Stevenage Preview

Broadhall Way - where the Iron will take on Stevenage.

Intro:

Any Old Iron preview the Iron's incredibly important League One clash against fellow League One side Stevenage.

It is the first ever league clash between the two teams - whom both sit in midtable, the Iron in 16th & Stevenage in 13th respectively.

However, Graham Westley's Hertfordshire club are 4 points ahead of Alan Knill's men - and thus cannot be overtaken by the Claret & Blue side, no matter what the result at the Lamex Stadium.

With the smallest ground in the entire League - many had been expecting Stevenage to be the League's whipping boys, but so far they've shown that their unique brand of football can yet be successful in League One as well.

And whilst ignorant fans might be expecting a comfortable Iron win - it is refreshing news to hear Alan Knill has been drilling into his players how difficult the game will be, that he is expecting a battle - whilst praising the simply excellent job that Westley has done for Stevenage.

Stevenage: 

Following their back to back promotions, Stevenage will be chuffed to be sat in 13th so far - having won twice as many games, and scored nearly double the goals - when compared to the Iron's home record.

This includes the famous 5-1 annihilation of Sheff Wednesday, (although 9 of their 11 goals came in just 2 games).

Despite this - Graham Westley's men will be hoping to overturn their run of successive league defeats - especially since they scored in neither game.

Stevenage's unique style of play has become a bit of lower league folklore in the last couple of years: so expect numerous players to be threatening from all phases of their direct style of play.

This will be thus be corners, free-kicks, corners, and cross aplenty. They get the ball to their strikers as quickly as possible. And who can blame them with their recent success?

But anyone who thinks that Stevenage can't mix it up accordingly is being naive.

And one player who is at the heartbeat of all things offensively for Stevenage is the absolutely giant Darius Charles.

The Boro' signed Darius from Ebbsfleet - who were relegated from the Conference the year that Stevenage were promoted from the same division.

Despite him having spent his entire career as a defender- the Hertfordshire club moulded him into an imposing centre-forward, and one whose sheer physical domination has long been a lower league defender's nightmare.

He ran rings round Wednesday's ineffective backline - and will almost certainly be the most physically able and intimidating forward the Iron will play against for a very long time.

So the Iron must expect, and be ready for a big battle on Saturday. And it is one we simply have to win!

The Iron: 
Despite the Iron's seemingly ever-increasing injury list, we were finally able to secure our first league win of the season on Saturday, with 2 Damien Mozika goals getting Scunny over the line during a 2-1 home success over Yeovil.

But the Iron are still without their first clean sheet of the season - and haven't won successive games back to back in nearly 14 months.

However, Andy Barcham is back from suspension finally - but Scunny will still have all of Josh Lillis, Cliff Byrne, Niall Canavan, Jimmy Ryan, Mark Duffy, Jordan Robertson and Matt Godden missing through injury.

Paul Reid is expected to recover for the game in time though - despite him having broken his nose during an off-the-ball clash with a Yeovil frontman on Saturday.

This is expected to leave Michael Nelson on the bench for the Iron.

Having scored twice in 3 away games so far this season - but having taken only 2 points, the Iron will be hoping for more creative and offensive luck this time round.

And Andy Barcham's return from suspension is a welcome boost for that.

The pacy winger and frontman, signed from Gillingham on a free in the summer: is exactly the player who has all the qualities that will unsettle the Gills backline the most.

His invention, pace, skill and ability to get behind defences will surely be invaluable for the Iron - especially if he can combine with Dagnall and Grant.

And if he can, then the Stevenage backline could be in for a very testing afternoon.

Verdict: 
It'll be a very tough game for the Iron, and circumstances permitting - if Knill's men can come away with a point, then we're likely to not be too disappointed with that.

But the wins need to start adding up soon, especially from away from home.

And let's just hope that can begin again on Saturday. Up the Iron!

Byrne to stay on sidelines for even longer

In what will be a heartbreaking piece of news for the Iron's skipper - it has been revealed that Cliff Byrne will remain on the sidelines through injury for even longer.

Suffered last season - Cliff has been having significant problems with his back, and specifically the nerves that run throughout.

These ensure that blood and oxygen can flow throughout - especially at times of peak exercise (like chasing after a winger!). So it becomes impossible for any professional sportsmen to participate when said nerves are playing up.

It had been hoped that Cliff would be back by September - but with us now crawling into October, news has finally eeked out confirming the worst of what we were all fearing.

And given the Iron's already chronic defensive injury worries and fragility, this was not something anybody would be particularly pleased to hear.

It has been a very long 10 months out injured for Cliff - and for such a popular and honest player, you can only feel for him.

Despite Alan Knill admitting that under normal circumstances - this type of injury should have only kept a player out for 3 or 4 months, you begin to wonder if Cliff has done permanent damage.

But with Garry Thompson having just about recovered from what was essentially a season-long injury and back to being close to his best - that there might just be hope yet for the affable Irishman.

He enjoys a great relationship with the fans for a reason - but you begin to fear, and let's just hope that Cliff and the physio staff are more upbeat than this, that it might be the beginning of the end for the defender.

This quote from Knill appears particularly telling:

"When a player has spent that amount of time missing (10 months), you know something is fundamentally wrong."

And with that amount of time only set to increase, we're all beginning to wonder.

Especially since despite the Iron gaffer referring to a setback - nothing is specified. But all pointers seem to be in the direction of disappointment. Let's just hope Lazarus can re-appear for the Iron in the not too distant future and be back to his very best.

Up the Iron!

Johnstone development loan extended

Unsurprisingly - Man Utd keeper Sam Johnstone's loan spell with the Iron has been extended for another month.

He is on a purposefully crafted development loan - whereby he signs for an initial month, and if all three parties are happy (the 2 clubs and the player), then it just continually extends itself.

And with his initial month having been due to expire next week, it has been formally confirmed that this 2nd month spell will kick in as soon as the 1st expires.

The Preston born stopper, still only 18, has made 4 league appearances so far for Scunthorpe United - and despite a surprising over-eagerness at times: he has undoubtedly been a big success.

With Sam having signed following the injury to Josh Lillis - it is expected that Johnstone will be with the Iron until Josh is back to full fitness, at the very earliest at least.

The England U/19 international will thus be eligible for all of the Iron's games throughout October, beginning with Stevenage this Saturday.

But let's just hope that a clean sheet can be finally sealed by the Iron for the first time this season. They're long overdue.

And let's start on Saturday. Up the Iron!

Increased Stevenage allocation for Iron

Stevenage's ground - The Lamex Stadium / Broadhall Way

Having been given an initial allocation of 300, it has been confirmed that the Iron fans have sold out the entire said allocation.

But thankfully - since the Stevenage away end holds close to 1,700, the initial allocation set for the Iron fans has been increased following an agreement between Scunthorpe United and their soon to be hosts.

Indeed, this will be the first ever time that the Iron have taken on Stevenage during a competitive league fixture.

However, given how close we are to Saturday, this distribution of this increased allocation hasn't been possible in advance.

So it has thus been revealed, somewhat welcome, that there will be further tickets given to Iron fans on the day of the game.

These will be at the same prices as those previously bought in advance by the said 300 supporters.

For those turning up at the Lamex Stadium - do say hello to AnyOldIron if you see us there!

 You will also be available to purchase your way to 90 minutes of entertainment - either at the away end turnstiles, or at the Hertfordshire club's ticket office.

And given the Iron's admirable, and increasing away support - let's just hope the men in claret and blue can deliver three points!

The prices will be as follows:

Adults - £21
Concessions* - £18 
U/18 - £14
U/11** - £10

*Seniors & Students
**With a full-paying adult.

These prices certainly seem steep, so let's just hope Graham Westley's physical newly-promoted side are sent packing by the mighty Iron!