Roberts credits Westley for Stevenage's rise (From Swindon Advertiser)

SWINDON TOWN: Roberts credits Westley for Stevenage's rise

6:00am Friday 26th October 2012 in Sport By Sam Morshead

Gary Roberts

FORMER manager Graham Westley should be credited for Stevenage’s superb start to the new season, according to Swindon Town winger Gary Roberts.

Roberts was part of a Huddersfield side which played Boro twice en route to promotion from League One last season - once before Westley departed for Preston and once after Gary Smith had assumed control of the club following his predecessor’s departure.

The wide man said that little changed in the Hertfordshire outfit’s gameplan or system when Smith replaced Westley, and he stressed that Stevenage’s rise to second in the division this term has been built on a foundation set in place by their ex-boss.

“They surprised everyone last year. They came and played us at Huddersfield and they gave us a right game before we scored late on to win it,” he said.

“They made a great account of themselves and they’ve kicked on. They’re strong, they’re organised, they work hard and I don’t think they’ll have many players who have a lot of flair or fantasy as the gaffer says.

“They’re so solid. They’ve got a good base, a good back four and they get results.

“Graham Westley set the base for them. We played under both of them and they didn’t change much under each manager.

“They gave 100 per cent, work for each other and they’ve got a very tight-knit group. They’re a hard team to beat.”

After defeat to Crewe on Tuesday, Roberts urged his teammates to make instant amends at Broadhall Way.

He said: “When you win you can’t get too up and when you get beat you can’t get too down.

“I think Tuesday night we deserved something out of the game but we never got that. We’ve got to pick ourselves up because we’ve got some massive games coming up.

“Big games with teams who are around us and we want to be around them so it’s a massive month for us.”