Stevenage Revolution
Club and Manager Background
Stevenage are undoubtedly a team on the up, having achieved back-to-back promotions from the Blue Square Premier league (finishing as champions in 2010) and then play-off success in the NPower League 2.
Former manager Gary Smith shocked fans at the start of the 2011-12 season by announcing his resignation, citing frustrations with the board’s recruitment policy and lack of ambition as his reasons for leaving. Speculation that he was in discussions with West Ham about their vacant manager position proved to be nothing more than rumour when Sam Allardyce was unveiled just two days later.
Stevenage began their search for a new manager, making statements to the media that they were looking for someone ‘young and hungry’ to take over. Ex Blyth Spartans boss Sam Dalby immediately became the favourite and was hired on 4th July, making him one of the football league’s youngest managers at just 37 years old.
Dalby had great success with Blyth, leading them to a record breaking promotion to the Blue Square Premier before just missing out on the play-offs the following season. Born in Edinburgh, Dalby played briefly for Hibernian before hanging up his boots at just 24 and taking his coaching badges. Spells with Hibernian (youth coach), Crewe Alexandra (academy manager) and Huddersfield (assistant manager) lead him to Blyth, where he was mysteriously given his marching orders in May 2011. Dalby has always refused to comment on the reasons for his sacking, although it is widely believed that his refusal to play club favourite and leading scorer John Armstrong in a critical final game was a major factor.
Sam Dalby was unveiled in a press conference on the 5th of July, and immediately talked of plans to revolutionise the way Stevenage play and made the ambitious promise to fans that star players Michael Bostwick, Lawrie Wilson and Jon Ashton would not be leaving under any circumstances and would become the backbone of the new regime at Broadhall Way.
Club and Manager Background
Stevenage are undoubtedly a team on the up, having achieved back-to-back promotions from the Blue Square Premier league (finishing as champions in 2010) and then play-off success in the NPower League 2.
Former manager Gary Smith shocked fans at the start of the 2011-12 season by announcing his resignation, citing frustrations with the board’s recruitment policy and lack of ambition as his reasons for leaving. Speculation that he was in discussions with West Ham about their vacant manager position proved to be nothing more than rumour when Sam Allardyce was unveiled just two days later.
Stevenage began their search for a new manager, making statements to the media that they were looking for someone ‘young and hungry’ to take over. Ex Blyth Spartans boss Sam Dalby immediately became the favourite and was hired on 4th July, making him one of the football league’s youngest managers at just 37 years old.
Dalby had great success with Blyth, leading them to a record breaking promotion to the Blue Square Premier before just missing out on the play-offs the following season. Born in Edinburgh, Dalby played briefly for Hibernian before hanging up his boots at just 24 and taking his coaching badges. Spells with Hibernian (youth coach), Crewe Alexandra (academy manager) and Huddersfield (assistant manager) lead him to Blyth, where he was mysteriously given his marching orders in May 2011. Dalby has always refused to comment on the reasons for his sacking, although it is widely believed that his refusal to play club favourite and leading scorer John Armstrong in a critical final game was a major factor.
Sam Dalby was unveiled in a press conference on the 5th of July, and immediately talked of plans to revolutionise the way Stevenage play and made the ambitious promise to fans that star players Michael Bostwick, Lawrie Wilson and Jon Ashton would not be leaving under any circumstances and would become the backbone of the new regime at Broadhall Way.
