for Wembley. So stratopheric were the costs of building it that there is an element of danger that it will lose its sense of mystique before it has the chance to develop one. This month alone it has already played host to three play-off finals, the FA Trophy and FA Vase finals and has the FA Cup final yet to come.

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Stevenage's newest signing is attacking midfielder Joel Byrom who joins Graham Westley's side from relegated Northwich Victoria. Boro have been quick since winning the FA Trophy at Wembley to strengthen their squad for next season and Byrom is the biggest signing of them so far. £15,000 has been spent on securing Byrom's services from Northwich.

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Stevenage have announced they are to do a tour of the town, parading the FA Trophy won at Wembley on Saturday. The tour will begin at the ground before going down Monkswood Way, St George's Way, Fairlands Way, Lytton Way, around the old town before returning the same way to Broadhall Way. The bus leaves the ground at 4.

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The season ended on a high in a sunny North London as Stevenage Borough beat York City 2-0 to win the FA Trophy at Wembley. It was the perfect end to what has been a difficult week for the club. Boro were the dominant force throughout and what could of been a trciky encounter ended up being a walk in the park for Graham Westley's side.

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(All times - UK)
Friday 8 May
19:45 Preston v Sheffield United, Championship Play-off Semi-final 1st Leg, Sky Sports 1 & HD1
Traditionally, the momentum in the Play-Offs is with the team that sneaks in at the last minute. That would be Preston then. Alan Irvine's players have won their last four matches and there were only six points between them and the Blades at the end of the season. Click to continue reading...

It seems very weird that Stevenage are playing in a FA Trophy Final tomorrow afternoon. Somehow there is not the same buzz there was 2 years ago when Mark Stimson's side played Kidderminster Harriers in the first competitive final at the new Wembley Stadium. I don't know whether it is the fact that the stadium has lost its new 'magic' or that the main aim of the club this season has been promotion from the Blue Square Premier.

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The ongoing saga of Ebbsfleet United and My Football Club has long been a favourite chosen subject of this site. Their first round of renewals came around earlier this year, and the results were not encouraging for them. In spite of very vocal protestations to the contrary (not least in the comments section on here), the final number of 10,000 subscribers couldn't really be disguised as anything less than a bit of a disaster.

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Mark Roberts has spoken out at the disappointment of missing out on the play-off final after yesterday's dramatic collapse at Cambridge. Roberts, arguably Boro's best performer over the two legs, spoke to BBC 3 Counties about the Cambridge game and added that it is imperative for the club to finish the season on a high with a win at Wembley against York in the FA Trophy Final.

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Mark Roberts has spoken out at the disappointment of missing out on the play-off final after yesterday's dramatic collapse at Cambridge. Roberts, arguably Boro's best performer over the two legs, spoke to BBC 3 Counties about the Cambridge game and added that it is imperative for the club to finish the season on a high with a win at Wembley against York in the FA Trophy Final.

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It's another year in the Blue Square Premier for Stevenage as they were knocked out of the play-offs by Cambridge United this afternoon. Boro went into the game with a 2 goal cushion to defend, but 2 goals from Scott Rendell and a deflected shot from Robbie Wilmott gave the U's a 3-0 win after extra time and a Wembley date against Torquay in just under two weeks time.

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It's another year in the Blue Square Premier for Stevenage as they were knocked out of the play-offs by Cambridge United this afternoon. Boro went into the game with a 2 goal cushion to defend, but 2 goals from Scott Rendell and a deflected shot from Robbie Wilmott gave the U's a 3-0 win after extra time and a Wembley date against Torquay in just under two weeks time.

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A year ago yesterday, Graham Westley was re-appointed Stevenage Borough manager and FC Boro was created. It's gone pretty quick and plenty has happened at Broadhall Way in that year! Here are just a few stats;

FC Boro

• 210 posts
• 180 comments
• 81 pages
• 77305 views
• Nominated in the Fanzine Awards

Stevenage Borough

• 73 league goals
• 23 league wins
• 11 league defeats
• A trip to Leicester in the FA Cup
• Reaching another FA Trophy Final
• Getting into the play-offs
• A double over Woking
• Woking getting relegated
• Possible promotion to the football league?

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A year ago yesterday, Graham Westley was re-appointed Stevenage Borough manager and FC Boro was created. It's gone pretty quick and plenty has happened at Broadhall Way in that year! Here are just a few stats;

FC Boro

• 210 posts
• 180 comments
• 81 pages
• 77305 views
• Nominated in the Fanzine Awards

Stevenage Borough

• 73 league goals
• 23 league wins
• 11 league defeats
• A trip to Leicester in the FA Cup
• Reaching another FA Trophy Final
• Getting into the play-offs
• A double over Woking
• Woking getting relegated
• Possible promotion to the football league?

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After both Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson branded the Wembley pitch a disgrace after last weekend's FA Cup games, Wembley bosses have decided to relay the surface ion time for the final. The pitch is to be ready in time for the FA Trophy final on the 9th of May ... Click to continue reading...

Tracer bullets kick up turf as players duck for cover

The news is that Wengers whingeing worked, a bit too late for Arsenal, but in time for the FA Cup final on the 30th of May.

In fact, the FA will work on an expedited schedule and re-lay the surface for the FA Trophy and Football League playoffs too.

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Fever Pitch hits Wembley

It took the moans and groans of Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex, but the FA have finally confirmed today that in fact yes, the Wembley pitch is to be dug up immediately!

Â

They want the surface ready for the FA Trophy final on 9th May, the Football League play-off finals and the FA Cup final on 30th May.

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Stevenage Borough v Kidderminster Harriers. Tomorrow night's game is arguably bigger than the FA Trophy Final between the two sides in 2007 at the new Wembley Stadium. Boro are a point away from Harriers who are currently in the last remaining play-off spot with just two games remaining. Kiddy drew at the weekend away at Histon, while Stevenage were held by Torquay United in a frustrating encounter at Broadhall Way.

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Luton Town FC RIP

And so, on April 13th, Luton were finally consigned to step five football for the 2009/2010 season.

We were all expecting it of course. Only a miracle could have saved the Hatters this season, something which ex-newsreader come chairman Nick Owen happily pointed out on Sky News this morning.

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After a fantastic 24 match unbeaten run it all came to a dramatic end a couple of weeks ago with defeat at Kidderminster, however bouncing back was key and last Tuesdays impressive 2-1 win against rivals Cambridge certainly showed that despite having injuries, suspensions and a terrible referee we are able to compete at the top end of the table.

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