Winless run of nine matches means Stevenage boss has 11 league wins and 27 defeats since his return to the club last season

Graham Westley says that whatever league Stevenage are in next season, he wants to create a competitive side that will ‘start winning football matches again’.

Defeat to Sheffield United on Friday means it is now nine successive matches without a victory for Stevenage - with Westley overseeing just 11 victories and 27 defeats in 48 league matches since his return to the club at the end of March last year.

Speaking after the 1-0 loss at Bramall Lane, a result that leaves Boro seven points from safety with just three matches to go, Westley said that although survival is unlikely he is concentrating on winning on Monday against Bristol City.

“I think you deal with the facts as they hit you,” Westley said.

“It’s unlikely that a 46 point team is not going to pick up enough points to finish above what we total but let’s address that when and if it happens.

“Let’s concentrate on winning the game on Monday and we have to make sure that we play that game with the spirit and togetherness and appetite that we showed in the second half (against the Blades).

“If we do then there’s every reason why we can win it. If we win that game let’s get on to Walsall on Saturday week and worry about wining that.

“If what we do between now and the end of the season takes us into League 2 we make sure that we take all the positives from this year.

“We look at the work that’s been done to clean up the situation of a year ago and let’s make sure that whatever league we’re playing in next year we’ve got a strong enough team to start competing and start winning football matches again.”

* Click on the link on the right for a collection of photos from Bramall Lane.