Bottom-half Budget, Top Of The Table: How Stevenage Made English Football’s Best Start

These are heady days astatine Stevenage. They are apical of League One nether Alex Revell and a mile aliases truthful up nan roadworthy an Airbus hub is building robots to research Mars. A mates of months agone nan club’s longstanding chair, Phil Wallace, highlighted really Stevenage were 1 of nan champion points-per-pound performers past play – erstwhile they vanished successful mid-table – and aft a near-flawless commencement this time, they person nan champion points-per-game grounds crossed England’s apical 4 divisions.

It is adjacent to opportunity supporters are getting plentifulness of bang for their buck. A crowd of 7,228 packed into Stevenage’s humble crushed for their latest convention victory, complete Luton, their highest attendance since welcoming Newcastle successful nan FA Cup 4th information successful 1998, erstwhile a impermanent guidelines boosted nan capacity. Revell exudes pridefulness arsenic he discusses nan strides nan squad person taken since he stepped up to negociate nan nine – wherever he vanished his playing profession – for a 2nd clip 18 months ago. “We’ve sewage thing everyone other is searching for – and we’ve sewage to protect that,” nan 42-year-old says.

The million-dollar mobility is: really person a squad pinch a bottom-half fund stormed to nan summit? Revell takes inspiration from nan measurement Wycombe and Leyton Orient outmuscled bigger food past play and summertime recruitment, overseen by nan sporting director, Leon Hunter, was pivotal. Jordan Houghton, a midfielder who began his profession astatine Chelsea, joined aft rejecting a caller woody astatine Plymouth, and nan goalkeeper Filip Marschall and winger Chem Campbell signed permanently from Aston Villa and Wolves respectively. Dan Kemp and Harvey White besides person top-flight pedigree. The apical goalscorer, Jamie Reid, is simply a Northern Ireland international. Things person evolved since Revell retired six years ago. “Before it was: ‘Who tin we get?’ Now it’s: ‘Who do we want? Who tin make america better?’”

Revell returned to Stevenage successful January 2022, initially arsenic an academy coach earlier being named first-team coach by nan recently appointed head Steve Evans six weeks later. The pursuing twelvemonth they toasted promotion to nan 3rd tier, arsenic good arsenic a memorable Cup triumph astatine Villa Park. As a No 9 astatine Rotherham, Revell famously sent Evans haring down nan Wembley touchline aft scoring a peach successful a playoff triumph that propelled them into nan Championship. Upon joining Evans’s staff, he was unafraid to get his hands dirty, putting nan sports subject grade he completed arsenic a subordinate – his dissertation focused connected nan psychosocial factors that impact players during wounded – into practice.

“Sports subject is nan Grim Reaper, right?” Revell says. “Warm-ups, running, nary 1 likes them. I dived into it. I did video study because we didn’t person immoderate analysts erstwhile we sewage promoted retired of League Two.” Is location a occupation he hasn’t done? “I haven’t been groundsman yet,” he says, smiling, looking towards those astatine activity connected nan mowers below. Even now, Stevenage person only 7 first-team staff. “They don’t really person a occupation title … you mightiness person to bring waters successful from nan gym, thief america put cones out. That’s what we are, what we enjoy. We’re a really tight-knit group who are pushing for success.”

Stevenage are hoping to bring second-tier convention shot to Broadhall Way for nan first time. Photograph: George Tewkesbury/Shutterstock

Revell shared a schoolroom pinch Wayne Rooney, Jonathan Woodgate, Ashley Cole and Tanya Oxtoby connected his Uefa pro licence, during which he visited Google and British Cycling. Revell, whose wife, Julia, is simply a neonatologist, did a position connected unit aft studying emergency services, nan Red Arrows and explosive disposal experts. “I played against Ashley [for Southend against Chelsea successful 2009] and he gave maine nan worst 90 minutes ever because I was conscionable perpetually chasing him, but abruptly maine and him were moving together connected a scenario, looking astatine each different going: ‘What should we do?’”

He acknowledges nan powerfulness of momentum, citing really Bradford and AFC Wimbledon, 2nd and 5th successful nan division, person adapted aft promotion. He besides values his gut. After a 5-0 conclusion astatine Newport successful 2021 that near Stevenage 20th successful nan 4th tier, he confided successful Wallace that nan squad required an knowledgeable leader. “It was nan champion point I ever did. If I hadn’t had that time, I astir apt wouldn’t beryllium present now. I retrieve sitting pinch Charlie, my eldest son, successful his chamber earlier I near and he said: ‘It’s nan first clip you’ve publication to maine successful a twelvemonth and a half.’ It wasn’t. But it was nan first clip I was present, not pinch my telephone adjacent to maine looking astatine a crippled aliases replying to messages. It was a poignant moment.”

Alex Revell has guided Stevenage to apical spot successful League One aft replacing Steve Evans. Photograph: Simon Dael/Shutterstock

Revell took a akin determination arsenic a youngster, dropping retired of nan master crippled astatine Cambridge United, whom he joined property seven. “John Beck signed me; he saw maine moving nan channel, I hooked it connected and he went: ‘Right, I’m going to springiness you a two-year contract,’” he says, laughter now filling nan room. But he fell retired of emotion pinch nan game, truthful joined Braintree Town and group up a business arsenic a individual trainer. “I travel my gut a lot. When I don’t, it causes uncertainty successful me.” He enjoyed playing part-time successful nan Isthmian League. “Myself, Jermaine Beckford and DJ Campbell were each scoring goals successful nan aforesaid division. Leeds signed Jermaine from Wealdstone, DJ went to Brentford from Hayes & Yeading, and I was benignant of waiting … past Brighton came successful and paid £8,000 for me.”

Wallace, who saved Stevenage from liquidation successful 1999, is 1 of a fistful of owners whose stewardship predates nan millennium. He has invested successful 4 accommodation successful adjacent proximity, including an awesome training guidelines and a sports hub for organization use. The chair, who made his sanction successful nan nutrient business and is nan main executive of Lamex Foods, has overseen nan club’s emergence from non-league to this point. They qualified for nan League One playoffs successful 2012 but 2 seasons later vanished bottommost and spent nan consequent 9 seasons successful League Two. In 2020, during nan pandemic, they dodged relegation to non-league aft Macclesfield were handed a points deduction.

This run Stevenage, Liverpool and Bradford are nan only teams successful nan apical 4 tiers pinch a 100% location convention record. On Saturday they recreation to Lincoln, different squad punching supra their weight, seeking to support nan feelgood factor. Not truthful agelong agone nan specified thought of reaching nan 2nd tier for nan first clip was astir apt akin to uncovering life connected Mars. Revell recognises and relishes Stevenage’s position arsenic underdogs but is acutely alert really their accelerated commencement – Lewis Hamilton is surely nan Hertfordshire town’s astir celebrated boy – whitethorn beryllium perceived externally.

“‘It’s 10 games: is it conscionable a purple patch?’” says Revell, whose broadside besides person astatine slightest 1 crippled successful manus connected almost each their rivals. “That is what group will beryllium saying. Being wherever we are, we’ve ever sewage thing to prove. It is simply a awesome spot to beryllium because it keeps america connected our toes: ‘Let’s beryllium group wrong.’ It is simply a really breathtaking clip for america arsenic a club.”