Stevenage

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Stevenage captain Carl Piergianni has signed a contract extension for an undisclosed length.

The 34-year-old central defender moved to the Hertfordshire club in the summer of 2022 from Oldham Athletic and won promotion to the third tier in his debut season.

Piergianni was named Stevenage's player of the year in back-to-back campaigns in 2022-23 and 2023-34.

He has made 217 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring 20 goals.

Image source, Getty Images

Former West Bromwich Albion and Scotland forward Matt Phillips has announced his retirement from professional football.

The 35-year-old made 238 league appearances for the Baggies, scoring 28 goals during an eight-year stay at The Hawthorns which included three seasons in the Premier League.

Phillips started his career with Wycombe Wanderers before joining Blackpool and then QPR in 2013. He cost Albion £5.5m in 2016.

He made his Scotland debut in a 5-1 friendly win over the USA in May 2012, going on to make 16 senior international appearances and scoring one goal during a win over Hungary in 2018.

After leaving the Baggies in August 2024, Phillips spent 18 months with Oxford United before ending last season with Stevenage where he scored two goals in 19 League One games.

"It's been an amazing journey, as my professional playing career comes to an end let's see what's next," he said on social media., external

Stevenage head coach Alex Revell wants his players to build on their recent momentum as they head to Leyton Orient in League One on Saturday.

Boro took just a single point from their opening three league matches, including losing at home to both Oxford United and Reading.

But they have followed that up with two successive draws before a thumping 5-1 win at Barnsley and a 2-1 home victory over Luton Town last Thursday.

Stevenage are up to ninth after six matches and Revell told BBC Three Counties Radio the players need to feed off the increasing feel-good factor.

"There's no better feeling than when everybody gets to celebrate like that after a game," Revell said. "We know how much it means to everybody, and how hard everybody works here - staff, players, everyone.

"This is not a group of players where you overload them. You just need to keep it simple. Get them to do what they are good at, and that's what we feel we're progressing with.

"If we do that, and add a little bit more of pace and more of those one-on-one moments, we're in a real good place. We're really pleased with where we are."

Stevenage won eight of their first 10 matches last season, which included victory at this weekend's opponents. Leyton Orient.

Boro reached the play-offs before losing in the semi-finals to Stockport County, whilst the O's avoided relegation on the final day.

Revell adds: "I remember we beat them this time last year, and got a fantastic result that sent us top for the first time over that period.

"Leyton Orient are having a tricky old time, sat there in the middle of the pack. Richie's (Wellens) teams are always well coached and have the ability to score goals.

"We want to win this game to go into the international break in that top pack. We want to continue this momentum. building belief in what we're doing."