Stevenage boss Teddy Sheringham played down the England link between him and Terry Butcher, Newport County’s manager, ahead of his trip to Rodney Parade this Saturday.

Sheringham and Butcher are two of three former England internationals currently managing in League Two – Carlisle United’s Keith Curle is the other – and have combined for 128 caps and 14 goals.

Boro manager Sheringham downplayed the international experience on the touchlines at Saturday’s game, instead focusing on the players on the pitch.

“It’s not about us; it’s about my team. As long as they perform, I can do what I want,” he said.

Stevenage go into the game on the back of two losses – against Notts County and Ipswich Town – and are looking to give their campaign a jolt in the arm. But Sheringham knows it won’t be easy against Butcher’s Newport.

“If we’d have beaten [Notts County and Ipswich] then it might be easier,” he said.

“This is a situation where we need to get a result and Newport need a result because both teams haven’t started the best. This business is all about results and we need to try to get one.

“I will never go to a football club and try to play for a draw, but to take a point away from home in a place where they’ll be scrapping for everything would be an improvement on what we’ve done because it’s learning to get something out of football match. We’re going there to win, make no mistake about that.”

Sheringham admitted that not too much is known about this weekend’s opponent, but sheer competitiveness and gritty determination should make up for it.

“I don’t know an awful lot about them. I had them watched and heard about the different systems they have used, which have been different for each game. We’ll nail down what we think they’ll be playing and work on that,” he explained.

“We’re here to win a football match, whatever way. It’s not all about systems. That’s just where it starts. You have to be competitive and win battles every time you go into a challenge. If you do that it’s more than having systems and being in the right place at the right time.”