Stevenage have been a Football League side since 2010 and their eighth league meeting against Rovers is scheduled to take place at The Mem tomorrow.
Of the previous seven league encounters, Rovers have won two, Stevenage three and two have finished all square. When it comes to goals, Rovers have scored nine while Stevenage have 10 to their name.
The first meetings between the sides took place in 2015/16 and it was Stevenage, on their first visit to The Mem, who won the first encounter 2-1, on 24th November 2015. The return fixture, on 19th April 2016, ended goalless.
Earlier this season Rovers lost 3-0 at Stevenage when goals from Elliott List, Jordan Roberts and Jamie Reid gave the home side victory.
One man has managed both clubs, albeit for a very short time in each instance; Paul Tisdale arrived at the Memorial Stadium on 19th November 2020, succeeding Ben Garner as manager, only to depart on 10th February 2021 after just 15 games in charge. He took over as Stevenage manager on 22nd November 2021 but, after only 21 games, including one against Rovers, he left them on 16th March 2022.
Paul Raynor, held the position of assistant manager at Stevenage under Steve Evans. A former Rovers player, Raynor made eight league appearances for us when on loan from Nottingham Forest in April 1985.
The list of players to have been associated with both clubs is as follows, though some of these players turned out for Stevenage when they were a non league side; Harry Anderson, Chris Beardsley, Andy Bond, Ryan Brunt, Max Ehmer, Giuliano Grazioli, Peter Hartley, Barry Hayles, Tom Hitchcock, David Francis Lee, Chris Lines, Ryan Loft, Jefferson Louis, Dave Martin, Joe Martin, Dwayne Plummer, Rob Quinn, Justin Richards, Simon Stapleton, Ed Upson and Callum Willock.
Paris Cowan-Hall, Aaron Collins and Sam Finley all made their Rovers league debut against Stevenage. Cowan-Hall made the first of his three league appearances for Rovers, against Stevenage, on 24th November 2015, while Collins and Finley both made their Rovers debuts on 14th August 2021 in a 2-0 home defeat by Stevenage on 14th August 2021.
On Good Friday, while Rovers were taking a valuable point from a 1-1 draw at Wrexham, Stevenage were suffering a 3-1 home defeat at the hands of Blackpool.
Those results left Rovers still occupying a relegation place, with 43 points from 43 games while Stevenage are in 15th place with 52 points from 42 games.
Rovers have won nine, drawn four and lost eight of their 21 home games, while Stevenage have won five, drawn six and lost ten of their21 away matches.
Once again Rovers are looking at a must win game; there can be no slip ups in this penultimate home fixture and the battling spirit and the commitment to the cause that earned that valuable point on Friday is needed once again tomorrow.
We supporters can play our part by turning up in our numbers and create an intimidating atmosphere for our visitors and we need those wearing the shirt to turn up as well!
Turn up the volume and let’s be looking at three points come 4.45pm tomorrow!
UTG!